Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
15 May 2013
15 May 2013
Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
Why Faith Matters is the theme of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell's annual Pentecost Catechesis to be held at historic St John's College at the University of Sydney on Friday, 17 May.
Already almost 400 youth and young adults from across the city have registered to attend what promises to be a standing room only event.
Organised by Catholic Youth Services (CYS), the evening will begin with an optional Holy Hour at the College Chapel followed by dinner in the college quadrangle where young people will have an opportunity to meet and talk informally with His Eminence. The dinner will be followed by the Cardinal's Pentecost Catechesis in the Great Hall of the College which will include a chance to ask questions about faith, particularly in today's secular society.
This will be followed with dessert, tea and coffee with His Eminence in the College's nearby Brennan Hall.
"The Cardinal's Pentecost Catechesis is always a much anticipated event among young people across the Archdiocese," says Bernard Toutounji, director of CYS explaining that despite teenagers' and their tendency to leave "everything to the last minute," there has been a big demand to be part of this year's event.
Each year Cardinal Pell holds Pentecost consultations with Catholic youth leaders and students
"Registrations have poured in but as there is room for only 400 or so in the Great Hall at St John's, I am urging anyone who wants to attend but hasn't registered to do so as soon as possible," he says.
As with previous years, the Cardinal's Pentecost Catechesis takes a specific theme.
"Last year's theme was Behold the Mystery and this year, as part of the Year of Faith, the theme His Eminence has chosen is Why Faith Matters," Bernard says adding that in today's secular world, this is a question many young people are asking and one many are asked to answer by their peers and fellow uni students or workmates.
In past years pupils from Sydney's Catholic schools have joined members of parish youth groups, the city's university chaplaincies and those from CYS and other affiliated groups for Cardinal Pell's Pentecost Catechesis.
This year however on Friday at 10 am students and staff from the city's Catholic schools will attend the World Youth Day Commissioning Mass at St Mary's Cathedral which will be celebrated by Cardinal Pell and concelebrated by the Bishops of the Archdiocese and WYDRio 2013's chaplains. As part of this important Mass, His Eminence will also introduce his Pentecost message and explain the importance of faith, and why faith matters.
The Great Hall, St John's College
"But some students who are attending the Mass have also signed on be at the Cardinal's Pentecost Catechesis later that night," Bernard says.
Earlier this year, as he does each year, His Eminence held Pentecost consultations with young people from across the Archdiocese.
"Cardinal Pell has always been deeply interested in young people, and the consultations he holds in the lead up to Pentecost are very much looked forward to by Sydney's young people," Bernard says, explaining that not only are they able to discuss their own faith journeys and issues of concern with His Eminence, but since 2001 when Cardinal Pell was appointed Archbishop of Sydney, the consultations have formed the basis of his annual Pentecost Message.
St John's College Chapel where Holy Hour will be held
For many of the 400-plus young people from parishes, chaplaincies, deaneries, schools and universities registered to attend this year's Pentecost Catechesis by Cardinal Pell, the evening will also provide a chance for many of those present to see inside St John's College, the oldest Catholic university college in Australia.
Established in 1858 and named after St John the Evangelist, the College and its gothic style chapel were designed by William Wardell, the English-born architect who designed Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral and St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne.
Friday evening's event will be hosted by members of CYS's Net Ministry Team 2013, including Team Leader, Denis Nuwagaba from Uganda and Jessica Lehnoff from Georgia USA. Another Team Leader, Carly Forsyth from Cairns, Qld will be among those to give testimonies during the Catechesis.
To find out more about Cardinal Pell's Pentecost Catechesis at St John's College on Friday evening, 17 May email pentecost@cys.org.au or phone 02 9764 43
SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY
Comments