THREE young people will represent Queensland at an official handover of the World Youth Day Cross in Rome on April 9.
St Mary’s College, Ipswich Year 12 student Kathryn King, who was one of four winners of the Sydney World Youth Day 2008 “Ignite the Flame” logo competition, and Australian Catholic University Banyo campus minister Eric Robinson will represent Brisbane archdiocese. They will be joined by Townsville Diocesan Youth Ministry co-ordinator Rachel Grahl at the handover.
The trio will be among a delegation of 60 young people representing dioceses, ecclesial communities and movements as well as religious congregations from around Australia.
Following a World Youth Day tradition, the handover of the cross takes place on Palm Sunday in St Peter’s Square as part of the Palm Sunday Mass celebrated by the Pope.
The Pilgrim Cross is officially handed over by youth from the previous host city to the youth of the next host city.
Rachel said it was an honour to be picked by Townsville Bishop Michael Putney to represent the diocese at the handover.
“We have a once in a lifetime opportunity to participate in this global event with the pilgrimage cross, the days of encounter and our own pilgrimage to Sydney in 2008.”
Celebrations will also take place on April 9 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney and many other cathedrals, parishes and schools to coincide with the ceremony in Rome.
Sydney Auxiliary Bishop Julian Porteous will celebrate the 6pm Palm Sunday Mass at St Mary’s followed by music, testimonies and the launch of the World Youth Day 2008 logo.
Highlights of the Handover of the Cross ceremony in Rome, with commentary, will be transmitted to a large screen in the cathedral at 8pm.
The delegation will return with the cross on April 13 and it will travel to dioceses across the country in the lead up to World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney.
A one-hour package of the Palm Sunday Mass in Rome will be broadcast on community channel 31, a free-to-air television station in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane and Perth.
The broadcast will begin at 8pm in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide and 8.30pm in Perth.
Subscription television network EWTN will also broadcast the Palm Sunday Mass live from Rome starting at 5.30pm.
