You are here: Home / Archives for WYD2008

Let Them Come

August 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

“Let the children come to me, and do not prevent them; for the Kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.” (Matt 19:14)

It is our first full day in Madrid as a complete team – all 13 of us!  This morning began with Mass (well. . . after this priest began with a cup of café con leche!) in which we hear the above passage. . . . how appropriate.

In the days just before World Youth Day, things always get rather hectic and can easily lose their focus.  After a few of these events, I have begun to see some of the same patterns emerge from one “Day” to the other.  In the quiet days before the pilgrims arrive, the local media usually highlights the problems, the cost, the expected delays and street closures, etc. . .  However, what they cannot see yet is exactly what Jesus highlights the Gospel today – all of that is to come belongs to the youth and young at heart.

When I served on the long-term staff for Sydney ’08, I saw the same pattern.  In the final days just before the pilgrims arrived, the press was very critical; but then the pilgrims arrived and it all began to make more sense.  When the Pope arrived, there was even more excitement (though the press still had their criticisms).  Then the Way of the Cross illustrated the real purpose of this gathering – then the articles changed.  No longer was World Youth Day about costs, delays and closures; no longer was is it a massive gathering of young people who were going to mess up the city.  Now it was a celebration.  Now it was connected to something that could not be seen earlier.  Now it was about a relationship with Hope itself.

So I understand the criticisms, because until the pilgrims arrive, all of this makes little sense, and there may still be criticisms afterward.  However, the very practice of our faith should remind us that God has done great things in the past and thus, will most certainly continue to do so in the future.  World Youth Day is a wonderful manifestation of that faith.  As the pilgrims come, they will bring with them a hope and joy that will overshadow the negativity that lives in the now quiet streets; for it is to them that this celebration belongs.

Filed Under: Reflections Tagged With: , ,

The Sheep and the Flock

August 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment

By Stefanie Romano

On my last international WYD, I visited a sheep-shearing station in the countryside; it was an odd day-trip but Australia is known for these vast properties of land where they would raise sheep for their wool and meat. We spent the afternoon learning how to crack a whip, throw a boomerang and then, before a traditional Australian meal at suppertime, we went to a sheep-shearing demonstration.

I have always been fascinated by the parable of the lost sheep, telling the story of the shepherd who goes out to find a stray lamb in order to lead it back to the rest of the flock. I know that I often feel like the sheep that takes detours. I am sure we all experience that feeling of separation; it’s a feeling of anxiety and restlessness. Every time I hear the story, I wonder how long the stray sheep is away from the clan. Is it an hour? A day? Or simply a few minutes? While on the farm, I saw a sheep get away from the clan, and it was amusing to say the least… Since the rest of the flock was in the stables for the day, the farmer let the sheepdog chase it back towards the others; it did not want to come home. We must have the two of them circling the property for half an hour before it finally made its way back into the stables

At the sheep-shearing demonstration, I was in awe of how submissive this animal can be. The shearer was squishing its legs together, turning its head to one side against the ground, sticking its bottom up in the air; all in order to sheer all its wool. Not once did the sheep show restraint, nor did it whelp in pain. The little lamb was at the full mercy of the shearer and trusted that he wouldn’t hurt it. When he was finished, the lamb was free to join the rest of the others – (and I’m sure he was a couple degrees cooler, a few pounds lighter and more content than before).

Before we left the farm I was able to hold a lamb in my arms, and I was so excited! It was a very new experience to me and I felt like I had made a connection with God on that day. Just as the parable of the lost sheep tells us that we will be saved by God whenever we stray from our flock, there is this important image of the lamb that we have to keep in mind. The lamb is malleable, trusting, and fully submissive; that is why it is able to be led back to the flock. If we use the parable with any other animal, it would not hold the same meaning. I would not have been led to my first World Youth Days experience if I didn’t share characteristics of the lamb. I know that each time I go on the pilgrimage to WYD, I am putting my own needs aside, trusting the shearer (God), and being led home with a lighter burden and happier heart.

Stefanie Romano is a Team Leader for the Office of Catholic Youth in Toronto.

