WHAT IS WORLD YOUTH DAY???
In
1986, the great Pope John Paul II invited the youth of the Catholic Church
to gather in St Peter's Square on Palm Sunday to celebrate their faith.
This began a journey of faith for all young people of the world and the
concept of pilgrimage towards World Youth Day was born. Every year,
World Youth Day is celebrated at a Diocesan level on Palm Sunday,
with a massive international gathering of youth in a "host city" every
2-3 years. Cities such as Buenos Aires (Argentina), Santiago de Compostela
(Spain), Czestochowa (Poland), Denver (USA), Manila (Philippines), Paris
(France), Rome (Italy), Toronto (Canada) and Cologne (Germany) have all
hosted the international World Youth Day. On 21 August 2005, perched on
a hill at Marienfeld outside Cologne, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI blessed
the young people of Australia by inviting the youth of the world to proclaim
and celebrate the Holy Spirit at the 23rd WYD to be held in Sydney,
Australia, in 2008.
"And now, as the living presence of the Risen Christ in our midst nourishes our faith
and hope, I am pleased to
announce that the next World Youth Day will take place in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. We entrust to the maternal guidance of Mary
most holy, the future course of the young people of the whole world."
(His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, Marienfield, WYD 2005)
In response to this call by the Holy Father, the Military Diocese of Australia is working together with the Archdiocese of Sydney, the Archdiocese of Canberra-Goulburn and the World Youth Day Organisers in Sydney to organise the best possible spiritual and cultural experiences for all the Catholic military pilgrims of the world - both Australian and from overseas.
Beginning
on 9 July 2008, the Australian Defence Force and the Military Diocese of
Australia will be host the world's militaries in the "Days
in the Defence Diocese" program - "days" of spiritual and cultural exchange
in Canberra (Australia's national capital) in preparation for our journey
to Sydney and our "life-changing" experiences at World Youth Day 2008. This
will be an opportunity to develop friendship between members of different
militaries and to explore faith in the context of a military environment.
The
World Youth Day Week, officially beginning
on 15 July 2008, will consist of a week of Catechesis and youth festivities
which climaxes to a celebration of the Eucharist with His Holy Father,
Pope Benedict XVI, and an estimated 600,000 young Catholics on 20 July
2008 at Randwick Racecourse. For more information regarding World Youth
Day 2008, visit http://www.wyd2008.org.
WHAT IS OPERATION TESTAMENT???
Operation Testament is the codename for the Australian Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force's whole-of-government commitment to World Youth Day 2008. It includes the provision of security support to New South Wales Police, ceremonial support for the Papal visit and the hosting of international military pilgrims.
WHAT IS THE PILGRIMAGE OF PEACEMAKERS???
In today's troubled world, it is appropriate that the focus the
Military Diocese of Australia's World Youth Day 2008 activities is on the need for peace. Drawing inspiration from the Beatitude,
"BLESSED are the PEACEMAKER, for they shall be called CHILDREN OF GOD" (Matthew 5:9),
the title of the military's Days in the Diocese and World Youth Day 2008 activities will be known as:
The concept of pilgrimage is not foreign to military members. Since the end of World War II, the international military community has been making annual pilgrimages to Lourdes (France) - to ask Our Mother Mary to help us and to pray for us. The pilgrimage to World Youth Day will be no different. In today's troubled world, when many of our friends and colleagues are serving their nations in dangerous places, it is important that we unite in the name of the Jesus and ask Our Lord, the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary to help young soldiers, sailors and airmen/airwomen of the world become "saints of the new millenium" (Pope John Paul II, Rome 2000). By gathering in Sydney in an exchange of goodwill, friendship and peace, we will be a "beacon of hope" for the world.
The journey begins now as we prepare for a new Pentecost in the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. The Most Rev Max Davis, Bishop of the Australian Defence Force warmly and cordially invites all Catholic military members to make a pilgrimage of faith to celebrate the love of our Lord, and power of the Holy Spirit, underneath the Southern Cross.
