SYDNEY, July 29, 2007 (catholicweekly.com.au): John R O’Neill, NSW/ACT State president of the St Vincent de Paul Society, writes for The Catholic Weekly (July 29) -The St Vincent de Paul Society was honoured to host the most tangible symbol of World Youth Day, the WYD Cross and Icon of Our Lady, at the Matthew Talbot Hostel in Woolloomooloo, on July 6. One can draw some very significant parallels between this powerful and spiritual symbol of Christ’s love ,When in 1984, Pope John Paul II entrusted the World Youth Day Cross to the wonderful young people of the world he asked that they, “carry it throughout the world as a symbol of Christ’s love for humanity and announce to everyone that only in the death and resurrection of Christ can we find salvation and redemption.†Since this time, the Cross, and later the Icon of Our Lady, has made its way throughout Europe, behind the Iron Curtain and to parts of the Americas, Asia, Africa and now to Australia.
In 2003, Pope John Paul II gave young people a second symbol of faith to accompany the Cross. This very special gift was the Icon of Our Lady, Salus Populi Romani, a contemporary copy of a sacred and ancient painting housed in the first and greatest basilica to Mary the Mother of God in the Western world, St Mary Major.
The Cross and Icon are travelling across the dioceses of our nation, spreading Christ’s love in preparation for one of the most culturally and spiritually significant events in history, World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008.
Similarly, from humble beginnings in Paris in the 19th century, the St Vincent de Paul Society has grown through Christ’s love to become one of the biggest lay Catholic organisations operating in 193 countries living out our faith through action.
Thanks to TIm WIlliams CM for this lead.
Tags: Youth
