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The Pittwater Pilgrims Return

By Penelope Kerr

This is the final WYD08 update for the six pilgrims to Pittwater. After World Youth Day's Final Mass on Sunday, the Pittwater Solomon Islands Pilgrims spent two days recovering. They went into Randwick Racecourse on the Saturday and slept in the open with approximately a quarter of a million other young people. The Papal Mass was a huge affair which will leave lifetime memories.

On Monday they celebrated Mass at the Maria Regina Church, Avalon, where Bishop Bernard lives. Photos click here. He and the parishioners welcomed them warmly and some parishioners stayed back to join them at Morning Tea in the Presbytery. The rest of the day was spent back "home" at the Shanahans though some of the group walked down to experience the joys of the large supermarket in Mona Vale.

The Pope at the final event



On Tuesday, the six joined with 17 pilgrims from Tennessee in the United States for a cruise on Pittwater. They went onshore for lunch at the Basin, a popular picnic spot, where they were greeted by kangaroos and native birds, quite tame because they are so used to people.

Tuesday night saw the final farewell, an Italian Night in the Parish. See the photos- click here. About 200 people enjoyed great food, good company and even some dancing, though this was limited by the crowded quarters.

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WYD08 Update

By Penny Kerr with updates

from David Kerr

Overall

The photos here are from the truly wonderful Stations of the Cross held in three locations on Friday.

Stations of the Cross

 

The biggest group of Solomon Islanders is located at Oak Hill, to the West of Sydney. It is quite cold out there but people have been provided with warm clothing. Unfortunately, lots of youth caught flu and about 50 people were kept isolated there so it would not spread to everyone. This was unfortunate because they missed activities. However, the good news now is that they are all much better.

 

The group sponsored by the Dominican Sisters is staying a little closer to the city and things are going well. They have been amazed by the huge shops, vast crowds of people (sometimes as many pilgrims as the total population of the Solomon Islands! Sr Teresa has been heard to say "FEARFUL" several times!

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More Benefit from “Doing by Learning—Learn by Doing” Material.

 

50 youth participants from the 7 parishes of the Catholic Diocese of Gizo  participated in the Youth leadership training seminar held Monday 19th May, here in Gizo parish.

The facilitator Fr. Shanti Chacko Puthussery PIME who is from India had spent most of his time with Mother Teresa of Calcutta, and with his designed learning material helped to assist youth to organize themselves in their own respective village communities. This is to bring them closer and  to learn the 2012  material “Doing by learning and learning by doing”.

 

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Fr. Shanti said that the young people should not wait for who is going to teach them but come together, make available oneself in the youth group and do everything with a sense of responsibility. Therefore, he said, prove to oneself that she/he is capable of participating in the youth group regularly and ready for ‘doing by learning’ and ‘learning by doing’.

 

 Fr. Shanti Chacko P. PIME, is secretary of Commission of Youth and is now working with the Catholic Bishops Conference of PNG and SI, Goroka PNG.  

 

 

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Italian Youth 2nd Youth Visit to the Diocese of Gizo

 

To make the Church young and alive was one of the principal aim of the Catholic Diocese of Gizo while working closely with the young people of the diocese.

 

 
   

 

Last year on July 2011 youth pastoral team from Pedrengo Parish, Bergamo, Italy were here to set up our youth center, exchange views and experience among the youths around the diocese. 

 

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Youth Encounters Training, Northern Deanery, Moli Pastoral Center.

 

A total of up to Eighteen YE facilitators/ participants have just completed the YE seminar, which was conducted at Moli Pastoral center for the Northern Deanery on the 12th—15th May.

 

      

 

 

The program which was facilitated by the YE team, Br. Augustine, Joseph Jio, Celestine, Arnold Arabatu and the Diocesan Youth coordinator Nascia Pae; has its impact sessions which gave time to the participants to evaluate and plan for possible ways to improve YE in the future.

The program gave opportunities for each parishes on how the YE program was implemented, with feedbacks from each parishes, challenging them to look for possible ways to carryout YE in their respective areas.

As part of the review program, the team prepared the twelve sessions to refresh some of the participants and others who are new to the program.

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Knights of the Altar Weekend Encounter

 

Encountering  each other and to be closer to the Lord Jesus was an experience felt by the twenty –one young Knights of the Altar (KOA) of St Peter the Apostle Catholic Parish, Gizo, on the weekend of 25th and 26th of February, 2012.

 

     

 

 
         
   

The program begins with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, celebrated by the Bishop of Gizo – Most Rev Luciano Capelli SDB, who called on them and challenged them to be brothers and friends to each other and to come close to Jesus in their everyday service at the Holy Mass. He further called on them to be the model of service in the community.

These young boys, ranging from 8 to 15 years, welcomed each other as brothers of young Christ followers, came together to experience what it is to be friends and brothers and be more close to the Lord in their service as the Knights of the Altar. Through their participation in the activities organised for them, which includes; some inputs and practices on knowing all that is inside the Sacristy room and to care for them, having reverence for their service at the Sanctuary, assisting new ones in their role to serve at mass as well as praying together, having meals together, watching the movie of “home alone” and playing challenging games of soccer table and futsol, gradually build their relationship with each other as brothers and friends and be more closer to the Lord.

The young boys have drawn up their monthly activities to continue their experience of each other and to be strong in their faith at the wonderful service of the community for Christ.

The weekend encounter was facilitated by Fr. Stephen Te’e, the Parish Acting Administrator, Aquinas Tanuqu, our seminarian who is doing his pastoral year in Gizo and Joseph Lalaubatu. The success of the encounter was the great contribution and support given by parents and guidance and the volunteered service of cooking and availability of our youths of St Peter and our great mothers. We thank our Bishop, for the use of such great facilities that our young boys loved so much.

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Solomon 6 to Pittwater for WYD08

Sydney Harbour at start of WYD08

We know the parents are wondering about how the youth are going here in Australia. They are spread all over Sydney and most of them will probably not meet other groups unless they happen to see each other at the big Papal Mass or some other event. There could be as many as 500,000 at the Papal Mass. This is the same as the population of the whole Solomon Islands, all in one place!

 

We can tell you about the six pilgrims sponsored by Pittwater Parish on the Northern Beaches of Sydney.

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World Youth Day 2011 Celebration, Diocese of Gizo.

 

More than 100 youth from the Southern Deanery, Wagina, Noro and Gizo parish attended the three-day world youth day celebration in the Diocese of Gizo from the 12th to 14th of August.


procession match with the wyd cross

      

 

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