Wednesday, August 30, 2006

2008 World Youth Day Appoints Liturgy Director

I heard this appointment about a month ago. This article is from ZENIT:

SYDNEY, Australia, AUG. 29, 2006 (Zenit.org).- World Youth Day 2008 has announced the appointment of Father Peter Williams as the director of liturgy for the youth event in Sydney.

As director of liturgy, Father Williams is a key member of the organizational team with a central role in the planning and conduct of the welcome Mass, Papal arrival, the evening vigil and the closing Mass.

Currently the dean of St. Patrick's Cathedral in Parramatta, Sydney, Father Williams has been the executive secretary of the National Liturgical Commission since 2000, and is also the director of liturgy in the Diocese of Parramatta.

Coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher welcomed Father Williams saying that "the director of liturgy is a most important role.

"The eyes of the world will be watching during World Youth Day and I am very confident that the liturgies developed under Father Williams' guidance will be remembered for many years beyond 2008."

The theme of WYD 2008 is "You Shall Receive Power When the Holy Spirit Has Come Upon You; and You Shall Be My Witnesses" (Acts 1:8).
What was the WYD team thinking??!! All reports to me about this guy have not been positive. (Take for example the state of the Parramatta Cathedral at the moment). Maybe a couple of our Sydney correspondants can comment here.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh man! Father Williams is a nice man but that Cathedral is awful! And he is SOOO proud of it too! The statue of Mary McKillop looks like Darth Vader......not to even mention the tin-foil Jesus on the cross.......or the scary giant crown of thorns over the alter that I'm always scared is going to fall during consecration.......

Bec

aaron said...

Hmmm.

I wonder what the consultation process was. Who was advising them?

Between Fr. Williams and Marini who knows what rubbish the Holy Father may be dressed in! Sometimes I wonder whether Marini does things on purpose.

Anonymous said...

Why don't they have a tridentine Mass on the main stage? That was missing from the previous WYD.

aaron said...

Tell me, would you want a Tridentine Rite in the middle of the Sydney Cricket Ground or where ever they hold the outdoor Mass?

I'm not sure I would.

St. Mary's Cathedral perhaps...

Archeopterix said...

He's a very bad appointment. There was no consultation process. Apparently he arranged it himself with them.

In a good light, Pilcher has 'resigned' and Fr Deeter from Perth is taking her spot. He would have been good for the top spot for WYD