We caught the Metro to a different station, but we ended up in the same park as yesterday for the second session of Catechesis. To be honest, my heart dropped a bit when I saw we were back in the same field again. The topic for today is Social Friendships. All the catechesis locations are covering the same topic. Some clergy have been feeling ill with flu symptoms, including Fr Sam and Bishop Umbers. So there’s been some scrambling to fill the catechesis speaking slots. Run Order for Rise-Up session 2: These run orders have helped us know what to expect. I should have uploaded yesterday’s run order, but it’s too late now. Because this WYD has tried to be as paperless as possible, most information comes to us from the official app. But I would have preferred a souvenir booklet with maps and schedules in it. Archbishop Anthony Fisher is the Archbishop of Sydney. As an auxiliary bishop of Sydney for WYD 2008, he together with Cardinal George Pell and the then auxiliary bishop Julian Porteous, were the episcopal team that made WYD Sydney happen. He was talking too fast for me to jot down notes easily, but this is what I jotted: ‘Whatever your position is, someone is looking for an ecclesial brawl with you, and maybe with you as well – and you with them.’ ‘Hell is both the failure to love (Dostoevsky – 19th century Russian writer) and to be loved (Charles M Schultz – Charlie Brown Comics)’ – only a summary. ‘Now may this WYD make you all great and Godly lovers, every one of you’. Mass was held in the same location as the Catechesis. The Archbishop Fisher presided. From the Archbishop’s homily: ‘Our God is no God of Separation: He is a God of Closeness.’ Other Information We’ve been told to expect a 4 hour walk to the Vigil Site on Saturday, including rest stops. It’s also been recommended that we go shopping for snacks, and especially Hydralyte tablets. These tablets are supposed to ease dehydration symptoms. Apart from the short time between the Australian gathering and the Welcome Mass on Tuesday 1 Aug 2023 – when we visited two nearby churches - we haven’t had time to do any sight-seeing, visit the ‘City of Joy’ park, or anything in the city proper. The City of Joy is where the Vocation Fair, a Chapel, and the Reconciliation Park are. In the city proper are movies, art galleries, talks, museums, relics, the cathedral where St Anthony of Padua was baptised and where relics of St Vincent of Saragossa – deacon and martyr – reside. Our catechesis locations have been away from the CBD, and by the time we get back, we hunt for lunch, have a brief rest, and then stake out positions for the next visual of Pope Francis or next major event. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd #wydlisbon #wyd2023 #lisboa2023 3 Aug 2023, 2.17pm Portugal | 3 Aug 2023, 11.17pm Sydney
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Fr Aldrin, chaplain of the white bus, with our direct-to-Portugal pilgrims, joined our location for the Welcome Mass. We had a reasonably good position because an advance team had gone ahead and picked out a location for the Broken Bay pilgrims to occupy. Sydney’s Catholic Weekly published a column by Monica Doumit on 3 Aug 2023, with her reflections on the long-term fruit of her own World Youth Day experiences. In it she writes “I am suffering from some serious fear-of-missing-out right now….but I really don’t really want to be dragging my luggage in high summer heat, and that Masses with a congregation of millions of young people present are not the most conducive to my prayer life, but there is just something so wonderful about WYD that makes me want to be part of it.’ I do agree with Monica Doumit’s experience of most, if not all, WYD liturgies not being places for deep prayer. The audio where we were for this Mass wasn’t wonderful, and thankfully it was improved just as the Mass began. Sadly all I got were small moments of participation at the Welcome Mass. Everything else is the crush of people, the heat, noise of music, and trying not to lose the group when walking to Holy Communion. What I remember most is the Gloria being sung very well. The archbishop of the WYD location always presides at the Welcome Mass. On screen here is the Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, Archbishop Manuel Clemente, also known as Manuel III because he’s the third Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon with that name. Since he turned age 75 about a fortnight before WYD began, in some ways this is the big finale to his active priesthood. WYD Catechesis – Rise Up #1: 'Integral Ecology'. The open-air location is Parque Urbano da Quinta da Granja. It is a pleasant enough place, and one of the biggest places for English Language catechesis, hosting some 10k pilgrims. The catechesis sessions are known at this WYD as ‘Rise-Up’. That’s a play of words on the theme for this WYD based on Luke 1:39 ‘Mary rose and went with haste’. However after having had all the events of yesterday under the hot sun, and getting sunburnt arms, an undercover location would have been more welcome. Cardinal Sean O’Malley