ONE World Youth Day (WYD) volunteer will turn from supplying electricity to transporting the power of the Lord when the WYD cross and icon of Our Lady reach Brisbane archdiocese in August.
Nat Hutton, 21, a sub-station technician with Energex, will use some of his annual leave to act as a transportation captain for the assembled WYD cross on its busy 13 day schedule.
Although the Sydney WYD Organising Committee has a dedicated team overseeing the WYD cross and icon’s journey across the whole of Australia, each diocese must arrange for the transportation of both while they are within diocesan boundaries.
Mr Hutton’s involvement came when the Brisbane-based Journey of the WYD Cross and Icon working group pinpointed a period where the WYD cross would need to stay assembled.
This would save time on disassembly and reassembly and Mr Hutton said the use of a truck and a licensed driver then became essential.
“Because of the busy schedule there’s about five or six continuous days that the WYD cross will need to travel in one piece,” Mr Hutton said.
“On Saturday August 25 we have to transport the WYD cross from the summit of Mt Coot-tha to the Stradbroke Island ferry in just over an hour so it’s going to be pretty tight and that’s one of the reasons we want to carry it in one piece rather than disassemble it to fit it into the van.
“Luckily we were able to make a deal with East Coast Trucks, who are allowing us use of a medium rigid enclosed removalists truck on generous terms.
“I’m sure we’ll have times where we run a little bit early or late but at all times we’ll being obeying the laws because we need to deliver the two precious items safely.”
Living in the Ipswich area, Mr Hutton and his fellow parishioners will be amongst the first to enjoy the visit of the WYD cross and icon.
“Like any other deanery, South Country (deanery) and Ipswich are very excited about the opportunity of getting the WYD cross and icon and have got big plans for them while they are here,” Mr Hutton said.
“Although I was a pilgrim to Cologne in 2005 and that was fantastic, I think my involvement with the transport this time will actually make the Journey of the WYD cross and icon a bigger part of WYD for me than actually going to Sydney.
“God willing, when I get to Sydney I’ll be happy to take a back seat.”
