Days in the Diocese last weekend. Happy South American folk? Click photos to enlarge. Click archives for some other photos.
More photos of the World Youth days ahead in Sydney may be published soon.

The path from the Customs House, Newcastle to the Festival for Days in the Diocese of Maitland Newcastle.
More photos from 12 and 13 July 08 in Newcastle.

Days in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, Blackbutt Region, were drawing to a close with a farewell liturgy followed by dinner and multicultural entertainment. National anthems were launced into, mainly by Spanish or Portugese songsters and we could join in clapping to the beat.
Delicious food was served and the volunteer elders had prepared an ambitious and successful menu. The crowd moved to the hall nextdoor, on the St Pius X campus, for the concert and the moment of departure, for next day, the visitors were leaving for WYD in Sydney.

The beginning liturgy was the newish Stations of the Resurrection - Via Lucis (Way of Light).
These takeover where the Stations of the Cross end. I read, (in Wikipedia), that the Via Lucis are centered on the Resurrection and the events following from it so as to emphasise the positive, hopeful aspect of the Christian Story which, though not absent from the Stations of the Cross, are obscured by their emphasis upon suffering.
Via Lucis, which is commended by the Vatican, is a potential stimulus for a 'culture of life' which is open to the hope offered by faith in a society sometimes characterized by a 'culture of death', despair and nihilism.
So, what does Mel Gibson - director of The Passion - think about that? I believe the movie is very gruesome and is the type of thing that the above insights have in mind.


























A gallant little national dance, almost unnoticeable in the crowd, was a highlight for me.

World Youth Day Festival in Newcastle yesterday in the foreshore park and on the nearby beaches as well as the old renovated fort. Something of everything for a fun time in the sun.
Care was taken to have all services there and volunteer workers were among the crowd and first aid and police officers were on duty.










Giovanni from Columbia.

Columbian visitors gave us spontaneous sacred song during a Reconciliation Liturgy at Saint Therese's, New Lambton (Newcastle) this morning with drums and dancing to a fancy beat.
As well, more reflective sacred songs were sung.
The World Youth Visitors formed a procession to Broadmeadow Railway station to catch a train for the short ride into the city for a festival.

Aboriginal Australian customs were echoed in an infusion of smoke by a procession through the congregation and the didgeridoo was played.

Morning Prayers for World Youth Day Pilgrims and others at Corpus Christi Church, Waratah on the feast of Saint Benedict.
(Saint Benedict's Rule is considered a powerful force in building the civilization of Christian Europe. He would have been an abbot and his significant work related to monastic life - the Benedictines. He died in the sixth century.
Trivia: Benedictine liqueur was made famous by a monk. Is this an occasion for strawberries and cream laced with the liqueur!)

Update: I believe this is incorrect in that it was really the feast day of another different Saint Benedict.
Community service by the Pilgrims. This drab area will be improved by tree plantings made close to Warabrook Station (which serves the University of Newcastle in the distance on the other side of the rail line) Another sunny, chilly, windy day.

It would'nt be Newcastle without its coal trains and one is in the background. Newcastle has one of the largest coal ports there is and it is juxtaposed with greening activities.
The city council has equipment and seedlings and works with volunteer group who join in tree planting and greening the city.