o.f.m. from Boston, USA, was our catechist for the morning. Apparently he’s been to something like 11 World Youth Days. Most of the pilgrims here are from the USA, although there are some Italian, Scottish and Mexican flags to be seen. It was rather difficult to keep track of what the Cardinal was saying, so much so, that some pilgrims gave up and quietly said the Rosary instead. Using loudspeakers instead of using a radio broadcast didn’t help. The topic for this morning was 'Ecology'. But I only caught snippets of it. I know that it started with his grandfather buying a large black and white TV, and a TV show called The Millionaire (USA). I wanted to pay attention, but it was a struggle to focus. What I did glean was this: From the end of the Marriage Ceremony in Spanish: ‘I am giving you a companion, not a slave. Love her as Christ loves the Church.’ ‘We become so fascinated by the gift that we forget the giver (God).’ Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd #wydlisbon #wyd2023 #lisboa2023 3 Aug 2023, 8.21am Portugal | 3 Aug 2023, 5.21pm Sydney This began at 3pm Lisbon time, 1 Aug 2023, at Parque da Quinta das Conchas e dos Lilases. It is the third largest public park in Lisbon, and originally the land belonged to two farms (quintas), one called ‘the Conchas’ and the other called ‘the Lilases’. To get there, we needed to travel by Lisbon Metro. Perhaps the reason this location was chosen, apart from its ability to host over 3000 pilgrims, is the presence of some eucalyptus trees that have been planted there. As you can see, many of our pilgrims have come prepared with Australian flags and anything else uniquely Australian. We thought getting from the hotel to the Metro was going to be a rather simple process, until we came across the vehicle and pedestrian barriers that are part and parcel of crowd control at WYD. Eventually we found a route. At the Metro Lisbon has several public transport options, metro, train, lift and bus. There are four lifts, with one vertical, and the rest what we would call funicular or cable cars. With the Metro there are four routes, each colour coded red, blue, yellow or green. They might drive on the wrong side of the road, but they drive on the correct side of the rails. While we waited for the official parts of the Australian gathering to begin, lots of catch-ups happened between friends and acquaintances from different dioceses. Apart from a pep talk, that’s what the Australian reunion is all about – reconnecting as an Australian family of believers and reducing any sense of isolation before facing the world. Eventually our bishops found a shady spot from which to view the stage. Maybe you can name the rest, but I can name only: bishop of Broken Bay, Archbishop Sydney, Archbishop Canberra-Goulburn, bishop of Wilcannia-Forbes, Auxiliary bishop of Sydney – Umbers (white baseball cap), Archbishop of Hobart. It was Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green’s task to give us a homily, on the theme of Jesus saying, ‘Who do you say I am?’. After him, Archbishop Comensoli announced that the next ACYF – Australian Catholic Youth Festival – was to be held in Melbourne in 2025, and further that Pope Francis had agreed to visit it. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd #wydlisbon #wyd2023 #lisboa2023 1 Aug 2023, 3.19pm Portugal | 2 Aug 2023, 12.19am Sydney Photo by Vincent This photo was taken of us on the plane at Lisbon airport, just after the plane had parked. That was a little before 11pm July 31st, 2023. On arrival at the hotel, we received our World Youth Day pilgrim packs. The only real surprise was the colour of the t-shirt, which could be red or green. Thankfully XL seemed to be the t-shirt size most of us late-arrivals received. Part of our pilgrim group arrived on a morning flight. In the pilgrim pack are the backpack – which can be transformed into a carry-bag or handbag shape; t-shirt; lanyard; bucket hat; pilgrim credential; public transport pass; rosary beads; and water bottle. I tried the bucket hat on that night - and decided that it was far too Gilligan’s Island for me. So I’ll continue with my Cancer Council Men’s Adventure Hat for the rest of the pilgrimage. The brim is better, it’s sturdier, and it has some UPF 50+ protection. I’m several floors up, and sharing the room with Oliver, and this is the view from our Portugal hotel. Can you see the bronze statue of a standing man beside a lion that seems to be floating? It’s actually on a very high plinth between those buildings. That plinth is in the middle of a massive roundabout. While the statue is known as the Marques de Pombal, or Marquis of Pombal Square; it actually refers to Sebastiao Jose de Carvalho e Melo, an 18th century Portuguese statesman and diplomat who led the recovery effort after the 1755 Lisbon earthquake. