The goal is World Youth Day, 2008; a gathering of young people from all corners of the globe to celebrate our faith.  At least, that’s what it seems to be at first glance.  But it is really much, much more than that…

Youth have been gathering for World Youth Day since 1986, and each year on Palm Sunday there is a special mass, led by the pope, to which all the young people of the world are invited.  However, every 2-3 years there is a major event.  A massive international gathering of young people in one of the major cities of the world; Buenos Aires, Paris, Rome, Toronto, Cologne…  These events aren’t just things that a few people from each country may decide to go to.  The World Youth Day in Manila, 1995, saw the largest gathering of humanity in recorded history: 4.5 million people.  And next year, one of these rare, gargantuan, global-scale events is being held a mere stone’s throw away from us in Sydney, Australia.

Representing our parish in the throng of people converging on Sydney next year will be a contingent of 30 young people – representatives of St Marks Parish Pakuranga in the vast ocean of parishes and dioceses from nations all over the world; your representatives on the global stage that will be World Youth Day, 2008. 

I hope you get the idea that this is a rather large event. 

But WYD is not just about meeting lots of people with funny accents, and going to an impossibly large mass with the Pope.  The youth of our Parish going to WYD aren’t just holidaymakers; we are pilgrims – people on a journey (as the hymn goes).  And not just any journey, but a search; a journey of discovery.  This is what sets WYD apart from any other gathering of young people; the emphasis on sending young people on a journey to deepen their experience of God in everyday life. 

As with any pilgrimage, the destination itself is not the real end of the journey; 

“the journey itself expands and enriches the limits of our ordinary world view as we gain new awareness of our relationship with God in the every day – the land around us, the people of faith who have walked that way before, human story and history, and most importantly, in the people who journey with us”.  

 Each WYD has a unique theme, and the one for Sydney is:

 You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.' (Acts 1:8). 

Thinking about all the challenges our Church faces in the future – not the distant future, but the immediate, almost tangible future – the youth have a hugely important role to play.  We have to invest in the spiritual enrichment, the knowledge and wisdom of our youth, and fuel them with the Holy Spirit so that in turn, they can enrich the life of our Church, and move out into the world as passionate, confident witnesses to our Lord Jesus Christ. 

The effects of WYD will infiltrate back into out parish, our communities, our society.  It is an investment in our youth – an investment in our future.  This is what World Youth Day is really about. 

p.s.  Thank you so much to all those who have helped us along the way so far – who have given generously in terms of prizes, money, and time – to all those who have bought dishcloths, Christmas cards etc – (especially those who refused to take their change…)  Most especially, to Father Barry, Averille, Joanne, and all other heavily involved parents and parishioners, without whose help Sydney would be no more than a dream.  Thank you.