Jude Hennessy

Diocesan representative leads prayer at St Peter’s Basilica

June 25, 2022

Report by Jude Hennessy

Delegates from around the world gathered for day two of the World Meeting of Families 2022 (WMOF), commencing with Mass at St Peter’s Basilica in Rome. The feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated with great joy by those assembled with celebrant Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, vicar general of His Holiness and grand chancellor of the Pontifical Lateran University, with over 150 concelebrating clergy.

Our very own Kerrie Hennessy—representative of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference Life Marriage and Family Council and teacher at Good Samaritan Catholic Primary School Fairy Meadow—represented the English-speaking nations at the Mass, joining a diverse group of languages and nations during the Prayers of Intercession that focussed on the importance of nurturing family life.

Kerrie described the experience and the WMOF content, saying: “[It has] has driven home to me the richness of our Universal Church with all of its diversity, but also our unity in Jesus. It was an honour to be asked to represent the Australian Church in this way.”

Delegates left Mass to dive into a long day of sessions that would focus largely on marriage, formation and enrichment programs offered by the Church around the world, before afternoon visits to local parishes in Rome.

Go back