Cross arrival looms

Members of St Paul’s Catholic Church, Albion Park, are “counting down the sleeps” before the World Youth Day cross and icon arrive on Tuesday on its journey to Sydney.

World Youth Day is organised by the Catholic Church and will be held in Sydney in July.

The cross and icon were given to the Catholic youth of the world by Pope John Paul II, to travel around the globe in the lead up to World Youth Day events.

Heralded as the Olympic Torch of World Youth Day, the 3.8 metre high, 40 kilogram cross, along with the icon (ancient painting) of the Virgin Mary holding the child Jesus, has travelled throughout the world and arrived in Sydney on July 1 2007.

It has been undertaking a 12-month journey across Australia.

On Tuesday, Albion Park will host the Cross and Icon twice – for a morning event involving more than 1500 young people, as well as evening celebrations that will go through the night.

Father David Catterall, Parish Priest of St Paul’s Church, Albion Park, who attended the last World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany, in 2005, said it was amazing to think that the cross and icon had travelled to places such as Ground Zero in New York and East Timor.

“One of the highlights of this visit will be a torch-light procession up Tongarra Rd, Albion Park,” he said.

“The cross and icon, accompanied by more than 30 torchbearers, will travel from the RSL memorial at about 7.15pm and arrive at St Paul’s Church for an 8pm celebratory service.”

Fr Catterall said he hoped hundreds of people would gather in and around the church to welcome these two Christian symbols.

The visit of the cross and icon to Albion Park will also be marked by a special midnight mass, as well as a farewell service and Aussie breakfast in the grounds of the church on Wednesday at 6.30am.

Everyone is welcome.

For information on the visit of the World Youth Day cross and icon to Albion Park or World Youth Day in general please contact the St Paul’s Parish Office on 4256 2038.

The full program for this visit can be found on the parish website www.stpaulsparish.org.au.