Filed Under: Reflections Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

The gift of WYD08 to the Church in Australia

June 21, 2011 by 2 Comments

Mark in Spanish Costume (on right)

By Mark Lysaght

I was only a boy of 10 years of age when I first experienced seeing Pope John Paul II in Christchurch, New Zealand and I had little recollection of it other than the enormous excitement around it at the time. With 22 years having gone by I found myself  preparing to experience seeing a Pope, in person, for only the second time, and attending my first World Youth Day; WYD08 Sydney. It could almost be seen as a travesty that having served in Catholic youth ministry for 13 years that all I had was other people’s stories about their experiences of a World Youth Day and homily notes from the late Pope John Paul II and His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI from previous WYD’s. As I experienced firsthand, World Youth Day is a phenomenon that cannot be compared. It is not something easily explained. World Youth Day has to be experienced, and this, was the profound experience of Australia as a nation.

For months and especially the days preceding Pope Benedict XVI’s arrival the Australian Press and Media did all it could to bring scandal to the event. On the 17th of July, 2008 Pope Benedict XVI made his first official appearance and the Australian Press and Media went ‘beserk’; meaning they couldn’t get enough, they fell over themselves to capture words and footage. Morning and evening news was dominated by the celebrations happening in Sydney and around the country. The week long celebrations of WYD in Sydney surprised many, especially some Catholics. The secular community, and civil authorities, especially the police were unprepared for respectful young people that went where they were asked all the while smiling and thanking them for the direction.

Since January of 2006 I had been working with the Archdiocese of Brisbane in a newly appointed ministry role from Archbishop John Bathersby to bring about a more relevant and heightened awareness of each person’s vocation, especially that of the ordained ministry. The role was entitled ‘Vocation Promotions Officer’ and the first of its kind in Australia. I had heard before being appointed into this ministry role that one of the most attended areas at any WYD is the Vocations Expo. The Archdiocese of Brisbane attended the expo combining efforts with the Queensland rural diocese’s of Townsville, Rockhampton, Cairns and Toowoomba under the banner of ‘Priest’s in Queensland’. I was blown away by the attendance; 2,500 people an hour!  I was also blown away by the genuineness of the young men and women talking with me about whether they had ever thought about priesthood or consecrated life. For many this was the first time that they had articulated out loud to someone what they had been thinking about such a vocation.

Of the many things that World Youth Days do, one thing is very clear, they witness to the fact, in one single moment of time, that many young men and women are being called to witness to the world that Jesus Christ is worth a life-long dedication of one’s life to proclaiming and living out the Gospel. Especially if that call is to consecrated life or the ordained ministry.  They want to live Jesus Christ; to act as messengers of hope; community leaders and spiritual guides for the people of God. Just like every generation that has gone before us we need good men and women that hear the call to answer it. World Youth Day in Sydney has been a Kairos moment for the Church in Australia and men and women as a result have begun to articulate what is on their hearts and I have been privileged to hear and witness this first hand. Prior to WYD, numbers in our Seminary were small, we have, within four years seen a dramatic rise in enquiries and those entering our Seminary. So much so, that the Bishops of Queensland, living out of faith in young men answering the call of God to train as priests for the future Church, built a new Seminary and subsequently have had to build extensions to cope with the demand. I also know that this is not a one off, from reports around the country and the Oceanic region many young men are discerning seriously with Vocations Directors. I also know that many young women are discerning with religious communities to begin formation in consecrated life.

This year I will attend WYD in Madrid as part of the Australian Catholic University WYD Pilgrimage ‘In the Footsteps of John Paul II’. There is much excitement on behalf of the pilgrims that are already in preparation for their pilgrimage. My prayer is that they experience the life and vitality that only WYD’s can bring and as a result experience transformation with so many their age coming together to share their faith. My hope for all pilgrims is that their faith would seek understanding so as to “be planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” and that Pope Benedict XVI’s words, in the preface of YOUCAT (English translation), would become a more vibrant reality than we already experience now “You yourselves are the Body of Christ, the Church! Bring the undiminished fire of your love into this Church whose countenance has so often been disfigured by man. “Never flag in zeal, be aglow with the Spirit, serve the Lord!” (Rom 12:11)”. Ole´ Spain, we are on our way!

