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The pilgrimage began in Darwin, travelling on The Ghan train to Katherine, Tennant Creek and Alice Springs, and then by coach on to the Santa Teresa community, Uluru, Woomera and Coober Pedy, concluding on the South Australian coast at Port Augusta.
After a day of cultural awareness workshops in Darwin, the Cross and Icon were handed over from the Darwin Diocese to the pilgrims.
Travelling with the World Youth Day symbols is an Aboriginal Message Stick, a traditional method of communication among indigenous peoples. The Message Stick proclaims the message of the Youth Day and invites all the indigenous people of Australia to the papal event next year.
After a morning of travel the group arrived in Katherine where they celebrated mass and venerated of the Cross with the local community. This took place in a stunning area where the river gushed below the picnic area and lots of birds flew overhead the entire time.
The next stop was in the middle of the night, where the pilgrims brought the Cross and Icon to the Tennant Creek community. Stations of the Cross were shared by candlelight. Even though it was late at night, lots of families had brought their small children out and the Missionary of Charity Sisters attended. Many people prayed with fervent faith for their families and for children.
The pilgrims' journey continued on to Alice Springs, where the Our Lady of the Sacred Heart community welcomed the Cross with a World Youth Day style mass lasting over two hours.
On day three, the group travelled out of Alice Springs to the Santa Teresa community, 80 kilometres west of Alice Springs. Santa Teresa was originally set up as a mission on Arrernte land. It is now home to around 600 people and it is influenced by a large Marist presence within the indigenous community.
Local primary and secondary school children met the Cross, Icon of Our Lady and Message Stick at the entrance to their town. Surrounded by hills coloured with red dirt, yellow rocks and brown-green scrub, the significant items were shared around the town.
The group travelled back to Alice Springs for another night where they were warmly hosted by local families.
The journey continued south-west to Uluru, right in the heart of Australia. A powerful moment for the pilgrims was watching the sunset from the lookout while praying before the Cross and Icon which stood before the great landscape of the rock. Side by side were placed two amazing items to reflect on - the wonder of God's creation, and the beauty and love of the Cross, together creating the perfect scene for meditation and prayer.
After a quick dinner the group learnt more about our Aboriginal brothers and sisters by watching the movie Kanyini with Uncle Bob, who spoke about the many challenges and complexities faced by indigenous communities. This was both educational and inspirational.
Early the next morning the journey began again with an early morning departure for Coober Pedy. The scenery gradually changed from rocky, dusty red dirt, to grassy, dusty red dirt, to red dirt pockmarked with piles of white dirt from opal mining.
Coober Pedy is a unique town literally in the middle of the desert. It is so hot that many of the buildings are underground. The Cross was too tall for the St Peter and Paul underground church, so was placed in front of the tabernacle. The pilgrims felt that the mass shared in that church had a peaceful spirit to it.
In the evening the pilgrimage had its last stop for day five at Woomera, where the locals were waiting expectantly for the Cross and Icon and its escort to arrive. The locals and visitors then shared evening prayer with Taize meditations.
Day six was a moving day for those on the journey. After mass, the Cross and Icon were taken to the Woomera cemetery, where the graves, many of children, were blessed with holy water to acknowledge the impact of the atomic testing in the region. The group then walked to the now vacant Woomera Detention Centre. There they prayed and heard of the trials of asylum seekers and those who helped them.
The last leg of the journey was the trip to Port Augusta, where the journey ended and there was an emotional farewell of the Cross and Icon as they were handed over to Port Pirie Diocese.
Through the whole Great Crossing Ghan Pilgrimage, the Cross was a strong symbol of hope and of raising awareness of the injustice of ways people are treated. Through this strong social justice element of the pilgrimage came awareness, and through this an ability to seek to remedy injustices.
During the journey the pilgrim group bonded exceptionally well. They grew close through long crazy games, beautiful music shared between cultures, food consumed, stories shared and long journeys endured.
Testimonies
As we immersed ourselves in the spirit that surrounds the Cross and Icon, I knew that I was in for a life changing experience. We had been told at the very start of our journey that "we were carrying the Cross, but the Cross was actually carrying us"
This became more and more evident to me as the journey went on. Whilst travelling alongside the Cross and Icon, I was amazed at seeing peoples' unquestionable faith towards Jesus and God. The Cross was really carrying them. Watching the Catholic Youth Group of Alice Springs parade the symbolic items through the centre of their town so proudly made me reflect on my own situation. Would I be brave enough to stand up and say, "this is my faith; this is what I believe in"
Forming a connection - we have been able to share what we are each doing in our schools to further increase our actions towards social justice and our faith. This sharing helped me to decide that I am brave enough to stand up for what I believe in and has given me the courage to do so. Alice Priest, the Coordinator for the Journey of the WYD Cross and Icon, told us on the first day that 'taking a step outside involved taking a step inside', and I now know what that means. A journey of 3202 kilometres was the outside distance travelled, but the internal travel is immeasurable and will continue forever.
