Young Passionists Gather in Melbourne! July 2008
The Gathering of Young Passionists began at Holy Cross Retreat, Templestowe (Australia) on Saturday evening 5th July 2008.
In this photo Fr. Joachim Rego, C.P., the Provincial of the Holy Spirit Province (Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea) welcomes paticipants to the meeting. He said:
Dear Brothers
On behalf of the Holy Spirit Province of Australia, Papua New Guinea and New Zealand, I am honoured to extend to each one of you a very warm welcome to Australia. It may be the middle of our winter with some cold and dark days outside, but I hope that you will feel ‘at home’ in our Province communities and that you will experience the warm hearts and flaming exuberant spirit of your brothers from around the Congregation. This is the largest gathering of Passionists from around the world that we have ever had in the history of our Province and, if everyone who registered actually arrives, the number of Passionists in our Province will double! So, naturally we are excited …. and, if any of you wish to remain here, just let me know!!!
I extend a warm welcome to you, Fr. Ottaviano and to the members of the General Council - all of whom are present with us in these days. I thank you for taking the initiative and the opportunity during this time of World Youth Day to call young professed Passionists and young people from our wider Passionist family from around the Congregation and to gather here in Melbourne where you will reflect together on our specific Charism which bonds us as a fmaily and on the programme of Congregational Restructuring which aims to take away the tyranny of distance and unite us in solidarity and in the common mission of the Congregation. It is good to see this initiative which takes seriously and puts into practice the General Chapter priority of “Option for Young People”.
I wish the Organising Committee and all who will assist and guide you these days every good wish and blessing. May your reflection, deliberation and fraternity be blessed and bear good fruit. And may the Passion of Jesus be always in our hearts!