Diocese of Parramatta

Catholic Youth Parramatta facilitates the annual Diocesan Good Friday Night Walk. The overnight pilgrimage of young Catholics (aged 14-35) starts at St Patrick’s Church, Blacktown and ends at St Patrick’s Cathedral, Parramatta, passing through four additional churches along the route for prayer and reflection. The initiative has been supported by our partners and collaborators for over 10 years involving our parishes, youth leaders, multiple Councils, Local Area Police Commands and the Blacktown Division of St John’s Ambulance alongside the Diocese of Parramatta, Catholic Education Diocese of Parramatta and our private security team. Each year, the pilgrimage promotes a renewed source of faith, hope, and unity through the spiritual journey and lens of Holy Week. The 18km route begins at Blacktown Parish, and passes through Seven Hills Parish, Toongabbie Parish, Wentworthville Parish, Harris Park Parish and ends at, the Cathedral in Parramatta..

With the reality of COVID-19, we have committed to apply the following adaptions to ensure that the walk is safe for all pilgrims.

1. The walk will be capped at 750 participants, 50 will be our volunteers.
2. The Good Friday Night Walk will be strictly a pre-booked online and ticketed event.
3. To accommodate significantly reduced numbers, registration will be limited to those who live in the Diocese of Parramatta. Please contact qwayne.guevara@parracatholic.org if you feel your circumstances are unique. i.e you are a teacher or youth minister/youth leader who lives outside, but works inside the Diocese or you attend a parish or school on the boundaries of the Diocese;
4. Registration will also be limited to those aged 14-35 unless you are supervising school students, a parish youth group or the guardian for someone aged 14-15;
5. A driver license may be required at check-in to support your place of residence and age;
6. All participants will be issued a coloured wrist band which divides the pilgrimage into groups of 50 for staggered departures and acts as a visual ticket for security and marshals to ensure no one has later joined the walk and increased our numbers;
7. Please bring adequate water and snacks for the journey;
8. A condition of entry is that you carry your own hand sanitiser for the pilgrimage and use regularly and as needed;