World Youth Day pilgrims bashed, robbed

ONE World Youth Day pilgrim needed emergency surgery and another fled with a black eye after the pair were bashed and robbed by a gang at Homebush Bay.

Police are appealing for public assistance following the ordeal, which happened at 1.30am on Saturday.
The two pilgrims - Western Samoan men aged 25 and 31 - were walking along Dawn Fraser Drive when they were attacked by four men and two women, all aged in their 20s, outside the Brewery Hotel.

The group took the younger victim’s backpack containing cash and a mobile phone before fleeing in a late-model black dual-cab utility with chrome wheels which police believe could be a Holden Rodeo.

The 31-year-old suffered bruising to his right eye socket and was able to escape the melee. The 25-year-old, however, received major injuries before fleeing to Olympic Park railway station and catching a train to Lidcombe.

He was rushed to Auburn Hospital, where he’s reportedly in a stable condition after having surgery and treatment for a fractured jaw and left eye socket, a severe upper lip laceration, and numerous loose teeth.
A number of crime scenes were identified and established at Homebush Bay and various items seized for forensic examination.
Police are also viewing security footage from various locations within the Olympic Park precinct and investigations are continuing.

Source

World Youth Day 2008

A Pilgrimage
World Youth Day 2008 is a pilgrimage initiated by the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, to gather young Christians from all over the world to take part in a common celebration of faith. People between 16 and 30 are invited. They will pour into Sydney from more than 120 countries. The Pope and around a million participants are expected.  They will be accompanied by bishops and cardinals from their home countries.
A Journey of Faith
It takes place over a number of days.  Its prime objective is to make the person of Jesus the centre of the faith and life of every young person so that He may be their constant point of reference and also the inspiration of every initiative and commitment for the education of the new generations.  The event aims to give young people an opportunity to rediscover their baptismal calling and the importance of the sacraments of the Eucharist and reconciliation, and so discover a new apostolic zeal to witness more fully the Gospel in the modern world.

A Time of Christian Fellowship
Christians from around the world will come together in fellowship, to experience hospitality and the love of God.  Pilgrims are invited to attend lectures, discussions, debates on the Catholic Faith, take part in praise, worship, Mass, The Way of the Cross, Adoration, seek reconciliation, as well as attend social events, such as concerts and plays.  The event concludes with an overnight vigil and Papal Mass.

Source

In a sea of World Youth Day pilgrims, dozens from mainland China

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- In brilliant winter sunshine the old docklands at Barrangaroo became a moving sea of national flags unfurling above the heads of the 150,000 pilgrims who had come from different corners of the earth to celebrate one faith and liturgy.

Among the flags was one from China: About 60 pilgrims from mainland China attended World Youth Day in Sydney. Among them were priests not registered with the Chinese government who, for the first time in their lives, wore the black and white collar that identifies them as a Catholic priest.

The Chinese pilgrims said they were ecstatic to be in Sydney.

"We can feel the Holy Spirit working upon us," said one young woman. "All our young people feel the hand of God moving on them, healing them and making them stronger."

The pilgrims agreed to talk to Catholic News Service July 15, as World Youth Day opened, only if their real names were not used.

Father Li Jinxing said that for the first 20 years of his life, he had never met a priest.

"Priests were heroic figures, heard about but never seen," said Father Li, who said the Catholic faith was practiced secretly in his home under threat of government persecution. "Parents and grandparents kept the faith strong."

He said in China today "things are improving a little" but much still depends on the tolerance of local and provincial authorities as to whether the church has a legitimate profile. He spoke of China's two Catholic communities -- those that register with the government and those that refuse to register and continue to operate in a semiclandestine manner.

"The government allows too few seminaries to train the numbers of priests in the official church, so the underground church is by far the bigger one," the priest claimed.

As a 20-year-old in Hebei province Father Li attended a hurriedly convened secret Mass. Like all such gatherings, the liturgy was celebrated at lightning speed for fear of discovery. It was at the Mass that Father Li met his first priest and there, as he received Communion, that he realized his vocation.

Accompanying the Chinese pilgrims was a 22-year-old Texan who has been studying Chinese while working as a lay missionary; he did not want to be identified for fear of endangering his ability to work in China. His connections to the Arizona-based U.S. Catholic group Youth Arise North America ensured that the pilgrims' fares and registrations for World Youth Day were paid through a donation of $20,000 (U.S.).

