Pope and World’s Youth Converge on Australia

Almost 200 Young People from Diocese Are Present at World Youth Day in Australia

By Marie Elena Giossi

SYDNEY, Australia – Waving the diocesan, American and papal flags, Brooklyn and Queens youth prayed, shouted and shared their excitement with international peers and Aussie locals on Tuesday afternoon, July 15, as they marched through the streets of Sydney to the Opening Mass of the 23rd World Youth Day.

Two-and-a-half hours before the first major event of this six-day festival of faith commenced, John Olsen, Brian Doyle, and Joseph Pergola from St. Patrick’s parish, Bay Ridge, carried the flags leading the diocesan delegation of 126 people on foot from the Rushcutters Bay hotel to the Kings Cross CityRail station, where WYD passes granted free access to participants, who took a three-tiered train one stop to Martin Place.

From there, the group encountered tens of thousands of pilgrims like themselves, trekking north through the suburbs of The Rocks and Millers Point. Police sectioned off walking areas for the Massgoers, who recited the rosary, sang hymns and often erupted into chants, including “Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi,” as they inched their way to Barangaroo, a former wharf spanning more than 54 acres near Sydney’s Darling Harbor.

Marie Elena Giossi Photos 

DIOCESAN REPRESENTATIVES from Brooklyn and Queens whoop it up during festivities at World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia.

Amid the throng, several American flags waved as did similar emblems from Vietnam, Ireland, Canada, Brazil, Italy and Nigeria.

Pilgrims arrived inside their designated gate, section and area and staked their claim to a portion of the rocky terrain shortly before Mass began at 4:30 p.m. Giant video screens and an extensive speaker system enabled attendees to follow the Mass. Those who did not have tickets to this venue were able to watch on video screens set up in the Domain, Darling Harbor and outside the Sydney Opera House.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd wowed the world’s youth as he welcomed them in several languages to the opening ceremonies, which featured Aboriginal Australians in native dress dancing and chanting to the reverberations of a didgeridoo, the arrival of the WYD cross, icon, and indigenous message stick, and a parade of 168 flags, similar to the opening ceremonies of the Olympic Games.

Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio, right, and Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano accompany diocesan youth in Sydney, Australia, during the start of World Youth Day activities

Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell greeted pilgrims in the four official languages of WYD08 – English, Spanish, French and Italian. He was the main concelebrant of the Mass, said to be the largest ever held in Australia with 26 cardinals, 400 bishops (including Brooklyn’s Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano) and thousands of priests joining more than 100,000 international pilgrims. Their diversity was represented in the Scripture readings, delivered in Spanish, French and Italian, and the petitions, offered in various tongues.

Addressing the youth, Cardinal Pell offered a message of hope and encouragement. He began his homily referring to the Good Shepherd who goes in search of the one sheep who is lost.

“I begin by welcoming anyone who regards themselves as lost with hope diminished or even exhausted,” he said.

Drugs, alcohol, loneliness and death can diminish hope in anyone, he said, but reminded youth that Christ’s call is to all who are suffering. “While there’s life, there’s always the option of hope … We Christians believe in the power of the Spirit to convert all from fear and uncertainty to faith and hope. … Our task is to be open to the power of the Spirit. If we take God’s hand, He will not fail us.”

IT’S WINTER IN AUSTRALIA but that doesn’t stop Joseph Delva of St. Jerome’s parish, East Flatbush, from comparing cool sunglasses with Mother Maria de Foy, SSVM, of SS. Peter and Paul parish, Williamsburg.

The cardinal explained to pilgrims that life is about making choices. “Following Christ isn’t cost-free and it certainly isn’t easy,” he said. “It’s always a battle.”

He suggested that youth and adults alike pray for “wisdom and perseverance” and cautioned against lives of indecision and indifference “because only commitments bring fulfillment. Happiness comes from meeting our obligations, doing our duty, especially in small matters and regularly, so we can rise to meet the harder challenges,” he said.

Looking toward the events in the days ahead, he said, “we have the right to celebrate the liberty of our repentance and rejuvenation of our faith.” And when they part from this festival next week, Cardinal Pell urged pilgrims to “never part from our loving God and His Son Jesus Christ.”

“Look at this! You literally feel the Spirit here,” said 19-year-old David Rellac from St. Joan of Arc, Jackson Heights, who just smiled as he looked around at thousands of other young Catholics surrounding him at Barangaroo.

“I’m so proud of my faith and this encourages it. Anyone down in their faith that comes here is renewed with such zeal,” he explained.

Rella’s zeal and awesome faith experience at WYD05 in Cologne encouraged his friend, college- seminarian Matthew Zinser, to come to Sydney for his first WYD.

“There’s a lot more people than I expected but it’s great to see how widespread our faith is and see so many people from so many countries,” said Zinser from St. Matthias parish, Ridgewood. “So far, this is great. I’m looking forward to more events, catechesis sessions, the vigil and the dedication of the altar at St. Mary’s Cathedral with the pope.”

Pope Benedict is scheduled to dedicate an altar in St. Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday morning, July 19, and has invited only seminarians to this event. Zinser and several Brooklyn diocesan seminarians will be present at that special gathering.

“I feel honored to be invited. I think he wants to speak to us one-on-one and give us advice. I look forward to being in his presence and hearing what he has to say,” Zinser added.

