 Isolated from the mainland of Australia, 16 indigenous people from the Tiwi islands will now get a chance to share their traditions and faith with 500,000 pilgrims abroad after being partnered by four Catholic schools in Sydney to attend World Youth Day 2008 (WYD08).
Clancy Catholic College at West Hoxton; Holy Spirit Primary at Carnes Hill; St Catherine of Siena Primary at Prestons and Good Shepherd Primary at Hoxton Park in Sydney are the four Catholic schools that have teamed up to help the Tiwi pilgrims.
These four schools will accommodate and fund the registration fees, meals and airfare for 13 young people and three elders from the remote community of Nguiu – an island of approximately 1450 people located 70km north of Darwin.
Clancy Catholic College teacher, Tamara Amatto says the schools have raised up to $7500 in just three months after holding one fundraiser event at each school.
“At Clancy [Catholic College] we raised nearly $5,000, with students donating amounts of up to $80 in a ‘scratch and help’ card initiative, while at the primary schools a Crazy Hair, Crazy socks, Crazy hat and Mufti day was held,” Ms Amatto said.
The four schools have also received substantial donations from the Tiwi Land Council, Matilda Minerals in the Northern Territory and the local club and shop in Nguiu, to help them reach their $20,000 target to share the WYD08 experience with their neighbours.
Ms Amatto says a personal welcome and embrace from a group of women from the small island at the National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Coalition (NATSIC) conference in Alice Springs in 2006 is what inspired her to open up her own heart and home to the people from Tiwi.
One of the 16 Tiwi pilgrims that will be attending, Chrystal Johnson, says she is “absolutely excited” to meet the Pope.
“I hope to use the experience to learn more about my faith and help my community grow in the faith too,” Ms Johnson said.
139 Catholic schools in Sydney have already engaged with remote indigenous communities in Broome, Darwin, Alice Springs Papua New Guinea, East Timor, Fiji and the Solomon Islands as part of the Pilgrim Partnership and Support Program, says WYD08 Project Officer Stephen Mahoney.
“The willingness from our schools to lend a hand to our neighbours will enable up to 6000 young disadvantaged people to attend this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, which would otherwise be merely a dream without financial support,” Mr. Mahoney said.
“It’s important to ensure the biggest-ever representation of pilgrims from these remote indigenous communities. This is the first time that the Oceania region has hosted World Youth Day.”
Sydney’s Catholic schools have been connecting with their pilgrim partners by email and in artwork and DVD exchanges of their respective schools.
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