Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
29 May 2013
For the first time in history, churches, cathedrals and millions of faithful across the world will synchronise their watches and spend an hour of Eucharistic Adoration and prayer on Sunday 2 June.
From 5 pm until 6 pm, local time in Rome, the Eucharistic Adoration led by the Holy Father, Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica to mark the Feast of Corpus Christi which falls on 2 June this year, will be broadcast worldwide enabling millions worldwide to pray together for the intentions proposed by the Holy Father.
Taking the theme, "One Lord, One Faith," the Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration is an initiative of Pope Francis and is described by the Vatican as "one of the major events in this Year of Faith."
While a huge number of Catholics in every corner of the globe will be able to participate in the Eucharistic Adoration at the same time as the one taking place in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, nations such as Australia, New Zealand and certain regions of the US and South America, the time difference is too great.
In Sydney, for example, when it is 5 pm local time in Rome this Sunday, it will be 1 am on Monday morning.
For this reason, the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell has designated the Eucharistic Adoration held in the forecourt of St Mary's Cathedral as part of Sydney's annual Corpus Christi celebrations will be the official Cathedral Adoration Event for the faithful to be united with Pope Francis.
As happens each year when between 5000-7000 families, children, young people, individuals participate in Sydney's Walk with Christ, the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, from St Patrick's Church, on Church Hill near Wynyard through the CBD to the Cathedral, where the Eucharistic Adoration will take place outdoors at the St Mary's Cathedral.
This year's Adoration will be particularly memorable not only as a global event but the global prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father.
The first intention from Pope Francis is that prayers be offered "for the Church spread throughout the world to be united today in the adoration of the Most Holy Eucharist as a sign of unity and that through her faithful announcement, the Word that saves may still resonate as the bearer of mercy and may increase love to give full meaning to pain and suffering, giving back joy and serenity."
The second of the Holy Father's intentions is "for those around the world who still suffer slavery and who are victims of war, human trafficking, drug running and slave labour. For the children and women who are suffering every type of violence, may their silent scream for help be heard by a vigilant Church so that gazing upon the crucified Christ, she may not forget the many brothers and sisters who are left at the mercy of violence."
This intention also is for all those "who find themselves in economically precarious situations, above all for the unemployed, the elderly, migrants, the homeless prisoners and all who experience marginalisation."'
In Sydney this Sunday, the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell and the Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishops, the Most Rev Julian Porteous, Most Rev Terry Brady and Most Rev Peter Comensoli accompanied by priests and seminarians will lead the Procession of the Holy Sacrament.
Unlike last year's heavy rain and cold, only brief scattered showers are predicted for Sunday and a huge turnout is expected.
The Feast of Corpus Christi dates back to the 13th Century and is one of the most important and beloved celebrations of the Church Calendar. Although the devotion to the Holy Eucharist dates back to the first Apostles, it was not until Augustinian nun, St Juliana of Mont Cornillon in Belgium, whose deep veneration for the Blessed Sacrament had her yearning for a special feast day in its honour. From 1230, she began encouraging priests to devote Masses to the Body and Blood of Christ and in 1246 persuaded the Bishop of Liege to convene a Synod and institute the feast of Corpus Christi.
Bishop Julian Porteous, the Archdiocese of Sydney's Episcopal Vicar of Evangelisation and Renewal, traditionally carries the Blessed Sacrament during the Walk with Christ Procession through the CBD.
Each year as the thousands gather in the early afternoon at the city's historic St Patrick's Church Hill prior to taking part in the Procession of the Holy Sacrament, he says people have a chance to recall the first Catholics in the early days of the colony who had no priest to say Mass and gathered instead in a house where the Blessed Sacrament was kept and where they were able to be in communion with their Lord and Saviour.
"Each year we walk with Christ through the streets of our beautiful city as a public witness to the fact that Christ is not only present for us, but present for all," he says. "The real presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is a precious gift for us all. It is a gift of love from the Lord who has invited us to be friends. The Lord offers us an intimate and personal relationship with him and we know we can approach him at any time and he is there, available and attentive to our needs."