Toting red, orange and yellow back packs bearing the WYDSYD08 logo everywhere they go, international pilgrims have been easy to spot among the locals on Sydney’s sidewalks, buses and beaches this week.

Each World Youth Day, registered participants receive a back pack filled with spiritual and practical items, and extra space to hold personal belongings for the week-long pilgrimage. This year’s brightly hued bags are the colors of fire and suggestive of the WYD theme – the Holy Spirit’s descent at Pentecost in the tongues of fire over the first apostles’ heads.

Tucked inside their back packs, participants have red lanyards with plastic cases to carry identification cards, event tickets, free travel passes and food vouchers; soft cover copies of the Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, WYD edition, and the Gospel According to Luke and the Acts of the Apostles; a liturgy guide; a transport guide with maps and directions to and from events by bus, ferry, train or on foot; a youth festival guide; a hardcover picture book of Australia; a logo bandana and wash-off tattoo; an orange rain slicker and silver foil space blanket; and a manually powered flashlight. The last three items will especially come in handy during the overnight vigil in the Royal Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park.

The 126 pilgrims traveling with the Brooklyn Diocese are also using their back packs to hold items they received from various supporters back at home. Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz donated “Brooklyn” pins to the teens; Queens State Senator Frank Padavan contributed American Flag/New York State pins; Queens City Councilman James Gennaro gave Statue of Liberty pins; and Brooklyn State Senator Marty Golden came through with special World Trade Center pins for each traveler.

While they began the week wearing pins on their lanyards, most teens will swap these small souvenirs with other pilgrims at various events. When they return home, they’ll be able to look at their pin collections, remembering the connections they made with peers from around the world.

Young people have also received some items that won’t be traded away, but rather used and brought home with them. These include champagne-colored rosary beads from the Knights of Columbus; rosary prayer cards and Blessed Mother pins from the Pilgrimage Office; water bottles with the WYDSYD08 and diocesan logos and pilgrim journals from the Faith Formation Office, and blue “Diocese of Brooklyn” windbreakers, bearing the American and papal flags and a koala bear, given to every pilgrim by Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio.

Of the 126 pilgrims from Brooklyn and Queens, 20 young adults and four adult chaperones were from Holy Family parish, Fresh Meadows. One of the Holy Family pilgrims, Jack Timothy Magat, who just finished his freshman year at Stony Brook University, said that for him the trip would be “a renewal of my Catholic faith and beliefs” and “a chance to see how Catholics from around the world can gather in celebration and worship.”

The Holy Family group raised money for the trip in various ways, including a walkathon and sales of rosaries and lapel pins with an image of Mary. Parishioners as well as family, friends and relatives of the pilgrims supported the efforts.

Mary Scheer, principal of the parish school and one of the chaperones, said that everyone in the group hoped their faith “will be deepened and enriched by this opportunity to come together with others from around the world.”

Even as they prepared to go to World Youth Day, “spiritual changes in the kids” were obvious, she added.

Bishop’s Advice

Put Christ first and the rest of your lives will fall into place was the simple but significant message Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio offered diocesan pilgrims on the eve of the official start of World Youth Day.

The bishop celebrated a late afternoon Mass on Monday, July 14, for young adults, chaperones, religious and clergy, before accompanying many of them on a twilight sightseeing cruise around Sydney Harbor.

Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano; Fathers John Maduri and Mark Simmons of St. Patrick’s, Bay Ridge; and Father Gerard Sauer, pilgrimage director, concelebrated the liturgy, held in a conference room at the Vibe Hotel Rushcutters, located in an eastern suburb of Sydney, where the diocesan contingent is staying.

Youth in their teens and 20s from the parishes of SS. Peter and Paul, Williamsburg; Holy Family, Flushing; and St. Patrick’s, Bay Ridge, and St. John’s University, sat cross-legged on carpeted floors.

Front row seats were given to Mother Maria de Foy, SSVM, and Sister Mary Mother of Hope, SSVM, group leaders for 10 young adults from SS. Peter and Paul, part of the first group to arrive in Sydney on July 12, and Marilyn Santos, adolescent faith formation coordinator of the Faith Formation Office, who is organizing this youth pilgrimage with Father Sauer.

Following a reading from Isaiah offered by John Olsen, a teen lector from St. Pat’s parish, and a passage from the Gospel of Matthew proclaimed by Bishop Caggiano, Bishop DiMarzio spoke about the value of a Christ-centered life. He explained to youth that if they’re willing to put Christ above everyone and everything, including their own lives, they’ll find clarity in every aspect of their existence.

Noting that they were gathered on the feast day of Blessed Kateri Tekakwitha, the bishop held the Lily of the Mohawks up as an example for the youth.

Tekakwitha was a convert to Christianity, who suffered greatly for her faith among her own tribe because she refused to marry, choosing instead to “dedicate herself to God.”

“The history of the world is full of martyrs and saints who put Christ before themselves,” the bishop said, encouraging youth to follow in their footsteps.

His words set the tone for the upcoming week of Christ-centered events, which would include morning catechesis sessions, evenings at the youth festival, Pope Benedict XVI’s arrival on Thursday afternoon, Stations of the Cross Friday afternoon – all leading up to the Saturday evening vigil with the pope and final Mass on Sunday morning.

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