FR Peter Williams has been appointed director of liturgy for World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney (WYD08).
Fr Williams will assume responsibility for delivering some of the largest components of the July 2008 celebrations, including the welcome Mass for thousands of young pilgrims from across the world, the papal arrival and Vespers with the bishops, the evening Vigil and the final Mass with Pope Benedict XVI in Sydney.
Fr Williams will work in close collaboration with WYD08 co-ordinator, Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney, the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and Papal Master of Ceremonies.
He will also provide appropriate education and formation for all priests and other ministers, such as acolytes, readers, and ministers of Holy Communion, who will be involved in the major liturgical celebrations.
Bishop Fisher said he welcomed Fr Williams’ appointment on August 9.
“The director of liturgy is a most important role,” Bishop Fisher said. “The eyes of the world will be watching during World Youth Day and I am very confident that the liturgies developed under Fr Williams’ guidance will be remembered for many years beyond 2008,” he said.
World Youth Day’s chief operating officer Danny Casey said he looked forward to working closely with Fr Williams during the lead up to World Youth Day 2008.
“We are extremely fortunate to have found someone with such a depth of experience to guide some of the largest liturgies Australia has ever seen.”
Fr Williams was ordained a priest for Parramatta diocese in 1992, serving in the parishes of Marayong, Penrith and Harris Park.
He has a masters of theology from the University of Sydney and studied liturgy at the Catholic University of America in Washington DC.
He is dean of St Patrick’s Cathedral in Parramatta, has been executive secretary of the National Liturgical Commission since 2000 and was previously director of liturgy in Parramatta diocese.
He teaches liturgy at the Catholic Institute of Sydney and Good Shepherd Seminary in Homebush and is priest-in-residence in Granville parish in Parramatta diocese.
For further details about WYD08 programs visit www.wyd2008.org
