Faith, colour and culture filled the streets of Goulburn on Sunday as hundreds gathered for the annual Ecumenical, Multicultural Marian Procession Mass and Youth Rally – a highlight of the Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocesan calendar. Source: Catholic Voice.
The day began with a standing-room-only Mass at Sts Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral, where Canberra-Goulburn Archbishop Christopher Prowse described the celebration as a major moment in the Jubilee Year for the archdiocese.
“This Mass carries a plenary indulgence,” he told the congregation. “It’s a beautiful sign of God’s mercy – an invitation to be truly repentant of sin, to listen deeply to the Word of God, and to pray for the Holy Father’s intentions.”
During the liturgy, Archbishop Prowse reconsecrated the archdiocese to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and the Sacred Heart of Jesus, framing the day in prayer and renewal.
The Ecumenical Rosary Procession then set out from Sts Peter and Paul’s Old Cathedral to St Saviour’s Anglican Cathedral, pausing at St Mary’s Chapel (Maronite) along the way. The Rosary was prayed in Tagalog, Syriac, Lenije and Malayalam, led by diverse cultural communities.
From elderly pilgrims on walking frames to babies in prams, the procession wound through Goulburn’s streets in a moving display of faith. Choirs sang hymns in multiple languages, and members of the Indian Catholic community carried bright umbrellas, their colours standing out against the grey sky.
At St Saviour’s Anglican Cathedral, clergy and faith leaders joined Archbishop Prowse for the final decade of the Rosary.
“We are so happy to be praying together,” Fr John Paul Bassil OMM, of the Maronite community, said. “There are many things that unite us more than divide us, and one of them is the Blessed Virgin Mary. She brings us together and intercedes for us always.”
St Saviour’s administrator, Dean Gavin Krebs, welcomed the gathering.
“Without Mary, we wouldn’t have Jesus,” he said. “It’s a blessing to see our communities worshipping together. We’ve got far more in common than in difference – and that’s something we can thank God for.”
The celebration continued at St Saviour’s Hall, where Fr Chris Eaton MGL led a spirited Youth Rally that drew young people from across the archdiocese. Volunteers from Sts Peter and Paul’s Parish kept energy high with homemade cakes, slices and sandwiches.
The day concluded with Veneration of the Relics, including a first-class relic of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop, drawing a reverent close to a celebration rich in prayer, music and fellowship.
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Faith and culture unite in Goulburn’s Marian Procession (By Jeanine Doyle, Catholic Voice)
