Hundreds of people have gathered at the Catholic churches in Parkes and Forbes as the pilgrimage of the relics of three French saints visited the diocese.
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Wilcannia-Forbes Bishop Columba Macbeth-Green welcomed the Relics of St Therese of Lisieux and her parents, Louis and Zélie Martin to Parkes and the Wilcannia Forbes diocese.
The relics are on a four-month pilgrimage around Australia, and it's understood it's the first time international saints have been brought to Parkes and Forbes.
The relics of St Therese did visit Australia in 2002, with locals travelling to Wagga Wagga at the time.
This time, the relics of her parents were also brought on the journey.
Last Thursday, 150 children formed a guard of honour at St Laurence O'Toole's Catholic Church in Forbes as the Relics were taken into the church and then laid flowers on the reliquaries.
The pilgrimage continued to Parkes on Friday, to Holy Family Catholic Church where an Aboriginal smoking ceremony was held, conducted by Lionel Lovett, and Mass to celebrate with parishioners.
Hugo Chris, Vice Chancellor of the Wilcannia-Forbes Diocese, says the atmosphere in western NSW was buzzing in anticipation of the day.
"A lot of the people in the community grew up with St Therese on their holy cards as children, so this is quite special for them," Mr Chris said.
The itinerary was packed, with a Welcome Mass in the morning live-streamed to all of the Catholic schools.
The churches remained open all day for visitors, and events in Forbes concluded in the evening with the Bishop sharing reflections on the saints.
The Relics were taken on to Orange on the weekend.
Therese, a Carmelite nun, was only 24 years old when she died with tuberculosis.
But, Bishop Macbeth-Green reflected on Thursday night, her spirituality and writings "affect the whole church".
"She believed that God was a parent, and she once said how could anyone fear God who wanted to become a little baby?" Bishop Macbeth-Green said.
"She had this great insight, which is there in our faith, it always has been, about the mercy and love of God.
"In her time, a lot of people feared God, they had a dread of God.
"St Therese had this great awareness of the love of God.
"That was an amazing thing for those days," the Bishop said.
"It might sound sort of obvious to us, but it's because her spirituality has permeated the church so much."
The Bishop also spoke of St Therese's humility and her acts of service.
She believed in "doing little things with great love", he said.
St Therese is quoted as saying, "Miss no single opportunity of making some small sacrifice, here by a smiling look, there by a kindly word; always doing the smallest right and doing it all for love."
"We know that little way means doing ordinary things in an extraordinary way," Bishop Macbeth-Green said, sharing stories of how the young nun went out of her way to serve those who were difficult.
He said her "little way" had inspired him through his own novitiate.
"We've lost that today - we are very inward looking ... we worry about ourselves, not doing anything that's going to inconvenience us, if we don't like it we just don't do it," Bishop Macbeth-Green said.
"It's beautiful, she's just so rich. She had these beautiful insights. She struggled spiritually, it didn't all come easy, but she didn't expect it to either.
"She's remarkable."
Therese died in 1897 and was declared a saint in 1925 by Pop Pius XI.
Her parents, St Louis and St Zelie, are the only married couple to have been canonised.
Both business people, a watchmaker and a lacemaker, the Bishop said they were unusual in their time and their writings indicate they struggled with some of the same issues families confront today.
"They're great patron saints for families that try and balance families, for parents trying to get it right and make it work."
All three were people of prayer, who spent time in the church.
"That's a lesson for us from them," the Bishop said.
The pilgrimage will continue around Australia and conclude in Western Australia in May.
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