Helping hand for Sydney pilgrims

Sydney
21 July 2002

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Helping hand for Sydney pilgrims

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Helping hand for Sydney pilgrims

Marita Franklin and Mark Woolford, two pilgrimage organisers

Many of the young Australians attending World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto have been helped by corporate sponsorship.

Service Corporation International Australia, the national World Youth Day pilgrimage sponsor, has given a total of $20,000 to more than 25 young people from dioceses all over Australia who lacked the resources to get to Toronto on their own steam.

It is the second time the company has supported a major Catholic event.

The first was the tour of the relics of St Thérèse of Lisieux earlier this year.

“If only we could see the extraordinary assistance this gives to so many young people who otherwise may not have been able to bridge the financial gap to be present in Toronto,” said Philip Ryall, the managing director of Harvest Pilgrimages, on behalf of the National World Youth Day Committee.

“These events form the building blocks of new ministries, creative thought and growth in the Church for the present and future.

“The stories and testimonials that will flow from these pilgrimages give rise to an appreciation of the generosity of SCIA.”

(Service Corporation International Australia – SCIA – is a major provider of funeral, cemetery and crematorium services. Its associated companies in Sydney are White Lady Funerals, Sydney Funeral Services and Simplicity Funerals.)

SCIA’s chief executive officer, Richard Davis, says: “We are proud to continue our support of the Catholic Church in making it possible for Australian pilgrims to take part in World Youth Day.

“We wish all the participants a memorable and uplifting journey as they enjoy the celebrations.

“Through this association and our sponsorship of the visit of the relics of St Thérèse, we consider it a privilege to work closely with local Catholic communities in their religious pursuits.”

Many of SCIA’s staff are Catholic and they have influenced the company’s involvement in the international religious events, Davis said.

Sydney sponsors for the World Youth Day pilgrims also include:

• Bokka Aluminium Windows, which gave all the Sydney archdiocese pilgrims polo t-shirts, hats and temporary tattoos.

• Club Menai, part of the Illawarra Catholic Club, which offered its function room free of charge for the St George area pilgrims’ major fundraising dinner.

• And Br Kelvin Canavan, executive director of Catholic schools for the Sydney Archdiocese, Catholic Education Office staff and principals who supported the pilgrimage for the first time this year, encouraging 55 senior high school students and several teachers to take part.