On April 3, more than 70 young people from across many Sydney Catholic Secondary Colleges travelled to St Mary’s Cathedral for Divine Mercy Sunday. This was a special pilgrimage opportunity deeply connected to the theme of World Youth Day 2016 and the Year of Mercy.

Students gathered at Hyde Park to have lunch together and hear more about the significance of the Year of Mercy, the Jubilee Doors and Divine Mercy Sunday, before heading to the Cathedral.

They walked through the Jubilee doors and the reflective path of Mercy within the Cathedral before spending time in individual reflection and prayer.

The Divine Mercy celebration then began with the devotional hour, which consisted of the recitation of the Divine Mercy Chaplet led by students from Casimir College; the veneration of the first class relics of Saint Faustina, Blessed Fr Sopocko (Spiritual Director to Saint Faustina), and Saint Pope John Paul II; and the sacrament of reconciliation.

The students formed a guard of honour for the procession of these relics. Saint Faustina and Saint Pope John Paul II are the patron saints of WYD16 and for many students this was a powerful connection to their path to Poland, that lies ahead later this year. The Divine Mercy Sunday Mass was then celebrated, with many of the students involved in the ministries of the Mass.

A special thank you to Fr Gary Perritt for being with us to support and minister to us at Mass and the Sacrament of Reconciliation – a very special part of our day together.

Many thanks to Suzanne Austin, the Divine Mercy Sunday Coordinator at St Mary’s Cathedral and to Milad Khalil, a Religious Education teacher from Casimir College for coordinating the involvement of the students.