Kiwi reps join online workshop looking to Eucharistic Congress

More than 150 people from across Sydney – clergy, parish leaders and parishioners – gathered online to catch the vision for Eucharist28. The workshop was held on February 19 and was organised by the Parish Renewal Team within the Sydney Centre for Evangelisation.

The centre’s Tania Rimac described the workshop as “an opportunity for our parishes to come and learn more about the Eucharistic Congress. Our hope is to support parishes to understand how they can live these three years of preparation towards the Eucharistic Congress in their own local parish communities”.

“A majority of those who joined us were from Sydney. However, we were also joined by many from across Australia and even New Zealand,” she said. “We were joined by parish pastoral councils, priests with their teams and individual parishioners hungry to understand what this Congress means for them and their local parish.”

Some parishes that logged in as groups were encouraged to stay on after the Zoom session ended to discuss what they’d heard and discern what they being called to.

The feedback was clear: “People came with a spirit of openness. A lot of the feedback that we’ve had was that it was very encouraging and people are now raring to go and quite excited,” Ms Rimac said.

This first workshop was just the beginning, “[it was] an introduction so that we can be prepared and learn more about the [congress] ahead of the national launch”, she said.

As part of the preparatory journey, parishes took part in an Australia-wide Holy Hour on Sunday, March 1, the Second Sunday of Lent. This coordinated moment of Eucharistic Adoration marked the start of the Year of Prayer in the lead-up to 2028.

Sydney Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP launched the Year of Prayer at St Mary’s Cathedral with Mass and a Holy Hour.

FULL STORY

Sydney Parishes begin their walk to Eucharist28 (By Darren Ally/The Catholic Weekly)

Eucharist28 Launches with Mass, Holy hour and procession (The Catholic Weekly)