Hundreds of young people walk with Jesus on Good Friday

By Mary Brazell, 20 April 2019
Pilgrims at the beginning of the CYP Good Friday Night Walk at St Patrick's Church, Blacktown. Image: Mary Brazell/Diocese of Parramatta.

 

It’s 3am.

Most Catholics across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains will be asleep, preparing for one of the biggest weekends in the Catholic Church.

But for hundreds of young people, they are awake, walking, talking and praying with the Lord.

VIEW: Images from the Good Friday Night Walk below or click here.

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The annual Catholic Youth Parramatta (CYP) Good Friday Night walk was held on Good Friday, 19 April with over 1500 participants from Catholic parishes across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains.

Following last year’s walk, a decision was made to split the walk into two different ‘routes of reflection.’

The new route started at St Patrick’s Parish, Guildford, and walked through Holy Family Parish, East Granville, Holy Trinity Parish, Granville, St Margaret Mary Parish Merrylands and St Oliver Plunkett Parish, Harris Park.

The traditional route began at St Patrick’s Church, Blacktown, and travelled to Our Lady of Lourdes Parish, Seven Hills, St Anthony of Padua Parish, Toongabbie, Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish, Wentworthville and Sacred Heart Parish.

Both routes began at 10pm with a safety briefing by members of the CYP leadership team.

At Guildford, Fr Chris de Souza, Vicar General, Diocese of Parramatta, spoke to the pilgrims ahead of their journey.

At Blacktown, Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv blessed the mobile phones of the pilgrims, and said that the Good Friday Night Walk is a form of spiritual exercise.

“It is wonderful to see so many people gathered here for the annual Good Friday Walk, and it’s even more wonderful to know that we have a similar group in Guildford,” Bishop Vincent said.

“This is my third Good Friday pilgrimage walk, and I look forward to many more as long as I am your pastor here in this great diocese of ours.

“The walk serves as a spiritual exercise – we are reminded that this life is a journey, a journey of faith, a pilgrimage whose aim is to shape the soul.

“And we do so in memory of Jesus, who suffered and died to bring to fulfilment God’s plan for the healing and the transformation of our world.

“So friends, let us walk in faith, in joy, companionship and solidarity with each other and with all the people of goodwill around the world.

“Have a wonderful walk, have a safe and enjoyable and joyful walk,” Bishop Vincent said.

READ: Bishop Vincent’s address to the pilgrims in full here.

At every parish along the routes, youth ministry members presented music, re-enactments of the Stations of the Cross and contemporary reflections relevant to young people, whilst reflecting on the Sorrowful Mysteries of Mary.

As the sun rose, both pilgrimage groups met up in the Parramatta CBD, before walking together to reach their destination – St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta.

Members of the CYP LIFTED Band performed music during the final reflection inside the Cathedral.

At the completion of the walk, participants were treated to a pancake breakfast, hosted by parishioners of the Cathedral Parish. 

VIEW: Images from the Good Friday Night Walk below or click here.

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