"It is a small miracle in their lives," he said of the journey.

The Texan said that in his ministry he meets "people who are desperate to meet the one true God."

"Their grandparents were told that communism was the savior of the world. Their parents were told it (savior) was capitalism. They have been let down on both accounts," he said.

"When they learn that God is a father who loves and treasures them individually, they weep with the realization," he said. "It is a very emotional church; they feel the faith deeply in their hearts."

He said the Chinese pilgrims' experience in Sydney would be incalculable.

"These are young people who are leaders in their communities. My work is not about converting people, it is about raising up leaders in the indigenous church," he said.


Source

World Youth Day pilgrims put soul into city

SYDNEY is teeming with young World Youth Day pilgrims, walking wide-eyed through St Mary's Cathedral, squeezing into the Mary McKillop memorial chapel, bouncing on to public transport and unrolling their sleeping bags in 400 schools and churches across the city.

The city breathes with hope and the expectation of a historic and life-changing religious experience.
The Pope arrives in the city tomorrow, and he will celebrate mass for as many as 500,000 people at Randwick racecourse, east of the CBD, next weekend - the high point of World Youth Day.
The exultation of being one of hundreds of thousands of like-minded pilgrims has gripped Americans Maggie Lawler, 17, and Lauren Wolf, 16. They have travelled thousands of kilometres from Sioux Falls in South Dakota to be a part of the first Australian World Youth Day.
"From what we heard from people who went to world youth days, it was a really life-changing experience," Ms Lawler said yesterday in Hyde Park, in the heart of the city.
"No matter how strong your faith was before, you're always getting something out of it."
Ms Wolf agreed. "I watched a DVD about World Youth Day, and I loved the people who were just cheering as the Pope walked in - everyone is so excited, there are so many people here. It's so amazing."
Despite persistent rumours of a shortfall in registrations, the Catholic Church says numbers are on track for the massive event, with 225,000 registered pilgrims expected - 125,000 from overseas and the balance from Australia.
Bishop Anthony Fisher said he expected World Youth Day to sweep everyone along in its wake, even those who threatened to protest. "When they see the bunch of lovely, happy, idealistic young people, I think they'll be swept along with that, and I don't think we'll see any trouble-making," he said yesterday, adding he expected the negative views of World Youth Day to dissipate.
"Pilgrims are saying, 'What's going on here? This is the most wonderful thing for your country and for your church, everyone should be happy, like we are'."
Project manager Andrew Murphy has been working at the racetrack since April, and "flat chat" since June 15 when the horses moved out. He has been in charge of a makeover that includes building 3184 toilets, laying 23km of water and sewerage pipe, setting up more than 200 confession, merchandising and catering tents and pitching 40km of fencing and crowd control barriers.
More than 300,000 pilgrims are expected to sleep overnight at Randwick next weekend, and remain on the track for the Pope's mass. The spillover numbers will stay at nearby Centennial Park.
"It's fantastic," said Mr Murphy. "Of course it's worth it."
Sydney has been readying itself for the event for months. NSW has laid on 16,500 extra bus services and 4000 extra train services through the week to allow for more than 825,000 additional passenger journeys.
Beginning in earnest next Thursday, World Youth Day will be co-ordinated by about 8000 volunteers. About 2000 priests, as well as 500 cardinals and bishops, will be in Sydney to celebrate with the Pope - all wearing vestments especially designed for the event.
But the real impetus of World Youth Day will be provided by the sheer numbers of young people.
"What is exciting is that you see big groups of people everywhere," Lauren said. "I loved John Paul II because I think he was so great for the youth, but I think Pope Benedict is good for bringing people back to the church. He is really a uniter."
Lauren said she hoped her Sydney experience would increase her faith. "I think we have a faith and we have a relationship with God, but World Youth Day will get us even closer," she said. She and Maggie were from a group of 46 pilgrims from South Dakota, all staying in a hostel in Sydney's south.
"I hope World Youth Day will answer some of our questions about what God and religion really means," Maggie said.
At Sydney's St Mary's Cathedral, young pilgrims from around the world prayed before the coffin of one of their own - 24-year-old Italian Pier Giorgio Frassati. His remains were brought to Australia for World Youth Day, and St Mary's Cathedral was decorated with banners illustrating the life of the young man who cared deeply about those less fortunate than himself.
Beatified in 1990, the Blessed Pier Giorgio is a patron of this World Youth Day. "Young people can relate to him as he was just aged 24," said Auggie Babbitt, a pilgrim from Texas.

