SHANNON Cavanagh is hoping to personally meet Pope John Paul when she goes to Canada for World Youth Day next month.
Shannon, 24, is one of two young delegates chosen to represent the Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference at World Youth Day. She will be joined by Adam Morris of Canberra.
They will represent the 1000 young pilgrims who are also travelling to Toronto for the World Youth Day celebrations from July 22-28.
Shannon, who is an Edmund Rice Camps co-ordinator, was nominated by Townsville Bishop Michael Putney and was selected from a large field of candidates.
Shannon’s enthusiasm for young people is evident.
‘Young people are incredible,’ she said. ‘They have this amazing desire to contribute to the community. They take the responsibility, without question, to do something about the injustices of our society.
‘So many young people have the natural ability to approach the disadvantaged with a Christ-like humility and grace.
‘I get to see Christ in the faces of our volunteers every day. How blessed am I?’
Shannon is also the Townsville diocesan youth representative for World Youth Day and has co-ordinated fundraising and awareness events in the past months.
She said being chosen as an Australian representative was a shock.
‘I didn’t really expect anything to come of it,’ she said. ‘It was a complete surprise.
‘It would be wonderful if we got the chance to meet the Pope,’ she said.
‘Obviously there are concerns about whether he will be able to deal with the media and delegates from around the world.
‘It would be such a massive thing to happen, but you don’t want to get your hopes up.’
Shannon will travel to Brisbane on July 13 and fly out with the Queensland pilgrims on July 14.
They will visit Calgary, Banff National Park, Montreal, Quebec and Toronto.
Adam and I have to be in Toronto two days before everyone else because we have to prepare for the World Youth Day liturgy that the delegates are involved with.’
Shannon, who will travel to the United Kingdom for two weeks after World Youth Day, said this would be the first time some of the pilgrims had been overseas.
‘It should be really fantastic,’ she said.
‘This is also really good for Townsville. There is a real need for the youth to be recognised and this will provide a chance for that recognition.’
The three pilgrims going from Townsville, including Shannon, have been embracing the community in their fundraising efforts.
Shannon became involved with Edmund Rice Camps through her work with the Catholic Youth Office in Townsville.
She has been heavily involved with young people in music ministry at Mass, through various youth groups and her work on the St Vincent de Paul State Youth Committee.
Shannon is also 18 months from finishing a law degree.
