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