Catholic Outlook Volume 18, August 2015 | Page 27

NATIONAL VOCATIONS AWARENESS WEEK Sunday 2 August – Sunday 9 August 2015 Called to be a missionary priest Celebrating the Journey annual gathering Each year, the Diocese of Parramatta hosts Celebrating the Journey, a gathering for married couples and their families with special acknowledgement to those couples who have significant wedding anniversaries of 25 years and over. On Sunday 20 September, the Diocesan Administrator, Very Rev Peter Williams, will be the Principal Celebrant for Mass at 11am in St Patrick’s Cathedral, which will be followed by a light lunch. Couples celebrating anniversaries of 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50 years and over will receive a certificate of blessing. Ouida and Henry Lewis, who have been married for more than 52 years, appreciated last year’s Celebrating the Journey, organised by CatholicCare Social Services with St Patrick’s Cathedral Parish. “This was an unforgettable day in the year,” Ouida said. “Congratulations to CatholicCare Parramatta for their fantastic work on this popular annual event. “More than 100 couples and their families participated in a special Mass with Bishop Anthony Fisher OP, now Archbishop of Sydney, and lunch in the Cathedral hall. “We treasure the certificate of blessing and the photo with the Bishop taken afterwards. “CatholicCare’s members are wonderful, caring people who volunteer their services to help make others happy. “May the infant Jesus bless all of you with good health and happiness to carry on your fantastic work. “We thank all of you for your good work. Please pray for us in a special way.” To participate in this year’s Celebrating the Journey, please register by 12 September through your Parish Secretary or contact CatholicCare Social Services tel (02) 9933 0222 or email [email protected] Is God calling you to be a missionary priest? Are you being called to leave your own people and nation in order to follow Jesus across boundaries of race, religion, culture, language and social class. This is the charism of Columban missionary priests. Deacon Kurt Zion is one young man who has answered the missionary call from God. He was ordained a deacon on 15 March 2015 in his home parish in the Philippines. Kurt will be ordained a priest later this year. As a Columban seminarian, Kurt spent many years of spiritual formation and prayer, academic study and pastoral formation in preparation of his future missionary priestly ministry in another culture and land, different from his own. One important part of the formation of Columban seminarians is a two-year overseas mission experience among people different from one’s own. For Kurt, this first mission experience as a seminarian involved a two-year im