Holy Cross
Passionist Family
Newsletter.
June
2008 Volume 14, Issue 5
Page 3:
Relics of Young Passionist Saints on Tour.
Former Holy Cross Community Leader Fr Tiernan Doherty CP, has a new job! He is Custodian of the Relics of Passionist Saints: Gabriele Possenti, Gemma Galgani and Maria Goretti which are here in Australia to promote the Passionist Youth Encounter in Melbourne (July 9 -12) and the World Youth Day celebrations in Sydney in the following week. He is also Co-ordinator of the Relics Pilgrimage for all associated events.
The ‘Official’ Tour commenced with a Liturgical Ceremony last Thursday, May 29, at the Passionist Parish of St Brigid, Marrickville, and will conclude on June 27 at St Patrick’s Cathedral. Within this time, the Relics will travel in cities and country centres in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, visiting cathedrals, parishes, nursing homes and religious communities. (see diary, page 1)
But the ‘Unofficial’ Tour commenced earlier!
On May 8th the relics, escorted by Custodian Fr Tiernan
arrived at Holy Cross Monastery, Templestowe, thanks also to Le
Pines Funerals, Major Sponsor for the Tour. ‘The Age’ Newspaper on
May 9th reported the arrival of the Relics with the headline ‘Saints
be praised, holy bones hit the road’, AND with a great picture of Father
Tiernan (right; picture courtesy of 'The Age' Newspaper)
Then on May 20th, the Passionist Companions, gathering for their bimonthly meeting at Holy Cross, found to their surprise that they were privileged to be a part of the first public display of the relics in Australia. (see article, page 4 June Newsletter, Home Page )
The relics of the three Passionist Saints are contained in a reliquary carved from Tasmanian Blackwood by the same casket maker who made the coffin of the Unknown Soldier in Canberra while on the side of the reliquary, there are images of the three Passionist Saints, crafted in Italy. For the entire cost of the reliquary and the transport costs of the pilgrimage in NSW, Victoria and South Australia, we are most grateful to Le Pine Funerals, their General Manager John Fowler and local Manager Tim Horlock. (See Footnote)
Fr Tiernan CP says that “the pilgrimage of the relics provides an opportunity for the wider community of all age groups to pray for our young people and for the success of WYD in Sydney and for us as Passionists in our Melbourne endeavour. While the Holy Father and Bishops come with youth from all over the world to embark on a program of catechesis and messages to deepen the faith, we pray our own Passionist contribution can be a small contribution to also draw people into their faith experience by visiting parishes and other centres with the relics.
“May
this experience engage the 'local' and 'domestic' Church into an 'encounter'
with Christ. Our saints, while 'heroic' characters within the Universal
Church, also are members and gifts locally to us within our Passionist Family.
They were 'real' people, flesh and blood as the relics testify. While youth
often have fictitious heroes presented to them through modern media, may the
relics invite them to remember who the 'real' heroes are in their life journey
within family, schools and parish life.”
We join with Fr
Tiernan in prayer for our young people and for the success of World Youth Day
in Sydney and the Passionist Youth Encounter here in Melbourne. Amen.
For information on Le Pine Funeral Services,
please visit:
www.lepinefunerals.com.au
or phone Tim Horlock 03 9569 0585