Tomorrow morning, Father Gary Perritt c.p. arrives here from Sydney. He will be here until the end of the month. Father Gary manages the website of Holy Spirit Province (Australia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea). He worked for many years in our Generalate in Rome and is a real computer whizz kid. The last time he was here, he taught me how to use powerpoint which, unfortunately, I have forgotten in the intervening years. -So I’m hoping for a refresher course at some point.
Next Sunday after the 7.00 p.m. Mass, Father Gary will be talking to our young adult group and any other interested people about the World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008. The Passionists in Australia hope to welcome young people from our churches, parishes, chaplaincies and retreat houses who will be travelling to WYD2008. Father Gary is a member of the group which is preparing the special Passionist Youth Gatherings in Australia during the lead-up to the Sydney World Youth Day.
He was invited to this corner of the world to help with our Province’s Passionist Institute, a course on our community’s charism and spirituality which will be held in Ireland at the end of June. The Passionist Institute is based on a model which has been used by our Australian Province for several years. Most of the participants will be laypeople who work with us in our churches and parishes; there will also be some Passionist priests, brothers and sisters. The focus of the week is the life and spirituality of Saint Paul of the Cross. Each day, there will be lectures, guided reading and small group discussions; but there will also be prayer throughout the day, times of silence, daily Eucharistic adoration and, of course, daily Mass. I have taken part in two of these Institutes in Australia, but this is the first time we have held one in our Province; we are glad that Father Gary will be with us to guide us through these days of learning, reflection and prayer.
During the time before the Institute, which begins on Monday, 26 June, he will be taking some study time in our community, using the Passionist Spirituality resources that are kept here to deepen his own understanding of Saint Paul of the Cross’s spiritual experience and teaching.
Ask him to show you how to podcast!