Sunday 23 June 2019 - Preliminary Meetings
This morning Archbishop Fisher of Sydney presided at a Mass in the Chapel of St Peter Chanel here at Domus Australia, along with the Bishops, on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi. We were joined by a number of Australian priests who are currently visiting Rome, studying here or working here.
It was wonderful to catch up with some old friends, including my cousin, Fr Ben McKenna SM who is on the Marist Fathers General Council and Fr Tony Banks OSA who is on the Augustinian General Council, and whom many from our Diocese will remember from his time at North Harbour. There is a conference on priestly Formation also taking place in the city at this time, and a number of the 13 seminary formators attending the Conference were with us. The Australian Ambassador to the Holy See, H.E Melissa Hitchman joined us also.
On the right hand side of the Sanctuary is a beautiful painting by Paul Newton on the first reservation of the Eucharist in Sydney in 1818. The Archbishop’s homily alluded to its significance and the importance of the Eucharist in the midst of the various challenges that we currently face.
Following a beautiful morning tea with all the guests in the courtyard, work began in earnest during the afternoon. From 2pm until 5pm, the Bishops gathered in Conference under the presidency of Archbishop Coleridge and with the General Secretary, Fr Stephen Hackett MSC. We were briefed about some of the practical details of the forthcoming week - quite a logistic achievement given the number of Dicasteries that Bishops are attending. The Conference also returned to some matters of business consequent to its last Plenary Meeting in Melbourne in May.
All is now in readiness for a very early departure tomorrow. We are to celebrate Mass at the Tomb of St Peter at 7.30am and then meet with the Holy Father at 10.30am.
Very Rev Dr David Ranson