World Youth Day 2019 IN-Sync
As the 171 pilgrims from the Diocese of Parramatta prepare for the final Mass at World Youth Day 2019 in Panama, their families and friends are being invited to celebrate alongside them thousands of kilometres away in Parramatta.
The World Youth Day (WYD) 2019 IN-Sync event on Sunday 27 January will allow those families and friends to connect with the pilgrims as they finish their pilgrimage.
Fr Paul Roberts, Director for the Institute for Mission, Diocese of Parramatta, said that IN-Sync is “an attempt to link the local community with our travelling pilgrims, and a chance for those at home to share directly in the spirit of World Youth Day.”
The IN-Sync event will begin with Mass at 6pm at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, with a celebration of food, music and fellowship to follow.
“We’re fortunate that we’ll have some vibrant music for the Mass that’s typical of the WYD spirit,” Fr Paul said.
“The Neo-Catechumenate group will give us plenty of strumming and drumming afterwards to create something of the typical feel of the WYD Vigil that our pilgrims would have just experienced in Panama.”
A few pilgrims from previous World Youth Days will share about their pilgrimage experiences and how their lives were impacted then and now.
VIEW: The WYD 2019 IN-Sync flyer
“At the inaugural WYD IN-Sync event in 2016 in Poland, the time zones of our night and their day enabled live-streaming of the final Mass with Pope Francis. This time, with an increased time difference, we’ll be linking our night with their Vigil experience,” Fr Paul said.
During IN-Sync, attendees will see some freshly received footage from our travellers days of pilgrimage including some well-wishes sent home for the Australia Day weekend.
A unique feature at WYD2019 IN-Sync at Parramatta will be the chance to record messages that will be seen and used during the pilgrims’ post-World Youth Day retreat in Houston, Texas.
“We want to send some video material to let the pilgrims know that we are thinking of them and celebrating with them. We’ll enable a range of messages to be recorded and sent, from fun greetings to some pieces that will actually become part of their retreat reflections,” Fr Paul said.
“I hope that this Mass and celebration will be a place of real welcome to everyone. We want to host families and friends of pilgrims, but also to welcome other members and friends of the diocese – including former pilgrims, young and older people, parishioners and friends.
“I hope IN-Sync can be a continuing chance to celebrate World Youth Day at home.”
WYD2019 IN-Sync has been organised by Catholic Youth Parramatta, Institute for Mission, St Patrick’s Cathedral Community and the Diocesan WYD Steering Committee.
The World Youth Day 2019 IN-Sync event will be held at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, on Sunday 27 January at 6pm.
If you wish to attend, please RSVP by 22 January to Fr Paul Roberts – connect@ifm.org.au
For more information on the Diocese of Parramatta’s pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2019 in Panama, please visit parrawyd.org
