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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:  Screenshot by Vincent Cavanagh, 2023 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 Fisher (OP) giving the second Catechesis ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023 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.  Archbishop Fisher (OP) giving the homily ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023 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 Lisbon 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 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.  On our way to board the Lisbon Metro ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023 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  On the platform waiting for the next Metro service to arrive ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023 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.  Australian Bishop line-up ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023 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.  Bishop Columba on stage, Lisbon, Portugal ~ Vincent Cavanagh ©2023 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 |
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