Caitlin Wigg, Ghan pilgrim, Dominican Community Group
One key moment that I found really special, was the time when we pulled up at Tennant Creek Station while we were travelling on the Ghan. We stopped there at around midnight and many from the local community were there to welcome us and to do the Stations of the Cross around the train station. The thought that went through my mind was, here we are, a group of young people from all over Australia, gathered in a little town in outback Australia, in the middle of the night, to do the Stations of the Cross that were first done 2000 years ago. It was as though time and space were irrelevant in the offering up of this ancient prayer. All that mattered was the faith and the great love of those present.
Sarah-Joy Muirhead, Ghan pilgrim, Ballarat Diocese
To me the pilgrimage was a journey of a lifetime - a renewal of faith and being really up close and personal with God. The Cross and Icon were a constant reminder of God's love and mercy. It was telling me not to forget God in my daily life, but always put him first. It's amazing how everything falls into place after that.
John Sinisa, Ghan pilgrim, Sydney Archdiocese
It was great to see that even though these people come from remote and isolated areas, the message of Jesus is still very well alive in them. Being able to take the Cross to them was a very moving experience.
Joey Assad, Ghan pilgrim, Sydney Archdiocese
My most profound experience was our pilgrimage to the empty Woomera Detention Centre. Locals shared stories of desperation, depression and utter despair. It was heart-breaking. Strangely now, with no-one actually there, I felt closer in solidarity with the people who had been detained than when I was actually protesting on their behalf. It was in walking through the area, through its bare, rocky landscape, in the hot sun, experiencing its harshness and feeling its isolation, I was much more conscious of the bitter welcome to the country we provided. A sorry story of injustice in our country's history.
Benita de Vincentiis, Ghan Pilgrim, St Vincent de Paul Group
Through this journey of space I have seen beautiful landscapes, met your people and have been a part of an amazing community that was pilgrimage. Thank you Lord for this trip. I have carried your Cross and the Icon of our Mother into regional and remote communities and to our indigenous family. Thank you Lord for giving me strength to do this! I was nervous and scared, but I felt your presence in these six days and I have been changed forever.
Sharmila Falzon, Ghan Pilgrim, Parramatta Diocese
Lord it is in you that we live and move and have our being. Your Cross and Icon are beautiful symbols of reconciliation, peace, love and communion and they take these qualities wherever they go through the committed people who choose to carry the Cross around the world. The Cross and Icon is reminiscent of the unity so beautifully evident in the Northern Territory landscape and the Australian Aboriginal spirituality. Quite simply, God is love.
Andrew Consantino, Ghan Pilgrim, Sydney Archdiocese
Thank you for giving us this amazing, life changing journey which allowed us to strengthen our relationship with You and become more in touch with the beautiful world You created!
Madeleine Mullane and Alex Preece, Ghan Pilgrims, Dominican Community Group
I've been with the Cross for a week taking them both to the heart of Australia, my country. During this journey it is God, you, via the Cross who has journeyed into my heart. For all the people the WYD Cross and Icon touches, I thank you, and for all the people those people touch, I also thank you. Continue to be our light. Amen! Mary, I've had your back this week, I now ask you to have mine always.
Kelly Lucas, Ghan Pilgrim, Sale Diocese
To anyone who is willing to listen! Pilgrimage is by its very definition at odds with the consumerist, modern society in which we live. Before I was blessed with the opportunity to walk with the WYD Cross and Icon, I would never have thought that the sacrifice and challenge involved in being a pilgrim could lead to such a spiritual experience of loving unity with a group of people who had been strangers and are now my brothers and sisters. I have never felt so deeply thankful for everything in my life and the sacred land of Australia which has become my home.
Geraldine McDonagh, Ghan Pilgrim, Sandhurst Diocese
Thank you for the opportunity to travel with the Cross and Icon over the past week. Thank you for opening my eyes to the injustice that exists in Australia. I pray that we will always remain instruments of your peace, sowing justice and love. Give us the strength to fight for peace in this world. Thank you for the Cross and Icon helping to spread this message.
Kathleen O'Keefe, Ghan Pilgrim, Canberra-Goulburn Diocese
This has been a wonderful experience for me because before I attended this trip I was always a bit shy to outsiders that I didn't know, but ever since I've been on this trip I've opened up to people I didn't know and made lots of friends and had the opportunity to meet lots of Aboriginal elders of the Northern Territory and I feel the beliefs that they feel.
Nicola Bates, Ghan Pilgrim, Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese
Thank you for the privilege of entertaining the pilgrims of the Cross and Icon. To be at prayer in St Peter and Paul's Church has been a highlight of my journey of priesthood. Many blessings to you all.
Fr C J O'Neil, Coober Pedy
Links:
The Caritas pilgrimage animation -
http://www.caritas.org.au/ghan/pilgrimagefinal.html
Testimony from Sarah Joy Muirhead -
http://www.ballarat.catholic.org.au/newsevents/view_article.cfm?id=50&loadref=430
Testimony from Nicola Bates, an Aboriginal woman from Wilcannia -
http://www.mercy.org.au/newscentre/view_article.cfm?loadref=40&id=364
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