The City’s Gearing Up for WYD

Things are definitely starting to gear themselves towards World Youth Day in the city.  I made a quick trip into town to see how things are going.

I decided to visit St. Mary’s Cathedral where I knew the floor had been replaced this year and a new altar will be consecrated by Pope Benedict next week.  It just happened that I arrived five mintues before the official unveiling of the painting of Our Lady of the Southern Cross that is now hanging in the Cathedral.

I happened to see a group of three people outside the Queen Victoria Building wearing WYD hats that they must have bought at the merchandise store in Hyde Park.  I dropped in there myself to pick up something to wear during the WYD catechesis we’re hosting at Wenty.  Sites around the city are very much in the process of being ready for the week’s events.

Sunday will mark what is essentially our parish’s start to the WYD week.  Our celebration of the Parish Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel will include a blessing of our parish’s own pilgrims during the 9:00 a.m. Mass.  Later that night, our first pilgrims will be arriving from St. Severin Parish in Paris.