Walk With Christ - and 6,000 Sydneysiders Did on a Beautiful Sunny Day
Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese Release
23 Jun 2014
23 Jun 2014
Sydney's Knights of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem participated in yesterday's Walk with Christ Procession
"The Procession was the best yet," says Cathy Kennedy, Director of CREDO, the Archdiocese of Sydney's Catholic Renewal and Evangelisation Diocesan Office.
Held each year on the Feast of Corpus Christi, Sydney's unpredictable weather has often meant smaller turnouts or as happened last year, a cancellation of the Procession through Sydney's streets and a hasty relocation to St Mary's Cathedral.
But yesterday's early morning mid-winter chill quickly gave way to pleasant temperatures and sunshine under a cloudless blue sky.
Leading the Procession was Bishop Comensoli, Apostolic Administrator for the Sydney Archdiocese who carried the Monstrance containing the Blessed Sacrament. He was accompanied by Father Danai Penollar, assistant priest at St Mary's Cathedral and seminarians from the Seminary of the Good Shepherd, Homebush and the Redemptoris Mater Missionary Seminary at Chester Hill. A contingent of Knights and Dames of the Holy Sepulchre took part in the Procession, including Father John Knight and Fr Don Richardson.
As well as priests and religious many thousands of school children, uni students, members of youth groups and parish organisations took part. They were also joined by parents of all ages, some pushing toddlers in strollers others joining their adult children for what has become a Sydney tradition.
Bishop Peter Comensoli led the Walk for Christ Procession of the Blessed Sacrament
In Europe the Walk With Christ Procession of the Holy Sacrament on the Feast of Corpus Christi dates back to the 14th Century.
Introduced to Sydney as an important part of the Church calendar by the then Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, the Walk with Christ Procession has taken place each year ever since, and next year will be the 10th year in which the Procession through the city has taken place.
Among those taking part yesterday were a contingent of at least 100-plus members of Sydney's Youth for Christ movement. There was also a large turnout from the Christian Brothers High School, Lewisham with the students in school uniform accompanied on the march by teachers and staff from the college.
"When you looked back down Hunter Street from Macquarie it was just a sea of people as far as you could see, with more coming around the corner from George Street," says Cathy.
Singing hymns, praying the rosary and sharing their joy, the Procession is a celebration of faith and a way for Catholics to express their appreciation for the great gift of the Eucharist.
"The Procession is also public witness to the fact that Christ is not only present in us, but present in all people," says Cathy.
The Procession concluded in the forecourt of St Mary's Cathedral forecourt with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Solemn Benediction
Procession which began at St Patrick's Church Hill, Wynyard wound its way down Grosvenor to George Street then up the hill to Hunter Street and along Macquarie Street to St Mary's Cathedral.
The Procession culminated in the Cathedral forecourt with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Solemn Benediction.
"There was not a spare centimetre of space in the forecourt," says Cathy. "It was a wonderful day and a wonderful show of faith."
In his homily, Bishop Comensoli contrasted virtual reality on Facebook and Facebook friends with the palpable reality of Christ in the Eucharist and the non-simulated reality of the friendship Jesus offers us.
"2015will be the 10th year of Sydney's Walk for Christ Procession of the Blessed Sacrament and for this milestone we are hoping for good weather so that we can surpass this year's record.
Shared from Archdiocese of Sydney
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