Mark Lysaght is the  Campus Minister at Australian Catholic University in Brisbane, Australia.

Filed Under: Journey to Madrid Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

26 Years of World Youth Day

June 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Video produced by Grassroots Films for WYD 2011 Madrid

Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

WYD TV: Relive all WYDs right here!

June 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Are you nostalgic about previous World Youth Days? Did you meet your wife in Denver 1993? Did you come back to the Church in Compostela in 89? Or did you begin to consider a vocation to the Religious Life in Rome in 2000? Was Sydney 2008 a game changer for you? No matter, relive all WYDs here, WYD TV! Only at wydcentral.org, your home for everything and anything WYD!

 

Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Ben Cooper: Looking forward to Madrid

June 6, 2011 by Leave a Comment

World Youth Day… Those few words alone bring up vivid memories of my first World Youth Day which I attended back in Sydney in 2008. Thousands of young people, many around my own age, coming together and having fun, building up their faith, learning about God and experiencing the wonderful culture of Australia. In fact, this was by far one of the biggest crowds I had ever been in and yet one of the first things that struck me about this event was how happy and friendly everyone was. The was no need to feel unsafe at all, and perhaps this just goes to show the spirit of the Catholic faith. Some claim that Christianity is ‘dying out’ amongst the young generation but an event like World Youth Day suggests the opposite, especially since Madrid is expected to be at least four times the size of Sydney.

I can recall, as if it were yesterday, the beautiful liturgical music, and that time when we were walking down the street, singing along with a group of New Guineans. I remember the bitter coldness and the dark, inky black, night sky during the Stations of the Cross. How the Sydney locals constantly remarked how welcoming and lovely the crowds were. And, of course, the emotional anti-climax after it was all over.

Like many young adults, I have the travel bug. Yes, I’ve always wanted to visit Spain; yes, admittedly, I do love “churros”; yes, I have a passion for all things European. However, there is more that fills me with the desire to be a part of this amazing event in Madrid later this year. I was not a Catholic back in 2008, and yet I still felt part of something special, both physically and spiritually. By traveling to Madrid this year, I am sure it will not only be a wonderful adventure, but, as the theme suggests, I will be “strengthened in the faith” and be “rooted and built up” in Christ.

Furthermore, the Australian Catholic University is running a pilgrimage which, compared to many of the other Australian groups, looks to be one of the best – dare I say, the best – as we shall be traveling “in the footsteps of John Paul II”. We shall retrace his steps through his native country, Poland, before visiting the eternal city of Rome and the Papal state. After World Youth Day in Spain, we then travel overland to the famous town of Fatima, in Portugal.

Students still have a number of things to do, despite most having now paid the full cost of this amazing tour. We will be holding a fun night soon in order to raise spending money and there is an information session in a few days. Some pilgrims who intend to stay on in Europe after World Youth Day are still planning additional travel arrangements. Aside from the physical side of things, students are encouraged to prepare themselves spiritually as well through personal prayer, faith activity groups and communal retreats. As we will be visiting Poland, the birthplace of Blessed Pope John Paul II, the two films Karol and Karol II both provide an excellent insight into the life of this beloved man. I am sure that not only myself, but every staff and student, are eagerly looking forward to this extraordinary adventure.

Filed Under: Reflections Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

WYD and Beyond: A Journey to Christ

May 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment

by Sarah Coppola

Just over an hour before the recent beatification of Pope John Paul II I was in St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney, listening to our Archbishop, Cardinal George Pell, recall the life and legacy of this great man. As he began to speak about the gift of World Youth Day, I couldn’t help but get a little teary eyed.

“Every type of young Catholic undertakes these pilgrimages,” he said, “but many have undergone enduring conversions, many vocations to the priesthood and religious life have flowered and an even bigger number became admirers and supporters of Christ and the Church.  These young followers in the Western world, won to Christ in the face of such persistent opposition, certainly represent one of (Blessed John Paul II’s) greatest achievements, a triumph of grace.”

It’s now been just under three years since my home city of Sydney was blessed to host the incredible event that is WYD, and I’m grateful to count myself among those young people won to Christ.