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd #wydlisbon #wyd2023 #lisboa2023 1 Aug 2023, 8.46pm Portugal | 1 Aug 2023, 5.46pm Sydney Eating Macca’s on the steps of the colonnade of St Peter’s Basilica with Paul, Bettina and Izzy. Yes, with all the great Italian food available – this is bizarre. But we did the Macca’s thing for lunch on our last day in Rome, too. Comfort food, and smells of home, perhaps. From left to right: seminarian Paul, Bettina, and Izzy just visible over my right shoulder. A happy snap of the dynamic duo in front of St Peter's Basilica. (Photo by Sean Dixon.) Here is the majority of the Over 18's Pilgrim Bus waiting under the portico at the main entrance to St Peter's for our radios to be handed out. The radios let us listen to our guide without having to strain our ears. (Photo by Jessica 'Jess' Jakubek.) Lunch Group at Pizzeria alle Carrette, very much a "hole in the wall" establishment in Rome. Afterwards we had quality gelato from Flor Gelato. (Photo by Maria Ferraris.) Night-time walk with Lachlan and others through the streets of Rome. They don't call it The Eternal City for nothing ;) Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd 31 Jul 2023, 2.42pm Italy | 31 Jul 2023, 10.42pm Sydney Because World Youth Day in Lisbon has now started, postings about Rome need to be wrapped up. Therefore, each of these other places in Rome only have a single photo, and the barest of descriptions. The post after this one will be a brief look at the social side of being a pilgrim in Rome – and then the World Youth Day posts will start. But first, a reflection on my time at the Catacombs of St Callistus: It was almost like St Patrick’s, Church Hill, in the city of Sydney, but cooler (as in colder) and underground. An oasis away from the mad throng (physical and/or spiritual) of Rome, and a place of shelter, calm, and cool away from the heat. It was a spiritual palate cleanser from the Colosseum and Forum, and the rest of the city at large. A moment to breathe, be, and know that we aren’t alone in our trials in this current age. Many have gone before us; and are calling us on with them to the heavenly home land. Vatican Museums One of the very long corridors covered in artwork that we saw during our tour of the Vatican Museums. Sancta Sanctorum This used to be the personal chapel of the pope when he lived at St John Lateran. It contains some much-venerated icons. The Colosseum Great numbers of people viewing the inside of the Colosseum. The Roman Forum To get to this view, you have to do a lot of walking with almost no shade. Basilica of St Cosmas and St Damian Of 6th century Christian origin; but it went through a major restoration in the 17th century of just about everything except this beautiful mosaic apse. Parish church of St Paula the Roman Matron (Chiesa Parrocchiale di Santa Paola Romana) Where some pilgrims found Mass on 31 July thanks to seminarian Matthew’s help. It was walking distance from our hotel. St Paula, a widow, lived at the same time as St Jerome, and was of great assistance to him not only in Rome, but also in Bethlehem. Trevi Fountain The song, Three Coins in the Fountain (1955) from the movie of the same name, refers to throwing coins into this particular fountain in Rome. Each of the three coins represent a different wish, one of which is to return to Rome. Church of the Gesu This is headquarters for the Jesuit order, and I was blessed to be there for Mass on 31 July, the feast day of St Ignatius Loyola – and founder of the Jesuit order. The Pantheon What used to be a pagan temple to many gods in the 2nd century, and since the 7th century has been a Christian church dedicated to St Mary and the Martyrs. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd 31 Jul 2023, 2.42pm Italy | 31 Jul 2023, 10.42pm Sydney It was here, very late in the day, that we met up with the Salvatorian pilgrim group from several states in Australia. Together we explored St Paul’s. Under the altar in this place is the tomb of St Paul, the writer of all those New Testament epistles, himself. There are a lot of important people in my life named Paul or Pauline; the most important of them being my Dad. So this was a must-visit place for me, to pray for them. Exterior of St Paul's The colourful mosaics show where the church part of the basilica starts. In front of the church part is a garden surrounded by columns. It is called an atrium. If you recall the way the temple in Jerusalem was laid out, there were inner courts for priests and men, and outer courts for women and gentiles. In a similar way, the church part was for the baptised, and the atrium was for the un-baptised and for those doing penance for serious sins. At the Easter Vigil there was great rejoicing when the newly baptised, and those who had completed their penance, entered into the church part to participate in the Eucharist. Statue of St Paul, in the middle of the atrium Although this famous statue of St Paul is the focal point of the atrium; it is surprisingly difficult to get a good photo of it. This is the closest I got to the actual statue. Left Transept, Interior of St Paul's Looking from the end of the nave towards the left transept. A little of the apse can be seen, and all the altar with its elaborate canopy. That ornate column is the paschal candle stand. Around that column are carved scenes from the life