Sr. Mary Madeline, Sr. Mary Rachel, and Sr. Anna departed Nashville the afternoon of August 13th and arrived in Sydney, Australia in the early morning of August 15th...

Today, on the Solemnity of the Assumption of Our Lady, we arrived in Sydney. Kathy Campbell, the Schools Coordinator for World Youth Day who arranged many of the details of our stay, met us at the airport and drove us to the convent.  The brick convent at Saint Joseph Parish won our hearts immediately!  We have a palm tree and another lovely tree, which we were told is a “wattle tree,” in the front yard.  Before even entering the house, we were diverted by the sight of two extraordinarily large and loud birds perched on the roof of the house across the street, which we have learned are ibises.  At every turn, we behold creatures never seen in Nashville.

After a brief time to begin settling in, we were driven to the Poulding Centre, which houses many of the archdiocesan offices, for a beautiful Mass with Bishop Anthony Fisher, O.P., the Coordinator for WYD 2008, for the Assumption, which is the patronal feast of his province…After Mass, the Bishop expressed joy at having “the family” present together and his hopes to introduce us to our Dominican brethren as well as the Dominican Laity in Sydney.

When we returned after Mass and lunch, the school children were just going home with their parents.  There are 300 students in grades K-6 at Saint Joseph, and they come from over 40 countries.  The children and parents were delightful, stopping to wave and talk to us.  Many were eager to know more about our stay, and all were unfailingly positive.  There is an incredible openness here, a sense that no one is a stranger.  Perhaps because Sydney is one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, the people have an especially deep sense of the value of extending a warm welcome to newcomers. 

In every way, and in every person, Christ has been so manifest in this first day of our Australian mission.  We could write volumes, but these simple highlights will have to suffice for now.  May God help us to return the overwhelming goodness that we have received this day.