On Corpus Christi, Bishop Julian says is a chance to "give expression to our grateful appreciation of His great gift and to the fulfilment of the promise made at the Ascension: 'And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time."
For more information on this year's Walk With Christ and how to join in go to http://www.sydneycatholic.org/events/Eucharist13/
29 May 2013
Bishop Julian Porteous carried the Holy Sacrament at last year's Walk with Christ
From 5 pm until 6 pm, local time in Rome, the Eucharistic Adoration led by the Holy Father, Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica to mark the Feast of Corpus Christi which falls on 2 June this year, will be broadcast worldwide enabling millions worldwide to pray together for the intentions proposed by the Holy Father.
Taking the theme, "One Lord, One Faith," the Worldwide Eucharistic Adoration is an initiative of Pope Francis and is described by the Vatican as "one of the major events in this Year of Faith."
While a huge number of Catholics in every corner of the globe will be able to participate in the Eucharistic Adoration at the same time as the one taking place in St Peter's Basilica in Rome, nations such as Australia, New Zealand and certain regions of the US and South America, the time difference is too great.
More than 4000 braved rain and cold for 2012's Walk with Christ
For this reason, the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell has designated the Eucharistic Adoration held in the forecourt of St Mary's Cathedral as part of Sydney's annual Corpus Christi celebrations will be the official Cathedral Adoration Event for the faithful to be united with Pope Francis.
As happens each year when between 5000-7000 families, children, young people, individuals participate in Sydney's Walk with Christ, the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament, from St Patrick's Church, on Church Hill near Wynyard through the CBD to the Cathedral, where the Eucharistic Adoration will take place outdoors at the St Mary's Cathedral.
This year's Adoration will be particularly memorable not only as a global event but the global prayers for the intentions of the Holy Father.
Families, children and people of all ages joined last year's Walk With Christ
The second of the Holy Father's intentions is "for those around the world who still suffer slavery and who are victims of war, human trafficking, drug running and slave labour. For the children and women who are suffering every type of violence, may their silent scream for help be heard by a vigilant Church so that gazing upon the crucified Christ, she may not forget the many brothers and sisters who are left at the mercy of violence."
This intention also is for all those "who find themselves in economically precarious situations, above all for the unemployed, the elderly, migrants, the homeless prisoners and all who experience marginalisation."'
In Sydney this Sunday, the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell and the Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishops, the Most Rev Julian Porteous, Most Rev Terry Brady and Most Rev Peter Comensoli accompanied by priests and seminarians will lead the Procession of the Holy Sacrament.
Last year's Walk with Christ Procession through the city's streets
The Feast of Corpus Christi dates back to the 13th Century and is one of the most important and beloved celebrations of the Church Calendar. Although the devotion to the Holy Eucharist dates back to the first Apostles, it was not until Augustinian nun, St Juliana of Mont Cornillon in Belgium, whose deep veneration for the Blessed Sacrament had her yearning for a special feast day in its honour. From 1230, she began encouraging priests to devote Masses to the Body and Blood of Christ and in 1246 persuaded the Bishop of Liege to convene a Synod and institute the feast of Corpus Christi.
Bishop Julian Porteous, the Archdiocese of Sydney's Episcopal Vicar of Evangelisation and Renewal, traditionally carries the Blessed Sacrament during the Walk with Christ Procession through the CBD.
The Holy Eucharist was carried at the front of the procession to St Mary's Cathedral
"Each year we walk with Christ through the streets of our beautiful city as a public witness to the fact that Christ is not only present for us, but present for all," he says. "The real presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament is a precious gift for us all. It is a gift of love from the Lord who has invited us to be friends. The Lord offers us an intimate and personal relationship with him and we know we can approach him at any time and he is there, available and attentive to our needs."
On Corpus Christi, Bishop Julian says is a chance to "give expression to our grateful appreciation of His great gift and to the fulfilment of the promise made at the Ascension: 'And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time."
For more information on this year's Walk With Christ and how to join in go to http://www.sydneycatholic.org/events/Eucharist13/
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
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