Letters

Adore 2006 in Brisbane

Tim Wallace

Contents - Mar 2006 - Buy a copy now Editorial: The challenge facing Pope Benedict - Peter Westmore Documents: Benedict's first encyclical 'Deus Caritas Est' speaks to the heart of the Faith - Michael Gilchrist News: The Church Around the World Archbishop Hickey: how to address the crisis of faith - Archbishop Barry Hickey Mass: How can differences over the Liturgy be resolved? - Fr John O'Neill Liturgy: Eucharistic faith: why the Mass needs re-enchanting - Alvin F. Kimel Jr Modernism: 'New Church' not true Church: what modernists believe - Pastor Remotus Vocations: Dominican Sisters: religious vocations continue to rise in Nashville - Tracey Rowland The distribution of Holy Communion past and present: an historical survey - Fr Sebastian Camilleri OFM Media: Archbishop Hickey presents the Christian message on TV - Daniel Tobin Letters: The Fortified School - Chris Hilder Letters: The Eucharist - Jim Howe Letters: Adore 2006 in Brisbane - Tim Wallace Letters: New Age - Richard Congram Letters: Intelligent Design - Peter Barnes Letters: Canadian Lectionary - Matt Walton Letters: St John Vianney - Maureen Wright Letters: Guitars - John Daly Letters: Elitism - Jeff Harvie Letters: Relic of the '70s - Don Gaffney Letters: Vaccines and abortion - Judy Law Letters: Gender neutral - P.F. Gill Books: 'The Case For Marriage' by Linda J. Waite and Maggie Gallagher - Kerrie Allen (reviewer) Books: Edith Stein Discovered: A Personal Portrait, by Pat Lyne OCDS - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Black Robe And Tomahawk: Fr Pierre-Jean De Smet SJ (1801-1873) - Michael Daniel (reviewer) Books: Golden Priest, Wooden Chalice, by Fr Tim Norris - Michael Gilchrist (reviewer) Books: Stimulating reading from AD Books Reflection: Bringing Christ's love to the bereaved: a ministry for Catholic parishes - Fr Dennis Byrnes

I recently attended the Adore 2006 Eucharistic Youth Congress in Brisbane, my local diocese. Adore is an annual congress for young people which is centred on worship of the Holy Eucharist, and our life in the Eucharist. The event finished with a list of resolutions relating to our life as Catholics which were discussed in small groups and summarised at the end of the weekend.

The event ran from 19-22 January 2006. The general format consisted of a Holy Hour and Benediction to start the day and another to prepare for Mass; mood-setting sessions with music and dancing; a talk by Fr Bing (Oblate Apostles of the Two Hearts), who has been seen on EWTN, and another talk from one of the three bishops present - Bishop Oudeman (Brisbane), Bishop Jarrett (Lismore) and Bishop Porteous (Sydney). The centre of each day was the celebration of Holy Mass.

We were also treated to performances by Carlos Ibay, a tenor/ pianist who has been blind since birth, and Doug Barry, an actor/ dramatist from America, who performed "The Dreams of Don Bosco".

In addition, through professional skits and short movie presentations, it was demonstrated that we can and must live our faith amid all adversity and distraction; that Mary and the saints are always with us as guides and helpers; and that the sacramental life, with frequent confession, Communion, and Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, are the ultimate gifts from God to help us achieve our destiny - eternal life in Heaven.

None of those who participated will go home without, in some way, being drawn closer to the real presence of the Creator among the created.

TIM WALLACE
Brisbane, Qld

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 19 No 2 (March 2006), p. 14