"You
will receive POWER when the HOLY SPIRIT comes upon you, and you will be
MY WITNESSES..." (Act 1:8)
Monday 14 July 2008 was a free day for the military pilgrims.
While many took to the sights of Sydney, some made the journey to the
Blue Mountains for an opportunity to pray and admire the natural beauty
that God has blessed Australia with. Fr Morgan Batt (Australian Army Chaplain)
even led a group of military pilgrims to Jervis Bay. Besides these official
activities, the military pilgrims participated in daily Catechesis and
Mass delivered by Catholic Bishops, received the Sacrament of Reconcilation,
visited the tomb of Blessed Pier Georgio Frassanti at St Mary's Cathedral,
visited the tomb of Blessed Mary MacKillop, explored the Vocations Expo
and attended a range of youth concerts and festivities organised for World
Youth Day. 
SYDNEY
- WORLD YOUTH DAY WEEK, for the International Military
Pilgrims, began upon their arrival in Sydney on the evening of Sunday
13 July 2008. They were accommodated in a specially constructed 'Military
Pilgrims Village' at Randwick Barracks. This village comprised of massive,
high quality marquees providing accommodation space for over 250 people,
and a recreation hall for the military pilgrims to gather. There was also
a small chapel area where Mass was celebrated by military chaplains at
7am each morning.
The
Opening Mass of World Youth Day 2008
was celebrated by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, at Barrangaroo
(Darling Harbour) on Tuesday 15 July 2008. On Thursday 17 July 2008, the
Holy Father sailed into Sydney Harbour
and was welcomed by Seaman Meryn Rayner of the Royal Australian Navy onboard
the Papal vessel. She presented the Holy Father with a medallion from
the Australian Defence Force's Joint Task Force 665 set up to support
World Youth Day and the Statement
of Peace developed earlier by the International Military
Pilgrims. This Statement of Peace
is now part of official Catholic Church records and will be housed in
the Vatican, declaring the ongoing commitment of Catholics in the military
towards peace. The re-enactment of Christ's Passion in the Stations
of the Cross was on Friday 18 July 2008 and was witnessed by
many of the military pilgrims.
"One of the highlights of World Youth Day festivities for me was attending Theology On Tap. This was a Catechesis-type session led by Archbishop Chaput of Denver held at a pub in western Sydney. It was fantastic to see and meet people of my own age group engage with Christ in such a social and informal setting. It has certainly changed my perception of Church, and it was fun!" said Tiffany Neuman, a US military pilgrim from Kadena Air Force base in Okinawa.
On Saturday 19 July 2008, the Holy Father celebrated Mass at St Mary's Cathedral for the clergy. Sub-Lieutenant Christopher Keast of the Royal Australian Navy and a Seminarian of the Military Diocese, and his fellow military pilgrim Lieutenant Juan Corredor from Columbia met the Holy Father during this occasion. Meanwhile, the military pilgrims participated in a walk from North Sydney to Randwick Racecourse. They enjoyed the youth concert and prayed before the Blessed Sacrament at the Papal Vigil with Pope Benedict XVI and over 250,000 other pilgrims.
Braving a cold winter's night, the military pilgrims slept on the turf of Royal Randwick Racecourse and awoke the next morning in time for a special Mass celebrated by the Holy Father. What was usually a place of horse racing was transformed into Australia's largest cathedral. "To recieve Holy Communion that is consecreated by the Holy Father (as the successor of St Peter) is definitely the highlight of my World Youth Day experience. It is the closest thing on this earth to being with Jesus Christ." said one Australian military pilgrim. An estimated 400,000 pilgrims attended this Mass making it the largest gathering of people in Australia's history.
During this significant week, Sydney replaced Rome as the centre of the Roman Catholic Church!!!
At the conclusion of this celebration of the Eucharist, Pope Benedict XVI announced Madrid, Spain, to be the hosting diocese of the next International World Youth Day in 2011!!! Congratulations Spain! The dates for World Youth Day 2011 are 15-21 August.