of Jesus. The paschal candle is lit at the Easter Vigil, and every day of the Easter season ending in Pentecost. It symbolises the presence of the risen Lord Jesus with us. Nave of St Paul's View down the nave and towards the apse. On the left-hand side is a statue of St Peter, and on the right-hand side is a statue of St Paul. The apse itself is covered in beautiful mosaics. The curved part of the apse has a very large depiction of Jesus as ruler and judge, flanked by St Luke and St Paul on the left, and by St Peter and St Andrew on the right. With all the columns on both sides of the nave, it has the traditional early basilica shape – even though it has been though fire and earthquake, and has been enlarged, restored and reconstructed many times. Look through the columns on the right-hand side, you should see a coloured part illuminated by light. Papal Medallions Here’s a close-up of that illuminated part. Around the upper part of the walls in this basilica every pope that has ever been, has, in chronological order, a representative medallion. The illuminated one is Pope Francis because he is the present pope; and you can see the un-illuminated Pope Benedict XVI beside him. Whoever is pope after Pope Francis will have their portrait fill the empty medallion to the left of Pope Francis. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd 30 Jul 2023, 5.56pm Italy | 31 Jul 2023, 1.56am Sydney Welcome to the Catacombs of St Callistus This is a rather serene place with green lawns, paved avenues, good amounts of shade and stone edging which we gratefully sat down upon. It was welcome relief after being in the very hot sun most of the day at the Colosseum and trudging through the remains of the Roman Forum. Before St Callistus was pope, while he was still a deacon, he was entrusted with the care of this cemetery which bears his name. By then the cemetery already held many tombs of the earliest popes and martyrs, as well as the non-martyred. It was in this place St Cecilia was first buried until her body was transferred some 600 years later into the basilica built over her home in Rome. There are some 15 hectares of underground cemetery in this place, and 5 levels of catacombs. After the claustrophobic conditions walking through the catacombs, we were grateful for this open-air Mass location. The custodians of the catacombs are very strict about no photographs being taken within them. That’s why behind the altar you can see a mosaic containing an image of bread and a fish – an early Christian symbol of the Eucharist. Above that are pictures and diagrams to remind us of what we saw down there. Including the early Christian symbols and iconography, the horizontal burials in niches, and how some parts are long, thin corridors and some parts open out into chapel areas the size of an average lounge room. Here’s larger versions of two of those explanatory posters. We were shown these in the preparatory area before we went down into the catacombs. On the left-hand side you can see motifs of the Good Shepherd. Of the fish which was a symbol of Jesus during times of persecution. Although if the fish is large it can refer to Jonah and the whale, and be a symbol of resurrection. Of the chi-rho combination of Greek letters that look like a capital P covered with a capital X, which two letters begin the phonetics of Christ. Five Greek capital letters together: Iota for the first Greek sound of the name of Jesus; Chi for the first Greek sound of the name Christ, which in turn means anointed one; Theta for the first Greek sound of God; Upsilon as the first Greek sound for the name of son – without the silent h; and Sigma for the first Greek sound of the name Saviour. ICQUS. A symbol of an anchor is for Jesus the anchor of our hope. A symbol of a woman with hands raised in prayer, and sheep. A woman with hands raised is a symbol of the Church at prayer, depending on the depiction it can also refer at the same time to Mary, mother of Jesus, who is the model of the Church at prayer. The fronds of palm are symbols of martyrdom. Doves can symbolize baptism, peace, Christian souls. On the right-hand side you can see drawings about how the catacombs were built and decorated; and how the entry points were small and easy to miss, and how they got light into the larger chapel spaces. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd 30 July 2023, 6.13pm Italy | 31 July 2023, 2.13am Sydney The major basilica of St John Lateran is the cathedral church of Rome. At the main altar, only the Pope, as Bishop of Rome, can preside at Mass. There is no St John Lateran: it is Lateran because it sits on the Lateran hill in Rome, and the basilica honours both St John the Baptist and St John the Apostle; although technically its primary dedication is to Jesus as Saviour of the World, with minor dedication to the two St Johns. We do something similar when we qualify which church of St John the Baptist we are talking about, e.g. St John the Baptist Woy Woy and St John the Baptist Bonnyrigg. It is this Basilica as the mother of all churches that the Church celebrates