All 262 pilgrims from the Diocese of Parramatta have arrived in Perth for the Australian Catholic Youth Festival 2019.
The young people, students, teachers and religious brothers and sisters from across Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains touched down at different times throughout Saturday 7 December, full of excitement and a touch of exhaustion.
After arriving, the Diocesan pilgrims were welcomed to the Archdiocese of Perth during a Mass celebrated at a local parish minutes from the Perth CBD.
Bishop Vincent Long OFM Conv, Bishop of Parramatta, celebrated Mass with local clergy from The Church on the Hill – Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Woodlands. Also concelebrating Mass was Fr Jack Green from Mary, Queen of the Family Parish, Blacktown and Fr Alejandro Lopez OFM Conv from Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Kellyville.
The Woodlands parish, which is under the spiritual direction of Vietnamese Dominican priests Fr Peter Hoang OP and Fr Chinh Dinh OP, was open to the Parramatta pilgrims as well as some Dominican brothers from Melbourne.
Diocese of Parramatta pilgrims pose for a photograph after celebrating Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary Parish, Woodlands, ahead of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival 2019 in Perth. Image: Diocese of Parramatta.
At the beginning of Mass, Fr Peter welcomed the pilgrims to his parish. Generous hospitality followed Mass with a meal organised by local parishioners for the pilgrims.
The Australian Catholic Youth Festival is a biennial national festival, which is to be hosted by the Archdiocese of Perth from 8 to 10 December.
To keep up to date with ACYF, please visit catholicoutlook.org or you can follow the Diocese of Parramatta’s Facebook and Instagram pages, as well as Catholic Youth Parramatta’s Facebook and Instagram sites.
