Hitting the high Cs on Toronto stage

Sydney
4 August 2002

Pope tells young: Don’t be put off by priests’ sins

Papal honour to war rape heroine

Stem-cell research

Painting of St Edith Stein to be blessed

Maternity leave focus may cloud other issues

Central Coast businesses help Vinnies care for needy

Columbans end a 43-year tradition

Sydney festivals follow in wake of World Youth Day

Need for audio loops so faithful can hear services

‘Reprehensible’ decision

Editorial: Sanctions on Iraq

Letters: Marian devotion

Conversation: Swimmers offered to teach Pope John - Kevin Berry, Olympic champion, writer, speaker

Reflections: John Paul touches hearts of young

Challenge for Catholics to defend their faith

Hitting the high Cs on Toronto stage

Comment: Stem-cell research? Surplus or not, it’s a matter of life and death for embryos

Education: Freedom to have a happy childhood

Inspirations: Mercy Sisters open up Sacred Spaces

Hitting the high Cs on Toronto stage

Elizabeth Sofatzis with Cecilia and Agnes Wu at her farewell celebration

“Your representatives for WYD 2002 are having a fantastic time both spiritually and socially. We have been praying for all of you. Please pray for us, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to experience such a wonderful event.”

So said Elizabeth Sofatzis and Marie-Lisa Boland, World Youth Day representatives for Clemton Park and Earlwood parishes, in their email from Canada to the ones who helped them get there.

Josephine Quinn, a parishioner at Clemton Park, says it was the late Fr Lex Johnson’s dream that the two 16-year-olds go on the pilgrimage.

Fr Lex, parish priest of both parishes, died of a heart attack in April.

He had directed the first parish fundraising efforts earlier this year for the girls’ travel expenses.

At his funeral and the vigil beforehand, parishioners were invited to give the money they would have spent on flowers to two of Fr Johnson’s special causes, including the pilgrimage.

In their email the girls reported seeing some of the beautiful sights Canada has to offer, including Niagara Falls and the country town of Niagara on the Lake, and making friends with many people.

They wrote from the parish of St Alfred’s, in St Catharine near Toronto, just before the official opening of World Youth Day. The parish had thrown the visitors many banquets and parties, they said, including a festa with a spectacular fireworks display, and they were staying in a “beautiful” house with a “lovely host mother called Fran”.

“All the streets around St Alfred’s are very beautiful,” they said.

“We are very excited.”

Elizabeth, a Sunday school assistant at St Bernadette’s, Clemton Park, was farewelled by her parish with a special post-Mass morning tea and a blessing.

Her parish held chocolate sales, raffles, cakes stalls, Mother’s Day stalls and book sales to support her pilgrimage.

Marie-Lisa, of Our Lady of Lourdes, Earlwood, does volunteer work with children with physical disabilities through the St Vincent de Paul Society.

Her parish supported her mainly through book sales and saw her off with a farewell blessing.