WYDO8: The catalyst

For me, WYD08 was the catalyst that set me on a journey of striving to know and love God more each day, and coming to truly appreciate the wisdom and treasures of our Church. I know I am not the same person I was in the early half of 2008.

I was a very active practicing Catholic, yet I lacked a real sense of conviction. God seemed distant and so was relegated to a small corner of my life.  I think, to some extent, I only believed in Him because I felt I needed to believe in something, and so I believed in a God that existed for me. Because of this, it was easy to pick and choose what I wanted to accept, bending things to whatever suited me.

Like most people my age I was very much in the world seeking ‘happiness’ the way the world had taught me to and having no luck finding it , though I was never short of a ‘good time’.

By the grace of God, some seeds had been planted during the preparations for WYD, and I entered that week with an open heart. I had a lot of questions, and there was a lot about the Catholic faith I openly challenged. At the same time I was beginning to understand that I could no longer call the Catholic faith my own if I couldn’t understand or accept the things it professed.

At the start of that week, I was inspired to put all those questions on my heart to God. I told Him if He was really real, I needed Him to show me what I was missing.

During that week I heard two talks that have stayed with me until now. One was on Eucharistic miracles, and the other on Blessed John Paul II’s Theology of the Body given by Christopher West.

I was amazed at what I heard. I walked out of those talks thinking “wow, why have I never heard that before?” I had been involved in the parish and going to Catholic schools my whole life. I thought I knew everything – and yet I was discovering I hadn’t even scratched the surface.

As the week continued, I soaked in what was going on around me and contemplated the things I had heard.  Things were starting to make sense to me.

There is a God: it’s not me

I remember sitting on a train home one of those nights flicking through a booklet I found in my pilgrim pack. I came across a quote from St Augustine;

“You have made us for Yourself, Oh Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You”.

As I read those words it was like something clicked. God became very real to me, and it was terrifying. Not because God is terrifying, but my whole life I had been the beginning and the end, the center of everything, and all of a sudden it was like the veil was lifted and I saw Him. I knew He had been there the whole time, before I was even a thought. I saw God doesn’t exist for me – I exist for Him. This new perspective turned my world on its head – that was what was so terrifying. At that moment I knew where to look for the answer to everything.

From that week of WYD, I was filled with this incredible thirst for knowledge. I set out on a quest to listen to, read and absorb everything I could get my hands on. I was in my final year of a communications degree at the time, and while I had always loved what I studied, it became more tedious with every moment it took me away from learning more about my faith.

I listened to a CD set on Theology of the Body on my commute to university and started reading the Bible and the lives and writings of the saints. In doing so I was beginning to discover the amazing treasures of our Church that I had never even known were there. It felt like I had stumbled on to a hidden storehouse of wisdom (though not so much hidden as I had never thought to look for it!).

I also began to crave time with Jesus, who I recognised as being truly present in the tabernacle. Every free moment I had to visit the church I would, and I would sit there with Him in silence. During this time I had the most incredible experience of His joy and love. It was such a graced time for me.

This thirst for knowledge and prayer sent me to the month-long Youth Leaders Formation Course (YLFC) run by the Sydney Archdiocese that same year. When I met the other young people I was there with, I realised I was not alone in what I had experienced. Many of these young people had arrived at that course in the same way as me, riding the wave of WYD.

You will be my witnesses

During the course, the seeds that had been planted in the lead up to and during WYD were able to take root as we spent the month totally immersed in prayer, community life, being educated in the faith and growing in the desire to serve God.

It was during that month that I gained the strength and courage I needed to make the resolution to cooperate with God’s action in my life. I recognised many things about myself and the way I had been living that needed to change.  Life definitely hasn’t been the same since, and I can’t begin to express my gratitude for how the Lord has guided me.

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses…”

Acts 1:8 – the theme for WYD08.

Looking around me at the Church in Sydney today, it’s awe-inspiring to think how these words are coming to pass. WYD08 truly was a new Pentecost for our city. It inspired youth (who in turn inspire other youth) to be witnesses to the saving Word of God- to be on fire for their faith.

