By Tony Bozicevic OFS
Members of the Secular Franciscan Order marked the Jubilee Year of St Francis with a Lenten pilgrimage from St Fiacre’s Church in Leichhardt to the tomb of St Mary of the Cross MacKillop in North Sydney on 21 March.
Now in its second year, the pilgrimage took on added significance as it coincided with the 800th anniversary of the death of St Francis of Assisi.
The day began with Mass celebrated by Fr Lam Vu OFM Cap, followed by a pilgrim’s blessing. Beginning at the Franciscan parish also enabled participants to receive a plenary indulgence during the Jubilee Year.
Pilgrims then undertook the 10.3-kilometre journey through parklands and along Sydney Harbour, passing through Darling Harbour and Barangaroo before crossing the Harbour Bridge. The group stopped briefly at the Sydney Fish Market and visited St Patrick’s Church in The Rocks, the oldest surviving Catholic church in the city.
Praying the rosary and carrying Franciscan banners, the group offered a visible public witness. Some passers-by made the sign of the cross, while others expressed affection for St Francis.
The pilgrimage concluded at Mary MacKillop Place, where participants spent time in silent prayer at the tomb of Australia’s first saint.
Organisers hope to establish the Lenten walk as an annual tradition and have invited the faithful to take part in future years.
