A total of 46 young men are preparing to be ordained priests in the Archdiocese of Sydney. The seminary has received 25 new young candidates for the priesthood in the last two years.
ANTHONY FISHER OP
Archbishop of Sydney
I’m very pleased to say: In Sydney we have the biggest number of seminarians that we’ve had in 40 years. That’s been sustained for a few years, now. And I think that partly reflects those waves of migrants as well as we’ve got the Anglo-Catholic ones as well
For the local archbishop, immigration from countries with a Catholic tradition has given great vitality to the parishes.
ANTHONY FISHER OP
Archbishop of Sydney
Each wave of migration has been for us, in Australia, as has happened in US and in other countries too, is like a transfusion. It gives you a whole new energy. Because they bring their own piety, and often high level of practice, a lot of family religion and folk religion. They bring that with them to Australia when they come to live with us and become part of our church in Australia. And that is been a real gift to us.
Those who come from countries where it is risky to live the faith transmit a contagious energy.
ANTHONY FISHER OP
Archbishop of Sydney
They bring their piety and their strength of faith, their sense of identity, because they often have to fight for the very survival of their Church in that part of the World where they’ve come from. And that has been very enriching for us.
The Archbishop of Sydney is currently in Rome, preparing the next International Eucharistic Congress. From here he has also taken the opportunity to pray for the health of the Pope.
ANTHONY FISHER OP
Archbishop of Sydney
I have been offering my Mass every day.
I think people know that at 88 it’s not going to go on forever and so they are praying that he does over this health episode. But in one way or another we have to prepare ourselves for the end of this papacy at some stage in the coming months or years. But we are very grateful for the years we have had with him.
Anthony Fisher has now exceeded ten years at the helm of the Diocese of Sydney, where he replaced Cardinal George Pell.
JH