Even as I look around me now three years on, one by one I see young people turn back to God and take up the challenge of St Paul to “press on toward the goal” – to live lives that today are radically counter-cultural. Something incredible is happening in Sydney, and I feel so blessed to be a part of it.

I give thanks especially for the gift of Blessed John Paul II who gave us WYD and Theology of the Body, which have been so instrumental in my own journey. I have fallen in love with this inspiring and holy man over the past couple of years, and I believe it must be by providence that I have been asked to make the pilgrimage to this next WYD in his footsteps.

I look forward to what God has in store for me on this journey to Madrid, but I especially look forward to seeing the fruits of the incredible gift of WYD once again, as many more young people are brought to encounter Christ.

I pray that the hundreds of thousands of pilgrims attending, and those who they will return home to, will have open hearts that the seeds that are planted will take root, that we may be “planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith”.

 

Sarah Coppola is the Digital Coordinator for Australian Catholic University and she will be  attending the University’s pilgrimage “In the Footsteps of John Paul II” to Madrid11.

Filed Under: Reflections Tagged With: , , ,

Receive the Power

May 12, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Official video of the WYD08 Theme Song, ‘Receive the Power’ written by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto and performed by Guy Sebastian and Paulini.

Filed Under: Videos Tagged With: , ,

A PILGRIM’S JOURNEY HOME

May 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

“We are but travellers here” – St Mary MacKillop.

These words were deeply engraved in the heart of St Mary MacKillop. I sometimes wonder how people really perceive these words, how they understand and personalise them. St Mary saw herself, as a pilgrim in this world, not a mere a nomad, but her life was a journey towards her true home. For us we must begin to ask ourselves how do we choose to embark on the journey – as a nomad or as a pilgrim?

A nomad is not settled and as the surrounding environment ceases to provide the subsistence of living, the nomad moves on. They are wanders for their survival, always in search for greener pastures. We live in a world where there is an enormous amount of transition. We are nomads. In modern society we are taught that we need to constantly move towards a more ‘prosperous future’ where the conditions for survival is dependent on our education, career and wealth. Consequently, we move from place to place, job to job in order to seek the good life that our culture promises us. However, in reality there is a sense of restlessness deep within us – not because of the need to survive, but because of our own dissatisfaction.

“From the ends of the earth I cried to you, when my heart was heavy” (Ps 61: 2).

St Augustine of Hippo says our heart is heavy because we all yearn for a country. We all yearn for a home. We have a yearning to belong, to feel safe and to find hope. Even though we may enjoy worldly prosperity there is an underlying expectation that the next place will be better, but in reality even though it may be “better” it is never enough. Just like the nomad, the modern individual seeks greener pastures. This desire for something more than what we are now, than who we are now points to something greater than ourselves and it is this desire that drives us, that compels us to continually search for fulfilment. However, at times this desire is so strong that we may completely surrender to the lies that promise us fulfilment and consequently we become obedient to the things that they require of us. These illusions of what we think will free us will actually bind us to addictions and our deepest fears because we’re too afraid to seek the answers beyond ourselves and move out of our own control.

“You have made us for yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You” – St Augustine.

We all search for truth, good, happiness and a home and it is in God where we will find the ultimate fulfilment of our desire. And so we have a choice: either to wander from one place to another or to become a pilgrim – to walk along the winding path.

At times the pilgrim may look like a nomad, moving from place to place, but the difference lies in their purpose and their way of life. A pilgrim is a citizen of a better country and holds the belief that they are in the world and not of the world, but for the world. There will be moments on the journey where heaven and earth will collide so that we experience the sacred, and understand that we are not alone where it is understood that the present condition is only temporary. Like their Lord and Master, they have nowhere to lay their head (Lk 9: 58). Life is a constant journey towards finding that place called home and the pilgrim knows they are on a journey home to God. Each movement towards home is hard and difficult. In seeking it, there is a bitter realisation that we are not there yet. The present, however, is not a place of rest. It is a moment where our actions and our lives speak of what we have chosen to call home: where we have chosen to go and ultimately to what we choose to be our truth, our beauty, our happiness and our home for eternity.

