Armidale & Uralla's special start to the school year

The Cross & Icon’s day began at O’Connor College. The enthusiastic school students were fortunate enough to spend their first few hours of the new school year ‘surfing’ the cross into their school chapel and prayerfully partaking in their chance for veneration.

Later in the day, the primary school students of St Mary’s School, Armidale, were also given the opportunity to experience these symbols.

After a short period of veneration time in the Armidale Cathedral, the Cross, Icon & Message Stick were taken to Uralla, where a large crowd of friendly young people processed the symbols through the streets, starting at St Joseph’s Catholic Church.

A touching moment of the procession was stopping at the McMoore Gardens nursing home, where the young people of Uralla carefully carried the symbols into the front garden to enable the elderly residents their chance of a close up encounter with the Cross & Icon.

The evening culminated in a barbeque and concert where the young people of Uralla’s musical talents and strong faith shined through in their performances, testimonies and reflections. The following was selected and read by one of the young women of Uralla: “Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in life, in love, in faith and in purity” (1 Tim 4:12.) Today’s events clearly showed that this passage is lived out by the young people of Uralla.



After the sky was set ablaze with fireworks, a Stations of the Cross dramatisation took place and the church remained open for veneration of the Cross & Icon, where many people took the opportunity for quiet prayer.

A banner quoting Psalm 24 hanging at the front of St Joseph’s Church summed up today’s experiences for me. It reads: “Lord, may we be a generation that seeks your face.” The common thread between all the young people that we met today is their desire to seek God through the Cross & Icon. To watch this has been a real privilege and inspiration.

Thanks to all the young people we met today and all the best for the year ahead!

Berna :)