Archbishop’s MacKillop pilgrimage to Eden
THE love and esteem held for St Mary of the Cross MacKillop in the Archdiocese, was largely evident when more than 500 people flocked to Eden for a historic Archbishop’s pilgrimage on August 12.
Arriving in cars and buses, pilgrims came together for a walk, Mass and lunch to officially inaugurate the site as the St Mary of the Cross Pilgrimage Centre.
The walk went from the Eden Cricket Ground, through the historic cemetery, up the steep hill and along the cliff-top walking trail overlooking Twofold Bay.
It concluded when the pilgrims came to the town’s Our Lady Star of the Sea Church.
Pilgrims took the time to admire historical artefacts in the MacKillop Heritage Centre (the former church) and the new Marian Grotto which are both situated on the church grounds.
Canberra’s ever-growing Syro Malabar community was well-represented on the pilgrimage, while a number of students from Australian National University and MacKillop College Canberra also took part, as did many from Lumen Christi College, Pambula.
Archbishop Christopher Prowse was the principal celebrant at Mass. He was joined by 10 concelebrating priests including parish priest, Fr James T Antony CMI, who helped organise the pilgrimage and inauguration gathering with Bernadette Wood and Sue Heffernan.
Fr Antony said the gathering was most significant.
“This day, this event is a historic one in the history of Pambula parishes and we are truly humbled by the responses we received,” he said.
“The ever-present spirit in Eden of St Mary of the Cross and Flora had been enhanced and will continue to grow, thanks to those events on Saturday, August 12, 2017.”
It was a special day for the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, whose presence was largely felt at the gathering.
Many other people, including Sr Clare Ryan, Fr Michael Mullan, Jack and Doreen Fogarty, Mary Beswick, Sr Evelyn Pickering and Sr Bernedetta were thanked for their contributions to making Eden a place of pilgrimage.
To read Archbishop’s homily on the day go to https://cgcatholic.org.au/about/our-archbishop/homilies/homily-august/ .
To connect with the parish of St Peter’s Pambula on Facebook, go to https://www.facebook.com/peters.pambula.7
Sisters of St Joseph first presence in the South Coast and Monaro
1888 – Bombala
1891 – Eden
1900 – Candelo
1902 – Nimmitabel
1918 – Cobargo
1921 – Delegate
1927 – Bega
1951 – Bemboka
- Article contributed by: John Liston, Michael Gandon and Fr James T Antony.