So to reiterate with the words of St Mary MacKillop, “We are but travellers here”, le us remember that we have not yet reached our final destination, our home. Our life is a pilgrimage home to God. As pilgrims in this world we are called not to be attached to this world but to look towards what God has promised for us in the next life.

St Mary MacKillop, pray for us!

 

Fr Lam Vu OFM Cap is a Capuchin priest of the Australian Province. He was born in Vietnam and migrated to Australia in 1979.  Fr Lam joined the Capuchins in 1999 and was ordained to the priesthood in 2008.  He holds a Licentiate of Sacred Theology in Spirituality and a Diploma in Formation from the Pontifical Gregorian University in Rome.  He is currently a Vocation Director and a Chaplain at Australian Catholic University, Melbourne Campus.

A Pilgrim’s Journey Home was obtained with permission from The Pilgrim Project. The Pilgrim Project features work across different creative practices – art, music, writing, poetry, film, cultural groups and more – that bring back storytelling. It is a network concerned with the expression of the search for the sacred and engagement of the human experience and builds connections across different audiences and demographics. To find out more please see the website www.thepilgrimproject.org

Filed Under: Reflections Tagged With: , , ,

WYD08: Final Statistics

April 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The media office at WYD08 has published some final statistics from the historic WYD Down Under:

PILGRIMS & ATTENDANCE

  • 70,000 international pilgrims took part in Days of the Diocese throughout Australia during the week before WYD08
  • 150,000 attended the Opening Mass at Barangaroo and CBD sites
  • In excess of 400,000 people attended the Final Mass at Southern Cross Precinct
  • 500,000 people came out to welcome His Holiness on Thursday 17 July on the Boat-a-cade, Official Arrival at Barangaroo and Motorcade
  • 223,000 people registered for pilgrim services during WYD08 (110,000 international pilgrims + 113,000 local pilgrims)
  • Over 170 nations were represented at World Youth Day Sydney 2008
  • 168 international flags took part in the Procession of Flags at the WYD08 Opening Mass

AUDIENCE

  • WYD08 events were watched live by an estimated international TV audience of 500 million, with TV and internet audiences combined reaching 1 billion
  • XT3.com, the WYD08 official online social networking site, is expected to attract 225,000 pilgrims as a result of the event
  • The World Youth Day website received over 500,000 unique users from Saturday 12 July to Sunday 20th July with the biggest spike in hits occurring Thursday 17th July.
  • WYD08 online streaming received over 250,000 visits during the event period, watching events live all around the world
  • Top countries watching online streaming included USA, UK, Italy, Canada, Spain and Germany
  • There were 2,000 accredited media for WYD08

 

ACTIVITIES

  • 450 Youth Festival events took place during the week from Tuesday to Sunday in over 100 venues
  • 30 large national gatherings took place during WYD08
  • 134 international pilgrims from 58 countries were part of the International Liturgy Group (ILG), as well as a representative from each Australian State and Territory. The ILG undertook the main duties of the liturgies including readings, offertory procession, altar servers, testimonials, flag bearers.
  • In Terrey Hills, more than 350 cardinals and bishops from overseas enjoyed a lunch hosted by the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell.
  • An average of 2,500 pilgrims walked through the Vocations Expo every hour
  • Catechesis was delivered at 235 locations across Sydney in 29 different languages
  • The WYD08 Choir consisted of 300 members, the WYD08 Orchestra was an 80 piece orchestra
  • 1,000 priests heard confession during the WYD08 week

JOURNEY OF THE CROSS AND ICON

  • Once the Journey of the Cross and Icon reached Wollongong for the 15 Day walk, it had travelled nearly 80,000km around Australia
  • The Cross and Icon visited over 400 Australian communities during the 12 month pilgrimage around Australia
  • Nearly 400,000 people touched the Cross throughout Australia
  • The WYD Cross is 3.8m high and 1.75m wide, weighing some 40 kilograms
  • The WYD Icon is 118cm high and 79cm wide, weighing some 15 kilogram
  • 4,000 pilgrims took part in the final day of the Journey of the Cross and Icon on Monday 14th July when it travelled on a Manly Ferry before being walked through central Sydney

