PEOPLE of all ages were enthralled to hear Chris Zammit, Angela Porteous and Catherine Harris speak about shared experiences in East Timor at Spirituality in the Pub (SIP) on April 7.
At Easter this year the trio, along with others from Mitchelton parish including Fr Gerry Hefferan, visited its capital Dili and the diocese of Baucau to promote World Youth Day.
Catherine was impressed by the hospitality extended, saying she didn’t anticipate eating as frequently as they did, “every two hours”.
“Probably the most profound of their experiences was the palpability of the local faith,” SIP organiser Gavin Duffy said.
“Taking part in a range of Holy Week and Easter celebrations they experienced liturgy in a way they have never seen before.
“A greater sense of Easter as the high point of the Christian year hit them right in the face when seeing how enthusiastically the Timorese celebrated the mysteries of Easter.”
Chris, an education student, said Australian Catholics “stand to learn a great deal” from how the Timorese practise their faith.
He has visited the region four times, including 12 months with Comunidade Edmund Rice, a faith community founded by the Christian Brothers.
Angela is a teacher at Corpus Christi College, Nundah, while Catherine, a compliance manager in the construction industry, works part-time for North East Deanery as World Youth Day co-ordinator.
Both Catherine and Angela admitted to being “addicted to overseas travel”.
Catherine, who was in Cologne, Germany, for World Youth Day in 2005, said she “wants to make the most of it being hosted in Australia”.
“Travelling to East Timor and immersing in their culture even for just a short time meant Catherine could really prepare herself for welcoming the world in July this year,” Gavin said.
“Angela recognised the importance of being a pilgrim and not just a tourist, especially with the East Timorese who will be blown away when they come to Australia.”
North East Deanery is sponsoring 25 young people from Baucau to attend the Sydney event, first travelling to Brisbane for Days in the Diocese.
With a focus on fundraising to aid the group, Chris, Angela and Catherine, along with a team of others, are planning various activities including a trivia and games night on May 31 and a gala dinner on June 6.
Team member Cass Bull, former youth co-ordinator of Grovely parish, has remained in Timor to teach English to orphans and will return with the Timorese pilgrims in July.
A video of the group’s Easter trip is available on the NEDYM World Youth Day page at www.nedym.net/wyd/ along with a host of other information.
SIP is held on the first Monday evening of each month at Gilhooley’s Tavern, Chermside, on Brisbane’s northside.
The next SIP topic on May 5 is “The worker and the Church”.
