WYD08 report II

The host families were really keen for us to experience the Australian culture and their way of life. This involved lots of sightseeing, surfing, and a trip to the zoo to see kangaroos and koalas! Myself and a couple of friends were lucky enough to stay with a lovely couple named Bob and Ann. They made us feel so welcome and at home that after only a couple of days we were referring to them as our ‘Aussie parents’! We got to know them really well and have been keeping in touch since we arrived home. We are even planning to meet up with them again later this year when they spend a week in England as part of their travels. Each family clearly went out of their way to make the week special for their 'home stayers'. Their generosity, warmth and kindness was something that really humbled me. It was nice to know that we also made on impact on the parish while we were there. Shortly after arriving home I received an email from a young girl in the Parish.

“Over here in Thirroul, everything seems different. When you go to church on Sunday, there is really a different vibe with everyone. We got A LOT of people there at Mass, including teenagers that don't usually come. We really miss you all and wish World Youth day wasn't over! Going back to school feels weird, you can feel yourself thinking in a different perspective.

On the day of the Pope’s arrival in Sydney, there was such an amazing atmosphere all around. Pilgrims from all over the world were walking around, waving flags and singing, and it just felt like something really special was happening. Even locals who weren’t Catholic were excited and many commented on how the enthusiasm of the young people had bought such joy to the city. The Pope arrived at Sydney Harbour on a boat to a warm and exciting reception. During his opening speech at Barangaroo he spoke to us about the importance of using the gifts we received from the Holy Spirit at Baptism and Confirmation to try and make the world a place where “love endures, where gifts are shared, where unity is built, where freedom finds meaning in truth, and where identity is found in respectful communion”. I was really impressed at how well he related it to us as young people when he spoke about the sheer reality of how the world is nowadays. His words touched many of us and gave us the inspiration and encouragement that I think we all need to be young Catholics in the modern world.

On the Friday night we were part of the 270,000 international pilgrims and Australian locals who made their way to different points around the city to watch the Stations of the Cross live and on big screens. The performance was acted by young people at eight different venues across the city and over 500 million people tuned in to watch it. What really moved me was how as soon as the performance started the crowds stopped cheering and chanting and a sombre and reflective mood was created. For me it was one of those special moments where you realise just how lucky you are and it had a quite an impact.

The Final Mass was held at Randwick Race Course. The place was literally packed with pilgrims camping out overnight and I’ve never seen anything like it! The Pope led an evening prayer the night before which was followed by a concert, which continued into the night. It was quite funny because many of us said it was like being at a music festival, yet we were all there for a completely different reason, and in that sense it was very surreal! The next morning the Pope arrived yet again to a joyous reception. During the homily he spoke positively about how we are the next generation of disciples and how he hoped that we all use the love of the Holy Spirit to give us the courage to live as young Catholics today.