Source

World Youth Day 2008 - Sophie Caldecott reports

Thursday 24th July - Sunday 27th July
Fun and farewells on the Gold Coast:

After our two days of retreat (some of which was silent) we headed off to Seaworld, despite the pouring rain (a direct answer to our prayer for Australia's severe drought) and spent the day marvelling at the beautiful aquariums and a lucky few even getting to stroke some dolphins. Several of the boys went on the rollercoaster over 20 times and, needless to say, felt rather queasy as a result. Our last day in Australia was spent at Surfer's Paradise in Brisbane, where most of us went to see the new Batman film, 'The Dark Knight' before putting on our swimming things and experiencing the mighty waves that give the beach its name. These two days were the only real days of holiday that we had had all month, and even on these days we had Mass and prayed the rosary on the coach. These things became habit and helped us to gain strength, daily, from Our Lord.

The flight home (adding up to over 20 hours in all) was spectacular in itself, as the skies were clear for most of the way which made travelling at night almost like travelling through space, constellations of light above and below us. Tearful farewells at the airport brought our journey together finally to an end, but over the course of that month friendships were formed that will not be broken, and I know that we will continue our journey together in prayer as we each try to live out the commission we have received

Source

Pope Sends World Youth Day Cross to Quake Region

Affirms Church Is More than a Humanitarian Agency

VATICAN CITY, MAY 31, 2009 (Zenit.org).- Benedict XVI sent the World Youth Day cross to the Italian Abruzzo region that was devastated by the April 6 earthquake, and is expressing solidarity and compassion for the people.

The Pope stated this today in St. Peter's Square, as he addressed the thousands of pilgrims gathered there to pray the midday Regina Caeli.

He reported that the Abruzzo youth "are gathering many people" around the cross, which was carried there by 12 volunteers from the youth center of San Lorenzo.

"In communion with that region, hard hit by the earthquake," the Pontiff said, "we ask Christ dead and risen to pour put his Spirit of consolation and hope upon them."

On Saturday the cross was brought to a student house where eight youth died in L'Aquila, a town near the epicenter of the earthquake that claimed some 300 lives.

The cross was received by the town's youth, and after a moment of prayer it was carried to the fields of tents where survivors have made temporary homes.

Today the cross was brought to the training school of the Guardia de Financia where the bishop of the region, Archbishop Giuseppe Molinari, celebrated a Mass with confirmations. During the rest of the day it traveled to different areas where fields of tents have been raised.

It will be brought back to Rome on Tuesday, and will go to different cities of Spain before the World Youth Day in Madrid, planned for August 2011.

The Holy Father urged the young people, "With the power of the Holy Spirit, be witnesses of the risen Lord!"

Living body

In his address to the pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, Benedict XVI affirmed, "The Holy Spirit is the soul of the Church."

He continued: "Without him to what would it be reduced? It would certainly be a great historical movement, a complex and solid social institution, perhaps a kind of humanitarian agency.

"And in truth this is how it is considered by those who look upon it from outside the perspective of faith.

"In reality, however, in its true nature and also in its most authentic historical presence, the Church is unceasingly formed and guided by the Spirit of the Lord. It is a living body, whose vitality is precisely the invisible divine Spirit."

The Pope concluded, "We invoke the intercession of Mary Most Holy, that the Church in our time may be powerfully strengthened by the Holy Spirit."

"The comforting presence of the Holy Spirit is felt in a special way by the ecclesial communities that suffer persecution for Christ's name, because, participating in his sufferings, they receive the Holy Spirit in the abundance of glory," he affirmed.

Source

Day Ten!

Today we began our walk at Dural Park. Here we were joined by the local Federal member Philip Ruddock and the Mayor. We were also blessed with the presence of Fr Dominic Murphy for our journey today. As we walked along the pathway we could see groups of people eagerly waiting to join us. The crowd started to get bigger and the passes by were all interested to know what was causing such excitement.

We headed towards Redfield College where we met up with more people who had come to see the Cross. The community gathered for some prayers and then a beautiful Mass was celebrated.

We processed the Cross and Icon into the school chapel and it remained there for overnight prayer with Adoration and Mass.

Annaliese









Source