Fellowship and faith on joyful pilgrimage
By Wendy Shaw
A joyful and faith-filled pilgrimage to Sheffield and Latrobe took place on 20 March.
About 20 people from around the state joined the Catholic Women’s League pilgrimage for a special day of spiritual encounter with God and fellowship with other pilgrims.
They visited Holy Cross Church at Sheffield and St Patrick’s Church at Latrobe.
Mersey Leven Parish Priest Fr Sunil De Silva, the CWL chaplain, celebrated Mass at Sheffield and later led Rosary and Benediction at Latrobe.
CWL state president Wendy Harrap, of George Town, said an encouraging number of people attended. They came from Hobart, Launceston, George Town, Ulverstone, and the Sheffield and Latrobe areas.
Mrs Harrap said it was a positive experience for all involved.
“We get together and discuss the pilgrimage and the faith, and it encourages one another in the Catholic faith,” she said.
Pilgrims learnt that the Church of the Holy Cross was built in 1922 under the guidance of Fr T. J. O’Donnell.
It was designed in the Romanesque style by Mr S. Priest of Devonport and featured bricks from Wynyard, local blackwood, European statues and stained-glass windows designed by Montgomery of Melbourne, Mrs Harrap said.
At Latrobe, pilgrims heard about pioneering priest Fr James Noone, a driving force behind the establishment of St Patrick’s Church.
“Fr Noone, a strong man and excellent horseman, worked tirelessly at raising funds for his church and looked at other places across the North West for further churches. He was a tough pioneer and worked alongside a team of 50-60 men to clear the land for St Patrick’s Church,” Mrs Harrap said.
St Patrick’s was designed by Mr H. Hunter in the Gothic style and built by M. Dooley. It opened in December 1871.
Meanwhile, Mrs Harrap is appealing for donations to buy a new statue of Our Lady after a statue broke on procession into the church at Sheffield. She can be contacted at wendy.harrap@icloud.com
Mrs Harrap thanked Fr Sunil, CWL’s Wendy Fittler for compiling a pilgrimage booklet on the history of the churches (drawing on Duncan Grant’s ‘Churches of Tasmania’ series and W.T. Southerwood’s Priceless Heritage), and all who attended.