Memories of World Youth Day Sydney 2008

By Leah Tacuel

This article was first published in the January 2009 issue of Universitas.

 

Spring down under

Spring often signals revival, renewal, rebirth. The dreariness and lethargy of winter melt away and in its place, the vigor and hope of new growth blossom. Last July 15-20, despite the biting 4-15°C tempera­ture in the city of Sydney, the six-day celebration of the 23rd World Youth Day blazed in color and cheer that it almost seemed like spring. Gathering around 500,000 pilgrims from all over the world, among whom were some 50 UA&P delegates, WYD ‘08 marked the largest event held in Australia and Pope Benedict XVI’s first visit to the country.

Australia, as described by Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in his address, is “a land of great freedom, a land of many cultures, a land of many faiths but also a land deeply shaped by and proud of its Christian heritage and future.” With the anticipa­tion of the much-awaited event, the winter chill gave way to the warmth evident among the natives and guests—from the cheery welcoming party at the airport, friendly subway guides, to the endless greetings from pilgrims and fellow Filipinos.

The celebration, with its theme “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8), was unofficially started on July 14 with the Journey of the Cross and Icon, held just within the heart of the city. The enthusiasm of the crowd swarming through the cityscapes gave a glimpse of what we would see in the coming days—a spirit-filled flock invading the cold and busy streets of Syd­ney. In the mix of different cultures, the bound­aries of race and color faded, as the youth in good fellowship and camaraderie chanted along “Receive the Power.” Unmindful of the evening chill, friendships were built and connections established—all in common faith.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indeed, on July 15, when the Opening Mass jumpstarted the celebration, Barangaroo (a 22-hectare piece of land alongside the business district and bounded by the harbor) teemed with pilgrims and volunteers alike, waving a kaleido­scope of colorful banners and flags.

Prime Minister Rudd warmly welcomed the youth with pride: “You are so much the light of the world at a time when the world has so much darkness. Too often in the history of the world, when young people traveled in great numbers to other parts of the world, they do so in the cause of war, but you are here today as pilgrims of peace.”

Cardinal George Pell, who presided over the Mass, also greeted us with an inspiring message of faith and hope: “Christ is calling you home to love, healing and community.” The greet­ings were met with festive cheers and chants, particularly when the Pope’s early message of affirmation arrived: “Young friends, God and His people expect much from you, because you have within you the Father’s supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus.” The evening was capped with a concert and splendid fireworks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On July 17, thousands of pilgrims, empowered by the Holy Spirit, gathered once again at Baranga­roo to welcome the Holy Father as he arrived at Sydney Harbour. During those solemn moments Pope Benedict XVI’s presence moved the hearts of those who were blessed to see and hear him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The next days brought us a vast array of activi­ties and events that allowed us to rediscover our faith. There were the catecheses and youth festivals, with various forums and performances; vocations expo; and pilgrimage to St. Mary’s Cathedral. Among the forums our group, led by Ms. Abby de Leon, attended were the enlight­ening “Theology of the Body for Teens,” which explored love, sex and marriage, and “Get Real,” a forum on the objectification of women and children. These events were mainly held at major sites, such as The Domain (a 34-hectare open space sometimes used as a sporting venue), Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbour and Ba­rangaroo. Many of the pilgrims also packed the venues for adoration and confession.

Aside from sites hosting World Youth Day events, Sydney also has other attractions that begged attention. In between events, most of our group, visited what Sydney has to offer: the Olympic Park, Direct Factory Outlet, Woolworths, Taronga Zoo, Harbour Bridge, and Bondi Beach.

The events peaked on July 19 when the pilgrims  spent an overnight vigil at the Randwick Race­course after walking approximately nine kilo­meters, with the temperature dropping to 3.7°C. During the vigil, we were amazed at the sight of thousands of flickering candlelight, vying with the sparkle of Sydney’s city lights. WYD 2008 came to a close with the celebration of the Final Mass the morning after, which earned us encouraging words from the Pope himself: “Burning with the fire and love of the Holy Spirit, go forth to proclaim the Risen Christ and to draw every heart to Him!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the multi-ethnicity we were exposed to, the fervor of the fellow youth in their faith, and guiding words by the Holy Father, the World Youth Day experience brought us pilgrims to a rediscovery of what it means to be a Christian, and essentially to a renewal of faith and hope in the midst of a spreading spiritual desert. In the middle of man’s search for meaning, the Pope advises, “find fulfillment in love.” And with this kind of love—inspired by the Holy Spirit—spring took place in Sydney’s mid-July.#

 

 

All photos, including the banner photo, are from ebenedict.org, unless indicated otherwise.