As pilgrims of Hope in communion, the Oblate Youth of Australia began their journey to WYD in Lisbon with a pilgrimage to Israel to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ and culminating in a pilgrimage to Aix-en-Provence “the Oblate Holy Land.”
For eight days, they have journeyed with Sacred Scripture visiting the Holy Land. The Oblate Youth set out to discover the “5th gospel” in order to live in a unique way the love of Jesus Christ, which impassioned St. Eugene de Mazenod.
St. Eugene’s first homily after his ordination was on Christmas 1811. The Oblate Youth began their pilgrimage remembering St. Eugene’s words to his mother when he entered the seminary in 1808, where he describes his love for the nativity of Jesus.
Their pilgrimage in Jesus’ Holy Land will end with the celebration of the Eucharist commemorating Jesus’ sending his disciples to all the ends of the world and, as such, entering more deeply into the Oblate charism of being sent to evangelise.
Accompanying the Forty-Eight young pilgrims is the Bishop of Wagga Diocese, Rev. Mark Edwards, OMI and Frs Christian Fini, OMI, Provincial Superior of the Australian Province, Connell Perry, from the Diocese of Wagga, Josh Nash OMI, and Tony Ortiz, OMI.
