26 Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst Year in Review 2023 REV. JAKE MUDGE Coordinator of Seminarians Corpus Christi College “It was like a conversation with a caring grandfather.” This was how one of the seminarians who, along with teachers and young adult leaders from Victoria, described their audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican, en route to Portugal for the 2023 World Youth Day. Some 50 pilgrims were treated to a surprise hour-long closed audience with the Pope where, in a style he prefers and has made popular, he offered pilgrims the chance to ask questions about faith, life and Church. The seminarians present were very much taken by this experience of a “conversation with the Pope” (which happened without forewarning, in case it was not possible) and for the opportunity to share this experience with their fellow pilgrims. At one point, one of the teachers in the group asked the Pope what his message to young people would be, to which he responded: “The main message I want to get across is that the Lord is always by your side – always. Even in the most difficult moments, he is always with us. He never tires of walking with us!” The whole Seminary community (apart from the First Year Group and me who had a different program and remained in Carlton to “keep the home fires burning”) were fortunate to travel to Lisbon for the event, with many of the groups away for over two weeks to accommodate side-visits to Italy, Spain and the Holy Land. Such a significant trip meant that much of the normal college calendar had to be adjusted, including the cancellation of our annual Raffle Night fundraiser and entertainment night (which will return in 2024) and some rearranging of study and pastoral work timetables. Perhaps because of World Youth “The Lord is always by your side – always. Even in the most difficult moments, he is always with us. He never tires of walking with us!” Pope Francis World Youth Day 2023 From
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