NEW POPE BENEDICT XVI RETREAT CENTRE OPENS IN AUSTRALIA BY CARDINAL

Cardinal Pell Opens New Benedict XVI Retreat Centre

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese RELEASE
21 Mar 2014

Students, teachers, architects and builders joined together with representatives of the Catholic Education Office and the Archdiocese of Sydney as Cardinal Pell celebrated a Mass for the opening of the new Benedict XVI Retreat Centre at Grose Vale this week.

It is hoped the Centre in its peaceful bushland setting will become a place of pilgrimage for people of all ages.

The Catholic Education Office Sydney joined the Archdiocese in the redevelopment of the Centre with a view to primarily accommodating the retreat and activity needs of all the systemic schools within the Archdiocese of Sydney and beyond.

The Centre provides wonderful new facilities to support the pastoral goals of both the Archdiocese and the CEO, Sydney, in particular encouraging the practice of retreat as a way of augmenting existing programs of faith formation.

The new buildings and facilities are purpose-built so students, teachers and parishioners as well as clergy and other groups can take time out to unwind, reflect and reconnect.

Cardinal Pell opened the Centre and dedicated the Chapel in honour of St Benedict. Also present was the Apostolic Administrator of the Archdiocese of Sydney, Bishop Peter Comensoli; the Bishop of Parramatta, Bishop Anthony Fisher OP ; priests of the Archdiocese; Executive Director of the Catholic Education  Office, Dr Dan White; students, teachers and the architects and builders.

Nigel Boonham who sculptured the beautiful statue of St Benedict which sits between the Chapel and main hall, flew out from England to install the life-size sculptor.

Nigel has sculpted a number of statues for St Mary's Cathedral including the marble altar.

As part of the dedication of a new Chapel relics were placed in the altar. These were the relics of Vietnamese Martyrs TP Khoan, TG Dat, TA Thanh along with Saint John Bosco and Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. 

Cardinal Pell said he hoped the Retreat Centre will become a haven for many young people for many years to come. SHARED FROM ARCHDIOCESE OF SYDNEY