PILGRIM SERVICES

  • 6,000 blankets were donated by Qantas to pilgrims from across Oceania
  • 37 lucky Burmese pilgrims overcame VISA difficulties to finally make it to Sydney for WYD08
  • At the WYD Big Aussie BBQ, 220,000 slices of bread were consumed – if laid end to end, it would cover the Sydney Harbour Bridge 21 times
  • 100,000 pilgrims slept in 400 schools and parishes
  • Over 12,000 pilgrims stayed in Sydney Olympic Park throughout the week
  • 40,000 were billeted as part of the WYD08 HomeStay program

PAPAL FACTS

  • The Pope’s flight to Sydney took 19 hours and 45 minutes
  • The Pope’s flight home will take 21 hours
  • From Rome the flight travelled a total distance of 16,500 kilometres
  • The Pope will fly back to Rome on a Qantas flight, stopping off Darwin for a brief refuelling
  • The Pope sent six daily inspirational text messages
  • The Pope met six native Australian animals from Taronga Zoo when in Kenthurst – a wallaby, koala, python, lizard, baby crocodile and an echidna
  • 12 lucky young people lunched with the Pope on Friday 18 July. This included Australians Craig Ashby from Sydney and Teresa Wilson from Melbourne
  • 24 people were confirmed by the Pope at the Final Mass including 14 young Australians and 10 international young people
  • The Pope lunched with 50 current and retired Australian Bishops in St Mary’s Cathedral House
  • The Pope kissed four small children during his Motorcades

VOLUNTEERS

  • 8,000 WYD08 volunteers assisted during WYD08
  • His Holiness held a special event to specifically thank the volunteers at the Domain prior to his departure

CLERGY

  • There were 4,000 priests and deacons, 420 Bishops, 26 Cardinals and one Pope present at WYD08
  • 500 special WYD08 chasubles for the Bishops and Cardinals were made
  • 4,000 stoles were made for the priests
  • 1.1 million communion hosts were made for the WYD08 Masses

FOOD

  • 25 million food items were ordered for WYD08
  • 3.6 million meals were distributed across approximately 400 venues during the week
  • 215,000 meat pies, 360,000 lamingtons and 100,000 litres of Dairy Farmers Milk were consumed


SERVICES

  • 400,000 people attended the Final Mass at Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park
  • 235,000 faithful attended the night time Vigil at Randwick Racecourse.
  • Over 200,000 pilgrims camped at Randwick Racecourse overnight in anticipation of the Final Mass
  • 232,000 candles were used during WYD08
  • 100 actors took part in the Stations of the Cross performance
  • 4000 toilets were in use at the Southern Cross Precinct

AMBASSADORS, PATRONS, SPONSORS

World Youth Day Ambassadors were:

  • Carla Zampatti – leading Australian fashion designer
  • Jared Crouch – Sydney Swans Footballer
  • The Delezio Family – Ron, Carolyn, Mitchell and Sophie
  • Matthew Hayden – Australian Cricketer
  • Amelia Farrugia – Australian Opera singer
  • Mark Bresciano – Australian Socceroo
  • Stephen Moore – Australian Wallaby
  • Jimmy Little – Indigenous Australian musician
  • Dr John Herron – Chairman of the Australian National Council on Drugs

WYD08 Corporate Affilliates included: Qantas, Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Catholic Church Insurances Limited, Corrs Chambers Westgarth, Mercedes-Benz, Telstra, The Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph, Harvest Youth Tours, Arnotts, Tip Top, Coca-Cola Amatil and Accor Hospitality, Captain Cook Cruises BridgeClimb, Taronga Zoo, The Catholic Weekly, Avis, Cadbury, Cerebos Foods, Dairy Farmers, Mrs Mac’s, Sanitarium, Schenker, SACL, Safcol, Moore Stephens

There were 10 World Youth Day Patrons including: St Thérèse of Lisieux, St Faustina Kowalska, St Maria Goretti, St Peter Chanel, Blessed Peter To Rot, Blessed Mary MacKillop, Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, Blessed Teresa of Calcutta, John Paul II, Our Lady of the Southern Cross.

Filed Under: Past WYDs Tagged With: , , , , , ,
1 2   Next Page »