with a feast on 9 November, the ‘Dedication of the Lateran Basilica’. This statue of St Francis and the early friars of the Franciscan order is located across the road and in front of the basilica of St John Lateran. That might seem strange, but in the time of St Francis if you wanted to get an audience with the Pope, you came here, since the Pope lived in the Lateran palace attached to St John Lateran. In fact this was the location of the papal residence for about 1000 years. What St Francis wanted was to get papal approval for the Franciscan Rule of Life needed to recognise St Francis and his followers as a religious order. Would you let a group of barefoot, poorly clad men into a papal audience? But God found a way. God gave the pope of that time, Pope Innocent III, a dream while he slept, of Francis holding up the basilica of St John Lateran. This helped the pope take Francis and his men seriously and give them a Yes to their request. Hence the memorial statue of this event. The way you know this is the Lateran Basilica – and not any other big basilica - is at the top of the roof stands Jesus, the triumphant Redeemer holding His Cross. To the left of Him is St John the Baptist. To the right of Him is St John the Apostle. The other statues represent doctors of the Church from both Eastern and Western traditions, for example St Basil the Great and St Ambrose must be represented in the statues somewhere on that roof. In case you are wondering what that blue round thing is in the foreground, I’ve got one too. It came in our pilgrim pack, and it folds spirally down into a flattish circular object about the size of the palm of an adult hand. When the weather is hot, it can be used as a fan; and if anyone feels playful it can also be used as a frisbee. But the most important thing is that it fits inside our pilgrim satchels. This view from inside St John Lateran looking down the nave towards the apse. Along each side of the nave, between the high arches, are very tall, white statues of the Apostles. Surrounding each statue of an Apostle are grey columns on each side. St Paul in this depiction of the Apostles replaces St Matthias, and the statues of St Peter and St Paul are the ones closest to the altar. Each of the Apostles carries the weapon with which they were martyred – except St John, who has an eagle at his feet, a writing stylus in one hand, and an open book in the other hand. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd 29 Jul 2023, 7.19pm Italy | 30 Jul 2023, 3:19am Sydney This is one of the four major basilicas in Rome, all with Holy Doors. The others being St Peter’s, St John Lateran, and St Paul outside the walls. In the mid-4th century, the then pope received a dream containing a request from Mary, mother of Jesus, for a church to be built in her honour at a place that would be pointed out to him. Then in the hottest part of the year snow falls in Rome – that’s the place. On the anniversary of that fall of snow in 434 AD this heaven-requested basilica was consecrated. On that anniversary, 5 August, the Church continues to celebrate the optional memorial of the Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major. Close up of apse and altar area It is truly breathtaking when you walk in for the first time. The mosaics you can see here date from the 5th century. Main body of the nave, facing the entrance. From this photo you can see that the basilica is built in the very early basilica shape: long nave, colonnades giving entry to side naves, and a large apse. The opulent parts you can see date mostly from the 16th and 17th centuries. Where we had Mass today This chapel is officially known as the Borghese Chapel, and its major focal point is the beloved icon of Mary, Salus Populi Romani – Salvation of the people of Rome. Mass was (low style) Ad Orientem, since the altar is attached to the wall, and not free-standing, the bishop and priests offered Mass with their backs to us. Close up Salus Populi Romani The reason the icon bears this name is due to a miracle that saved the people of Rome from plague. Later in history, Pope St Pius V gathered the people of God around this icon to pray the rosary begging God for victory in the battle of Lepanto. To commemorate that victory each year the Church celebrates the memorial of Our Lady of the Rosary on 7 October. More recently, Pope St John Paul II commissioned a copy of this icon to accompany the World Youth Day Cross around the world. Many recent popes have prayed before this icon to seek the intercession of Mary, mother of Jesus, as they begin their apostolic journeys around the world. Exterior The large pillar at the front topped with a Marian statue, and the very tall bell tower behind the basilica of St Mary Major are its distinguishing exterior features. Which is important, because after a while all these big, wonderful churches start to look the same from the outside – especially when you are visiting four churches in one day. Vincent Cavanagh #bbwyd 29 Jul 2023, 7.07pm Italy | 30 Jul 2023, 3.07am Sydney |
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