In 2013, a group from the Darwin Diocese answered the Pope’s call and traveled in pilgrimage to World Youth Day Rio de Janeiro. They departed Darwin together on Monday 15 July, returning to Darwin again on Friday 2 August 2013. It was titled ‘The Road to Rio’.
Arriving in Sao Paulo, the group participated in Mission Week in the Parish of Sao Judas in the Archdiocese of Sao Paulo. Following the week there, the group traveled to Rio de Janeiro for the WYD week, staying in the city with 1,500 other Australian pilgrims at a warehouse dubbed ‘Aussie Central’. They participated in everything – Catechesis, Stations of the Cross, Youth Festival, Vocations Expo, Welcome to the Pope, Pilgrimage Walk and the World Youth Day Mass with Pope Francis. Following the 7 amazing nights in Rio, the group traveled to the hills on the outskirts of Rio to unpack their experience and prepare for the way forward.
There was 16 pilgrims from across the Northern Territory in the group.
They were: Marina Liberato, Michael Goodrich, Zena De Vincentiis, Ladan Moraldi, Lauren Hill, David Graham, Mesak Sambono, Robyn Craig, Carina Abrantas, Sam De-Moor, Andrzej Skrzypiec, Jacinta Crocombe and Melissa Anderson. They traveled from Alice Springs, Wadeye, Palmerston, Daly River, Darwin and Bathurst Island. Both Marina and Carina spoke Portuguese which was a blessing for our group! And the rest of us just tried real hard! Nós amamos Brasil!!
The group was lead by Benita as Pilgrimage Coordinator, Chris as Chaplain and accompanied by Bishop Eugene Hurley, the Bishop of our Diocese of Darwin.
Review old blog posts to capture something of our journey – a journey that still continues.
Northern Territory Pilgrims 