Nine pilgrims from Timor Leste were supported by the Archdiocese of Sydney to attend World Youth Day in Lisbon, and had the opportunity to meet Archbishop Anthony Fisher OP and other senior Australian clergy.
The initiative began with Bishop Richard Umbers, who travelled to Timor Leste with Caritas Australia in January this year and has since developed a keen interest in the nation and other hotspots in the region, including West Papua.
The archdiocese offered support for 10 pilgrims, but one was unable to attend. Archbishop Fisher and some generous private donors supported the young people’s journey to Lisbon.
They travelled from Dili to Darwin, and then to Perth where they met up with two Somascan youth to travel to Madrid.
The young East Timorese pilgrims joined Bishop Daniel Meagher and Fr Joe Murphy for the direct pilgrimage through Avila to Lisbon.
During WYD week and the post WYD retreat they engaged with the Sydney Young adults and joined in all the various aspects of WYD, participating as pilgrims of the Archdiocese of Sydney.
They expressed their sincere gratitude to Archbishop Fisher and the Archdiocese of Sydney during the final gathering before leaving Lisbon to journey home.