Local Youth Prominent at Liturgy with U.S. Bishops

By Marie Elena Giossi

SYDNEY, Australia – En route to the Southern Cross Precinct for the vigil with Pope Benedict last Saturday, July 19, a few thousand American pilgrims celebrating World Youth Day in Sydney took a detour at The Domain for a special morning Mass and concert sponsored by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.

This was the first Mass ever sponsored by the USCCB for U.S. pilgrims at a World Youth Day gathering. Cardinal Francis George, OMI, president of the USCCB, was the main celebrant and homilist. Brooklyn Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio and Auxiliary Bishop Frank Caggiano were among nearly 40 U.S. bishops concelebrating.

Waving American flags and wearing shirts or hats identifying their hometown or diocese, young people from across the U.S. streamed into the public park turned worship space by mid-morning. Groups enjoyed festival-style seating around a giant bandshell, flanked by jumbo screens, enabling them to sing along to pre-Mass performances by various Christian singers, including Santiago Fernandez, Matt Maher and Steve Angrisano, from Oregon Catholic Press and World Library Publications.

Marie Elena Giossi Photos  

YOUTH FROM BROOKLYN pray during Mass at The Domain with bishops from the United States.

Toting their sleeping bags, Brooklyn and Queens pilgrims arrived early enough to park themselves in front, just to the left of the main stage, where Marilyn Santos, adolescent faith formation coordinator and co-organizer of the WYD delegation, was waiting for them.

Sitting nearby were guitarist and singer Tony Melendez with his family as well as groups from the dioceses of Joliet, Ill., and Orange County, Calif.

Bishops DiMarzio and Caggiano beamed when they saw their crew from the white tents behind the stage. Both bishops emerged to welcome and chat with the young people. Bishop Caggiano also gave them a wave and smile during the entrance procession.

Following the opening hymn, “Psalm 95: If Today,” Bishop Jaime Soto, coadjutor bishop of the Diocese of Sacramento, Calif., welcomed the youth of America.
Crown Heights resident Joshua McKenzie from St. Gregory the Great Church offered the first reading from Isaiah in English.

Youth listened quietly as Cardinal George spoke to them about the freedom that comes from being a follower of Christ.

JOSHUA MCKENZIE of St. Gregory the Great, Crown Heights, was a lector at Mass with U.S. bishops.

“The mission of the Church is to help people be free,” he said, explaining to youth that they don’t have to live a life of fear because they have Christ, who conquers all principalities and powers. “We are free, free in Christ.”

Recognizing that humanity is plagued by “fears of all sorts,” he encouraged youth to free themselves of any anxieties by searching for and discovering the truth that will set them free. “Truth is a person and that person has a name, Jesus. When you discover truth is a person,” he said, it isn’t enough to surrender your mind, you must surrender your entire person, in order to achieve true freedom.

The cardinal went on to bolster the spirit of the youth, saying they are “so good, far better than you think you are” and reminded them that, “God has a plan for you. You need prayer and a heart that’s fearless.”

Teenager Frankie Petric of St. Patrick’s, Bay Ridge, thought the Mass was a great idea and enjoyed seeing and meeting other young American Catholics. He was impressed by how his peers “are so in touch with their faith.”

“The cardinal was great. He hit all the right points and the kids were really into it. It’s also a good witness for them to see other American kids,” added Father Josephjude Gannon, who led a group of teens from St. Margaret Mary-Our Lady of Mt. Carmel, Astoria.

Father Gannon said the best part of the event was seeing the Brooklyn bishops spend some quality time with their young flock, who can go back home and tell friends they “hung out with bishops.”