Procession through the streets of Sydney marks the end of Year of the Eucharist

By Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese

21 October 2005

On Sunday 23 October 2005 Catholics from across Sydney will process through the streets of Sydney to mark the end of the Year of the Eucharist, a twelve-month period of reflection called by the late Pope John Paul II.

The procession coincides with the conclusion of the Year of the Eucharist and the end of the Synod on the Eucharist in Rome (with Sydney’s Cardinal Pell one of the participants).

The procession is a public expression of the appreciation of the Church for the Eucharist.

Starting from St Patrick's Church Hill (20 Grosvenor St) at 2.30pm, the procession will travel along Hunter Street and Macquarie Street ending at St Mary’s Cathedral (approximately 4.30pm). Hymns and prayers will unite those in pilgrimage, broadcast on 90.9FM.

A number of ethnic communities will be carrying banners and wearing cultural dress. Among the various communities represented will be:
• Croatian Community
• Samoan communities
• Chinese Catholic Community
• Fijian Sydney Catholic Community
• Tongan Catholic Community
• Vietnamese Catholic Community
• Maltese community

Other organizations/religious movements who will add to the richness of the event through their participation:
• World Youth Day (WYD) 2005 pilgrims will wear their WYD T-Shirts and gather around the Sydney WYD 2008 banner.
• The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem Lieutenancy of Australia will wear full ceremonial gowns.
• The  Sovereign Military Order of Malta will wear full ceremonial gowns.
• Maroubra Holy Family Youth Group “Catholics in Action” will wear their official T-shirt and process behind their banner.
• Catholic Women’s League Sydney will process as a group.

The procession will culminate at St Mary’s Cathedral with the Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament and Solemn Benediction.

FOR MEDIA SEEKING INTERVIEWS, please arrive at Lang Park opposite St Patrick’s in Grosvenor St, Wynyard at 2pm.

DATE: Sunday 23 October 2005
TIME: Procession departs at 2.30pm
VENUE: St Patrick’s Church Hill (20 Grosvenor St) to St Mary’s Cathedral (opposite Hyde Park).

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
St Patrick’s Church Hill was chosen as the starting point because of it’s historical significance - it was the place where the Blessed Sacrament was left for the faithful of the colony when the priest was deported.

In 1817 a rather zealous and determined Father Jeremiah O’Flynn arrived in Sydney with a mandate from Rome. He was Australia’s first Catholic priest, but despite having the Pope’s permission to perform his duties and celebrate Mass openly, the British Government forbad him.

He persisted, and in 1818 Governor Macquarie ordered his arrest and deported him. But Father O’Flynn was determined not to leave the faithful abandoned, and deliberately left the Blessed Sacrament in the care of a prominent Catholic, William Davis. Davis opened his house for those who wished to pray before the Blessed Sacrament, which was housed in a little tabernacle of cedar. His house stood at the site of what later became St Patrick’s Church Hill.

Bishop Julian Porteous, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney and convenor of the Procession says “The Catholic Church in Australia began with Catholics gathering around the Blessed Sacrament to pray because there was no priest. Thus prayer before the Blessed Sacrament has been a fundamental aspect of Church life in Australia.

“Since medieval times Catholics have seen processions, especially of the Blessed Sacrament, as a means to express their appreciation of the gift of Christ’s body given to the Church through the celebration of Mass.

“A procession marks a way of expressing the basic Christian understanding that human life is a pilgrimage, that our life on earth is not complete and that we are in procession to final destiny which is heaven. Pilgrimages to places of particular religious significance capture this deep Christian sense that here on earth we’re on pilgrimage.”
Previous Eucharistic processions have been held in Sydney in 1928 and 1953. Back in 1928 over 20 000 walked in the procession from Circular Quay to St Mary’s Cathedral, with an estimated 500 000 lining the route. It was by far the grandest religious spectacle ever seen in Australia to date.

In 1953, Cardinal Gilroy began the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament at St Patrick’s Church Hill, and around 25 000 took part, with an estimated 750 000 onlookers.

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