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Raleigh "Pilgrims" attend World Youth Day 2008
An estimated 350,000 Catholic young adults attended the closing Mass of World Youth Day 2008, celebrated by His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. The six day event, held in Sydney, Australia, began July 15 and concluded July 20. The gathering, the largest event ever hosted by Australia, featured “pilgrims” from170 countries, including a group of “pilgrims” from the Diocese of Raleigh.
The theme of this year’s gathering was "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses." (Acts 1:8)
In his homilies, Pope Benedict XVI encouraged the “pilgrims” to be open in prayer to the gifts of the Holy Spirit and to let the Spirit transform them, so they in turn can transform the world.
The Holy Father arrived in Australia on July 15, but joined the World Youth Day gathering on July 17 making his way into Sydney Harbor by boat. Addressing an estimated 150,000 people who attended the opening evening, he spoke of respect for creation noting that means protecting the person as much as it means safeguarding the world’s natural resources.
Pointing to earth’s natural beauty he said, perhaps reluctantly we come to acknowledge that there are also scars which mark the surface of our earth; erosion, deforestation, the squandering of the world’s mineral and ocean resources in order to fuel an insatiable consumption.” He added the same is true of people, who have accomplished so much, but in other ways destroy themselves or others.
Emphasizing that each person’s “existence has been willed by God, blessed and given a purpose.” The Holy Father added, “Experience shows that turning our back on the Creator’s plan provokes a disorder which has inevitable repercussions on the rest of the created order.”
Among those attending from the Diocese of Raleigh were Kellie Cook, Mariana Luciani, Katie McIlmoyle, Nathaniel Duncombe, Josh Kugler, Ian Rothfuss and John Walsh. Each of the “pilgrims” called the experience inspirational and spoke of the realization of the true universality of the Catholic Church.
The Diocesan group had the advantage of being close to the Holy Father when he arrived at the harbor. They were able to purchase tickets for a boat that was part of the fleet next to the one carrying the Holy Father to shore.
The group said one of the most memorable events was the three-hour enactment of the Stations of the Cross, which covered several miles, including “Jesus and the Cross” transported on a boat along the harbor for the tens of thousands to see.
Below, four members of the Diocesan group share their experiences and reflections of World Youth Day 2008.
Above: Ian Rothfuss, Katie McIlmoyle, Mariana Luciani, Kellie Cook, Josh Kugler and Nathaniel Duncombe along harbor in Sydney, Australia for World Youth Day 2008.
Above: Boat carrying Holy Father into Sydney harbor with small fleet of “pilgrims,” including seven “pilgrims” from Diocese of Raleigh in accompanying boat.
Members of the Raleigh delegation sharing their experiences of World Youth Day with Bishop Michael F. Burbidge prior to video taping.