The
Catholic Weekly
Online
Sydney
26 October 2003
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Meaning of life
Tuition fee jump
Award for Reservist chaplain
Outreach
Priests set priorities
Step behind the convent walls
Desire to serve others
Trial for euthanasia?
Interfaith
Seminar on self help in action for hearing impaired
Editorial: Enormous debt
Letters: Interstate appreciation
Conversation: Br Dan Stafford, chaplain to the Australian Jockey Club - A generous
fraternity of 'saints and sinners'
Voice of Youth: Blessed upon the earth
‘Wonderful occasion’
Stone takes the cake
Bumper crop of students
Concert ‘journey’ by young honours Pope’s anniversary
‘My kids’ bring tears
‘Wonderful occasion’
Pope John Paul II waves during Mass in St Peter’s Square marking his 25th anniversary as leader of the Catholic Church. During the evening service, the 83-year-old pontiff prayed for “wisdom, holiness and strength” to keep leading the Church Photo from Reuters
Australia’s bishops sent the best wishes of the Australian Catholic community to Pope John Paul II on the 25th anniversary of his pontificate.
The conference president, Archbishop Francis Carroll, said the milestone was an extraordinary achievement for the 83-year-old Pope, who is the fourth longest-serving pontiff in history.
“On behalf of the Catholic people of Australia, the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference sends its greetings and prayerful support to the Pope on this wonderful occasion,” Archbishop Carroll said.
The archbishop was speaking from Rome, where he was joining in the silver jubilee celebrations.
Each diocese in Australia is marking the Pope’s silver jubilee in its own way.
Archbishop Carroll said he had “suggested the praying of the rosary, given the Pope’s particular devotion to it”.
“I extend an invitation to everybody to pray in thanksgiving and gratitude for the Pope’s extraordinary leadership of the Church and for blessings on His Holiness on this momentous occasion,” he added.
The Archbishop of Sydney, Dr George Pell, who was inducted into the College of Cardinals this week (October 21), presided at a special Mass for the Pope’s jubilee in St Mary’s Cathedral on the day of the anniversary, Thursday, October 16.