The Church on the Flip Side of the World

This weekend, the Pauline year was formally inaugurated by Pope Benedict.  Amy has all the news and a plethera of links.

World Youth Day is heating up as well.  I'm being inundated with World Youth Day news from down under - like the fact that 712 pilgrims will be coming from Tonga.  Tonga has never sent pilgrims to World Youth Day before but now it is happening in their backyard, so to speak.  It is easy for us northern hemisphere types to forget how far away Rome can feel in Oceania.  This World Youth Day will be one of the smallest - but what it could mean to the Church on the flip side of the planet is beyond price.

Meanwhile, our own Aussie team is preparing to do their Called & Gifted thing in Melbourne before the major festivities begin.  Dioceses around the country are hosting pilgrims as they arrive and offering local events called Day in the Diocese.  20,000 pilgrims are expected in Melbourne - which is a truly beautiful and very cosmopolitan city.  The CSI gang will be presenting on Thursday, July 10. 

And then onto the really big show in Sydney and multiple presentations on Discernment and MIssion at the Youth Festival.  You can also meet members of the CSI team (OP and lay) at the big Dominican booth at the Vocations Expo, so be sure and stop by.  

Clara has had some very cool bookmarks made up as give-aways for pilgrims featuring Pier Giorgia Frassati and Caroline Chishom.  The theme:  mission, vocation, and discernment as lay apostles.  Unfortunately, I'm not techie enough to post the PDF files here.  But here's a sample of the text:

Pier Giorgio Frassati 

had a vocation 

...he was not a priest, 

   ...he was not a religious,  

      ...he was not married. 

When he was Baptised he  

was called and gifted.

 

He responded to that call  

and used those gifts to love  

and serve God by loving and 

serving those around him. 

He died at age 24. The poor of 

Turin flocked to his funeral. 

He lived life to the full sharing  

his material and spiritual wealth 

with others. 

The Siena Institute can help  

you discern your Gifts and  

your vocation. 

Good stuff.  By the way, if you want to reach our Australian team, you can reach Clara by dropping her an e-line at clara@siena.org.