World Youth Day 2008 Sydney Australia - Jenny's experience
|
Our Development Worker Jenny Casey had an incredible experience at World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia. She truly fell in love with the country, and being at World Youth Day gave her a deeper understanding of her faith.
From Ireland to Australia: a long journey
I was banned from mentioning Sydney in the office for the months and weeks coming up to World Youth Day, as I will be away 17 days in the Southern Hemisphere that I was so looking forward to. The only thing that I was not looking forward to was hanging around airports.
We set out from Clane, Co. Kildare on the 5th July to make the long trip to Boorowa New South Wales for our days in the Diocese. It took us two days to get there, and after 23 hours in planes and 6 hours on buses we made it to our destination, tired and in a serious need of a shower!
Boorowa
We were based in Boorowa for the first week. We went to Mass every day, met the locals and enjoyed the hospitality of the town; this was not like anything I had ever seen before as Boorowa had an old part of town and a new part which had a main street and was so spread out.
We were farmed out to local families for the week. I was lucky to stay with Ian and Elaine Gruber who opened their doors to four tired and smelly Irish. When we arrived in Boorowa it was lashing rain and kind of cold, and it rained on and off for 3 days; on the last 2 days it was sunny but not too warm.
We visited the local Hospital and Boorowa House Nursing Home, and sang for the residents and patients there. Some very special moments for all of us, and I think we pilgrims got more out of the experience than those we visited. We met Jim, who loved our rendition of Danny Boy, Nora who at 101 years old is more glamorous than we are right now, and Kathleen whose roots are in Kildare Town, as well as many others.
In the afternoons, some of the group had an Aboriginal Cultural experience, others went shopping, and others spent time with their host families.
|
|
Canberra
After our 5 days in Boorowa, we made our way to Canberra where our Commissioning Mass was to take place at the Epic Grounds on the outskirts of Canberra. Mass was celebrated by Archbishop Mark Coleridge along with 200 other Priests and Bishops.
Sydney
From Canberra we made our way to Sydney as we were staying at the Parish of St Charles Borromeo, Ryde, which was about 10 km outside the city.
When we arrived, tired and starving, we met our new host families for the next week. We had our arrival Mass at 6 o'clock, then we went home, showered and back out the door to Mass. After Mass we went around the City.
My host family were Croatian Luka and Sonia Krivacic, and their daughter Sophia who without a doubt is the coolest kid I have ever met! She had letters on the bed for her pilgrims and a poster on the door to welcome us.
The first day in Sydney we had off so we went exploring the city, got the ferry into Darling Harbour and walked the legs off ourselves.
World Youth Day opening
World Youth Day was officially opened on the 15th July by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, and the Bishops of the world at Barangaroo. We walked in a procession to Barangaroo where as we were walking we were cheered on by all Nationalities.
It was sunny during the day but once the sun went down it got cold and breezy but it didn't rain like the time we were in Boorowa.
Catechesis
The 16th July we had Catechesis in the Church of St Charles Borromeo in Ryde. Our first speaker was Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O'Connor of Westminster Diocese in London. He shared his own faith story with us and really impressed the pilgrims with his relaxed style and sense of humour. Cardinal Brady of Armagh and our own Bishop Jim Moriarty, Lord Bishop of the Diocese of Kildare and Leighlin, joined in the celebration.
On the 17th July we had Catechesis with a speaker from the Philippines (whose name I cannot spell). He spoke of his faith and how he has grown as a Christian and the belief in others.
Pope Benedict XVI
After Mass on the 17th of July, we made our way to the city to the welcome and arrival of Pope Benedict XVI on Sydney Harbour, followed by a Papal welcome at Barangaroo.
The Pope then travelled through the streets of Sydney via motorcade in the Pope Mobile. We were looking at the screens around the area where we were trying to get a glimpse of the Pope. The Pope was brought around the harbour before docking and travelled in the Pope Mobile to the stage for the opening prayers for World Youth Day, where he spoke of the importance of young people.
 Bishop Jim Moriarty, Cardinal Brady & Cardinal Murphy-O'Connor |
Bishop Jim Moriarty of Kildare and Leighlin
On the 18th July we had a very special Catechesis with our own Bishop Jim Moriarty. All the people in the group were looking forward to that as he had spent a lot of time with us over the last few days, and they were delighted to be able to get to know him. We enjoyed his jokes and using the Simpsons to express our faith gave me food for thought.
The Stations of the Cross
After Mass which was celebrated by Cardinal Brady, the group made their way to Barangaroo for The Stations of the Cross but unfortunately I did not make it as I had sprained my ankle and was unable for the walking.
So I retired back to the house to watch TV. What I witnessed on TV was a prayerful re-enactment of the last days of Jesus' life. I was really looking forward to it as the whole city was transformed into an outdoor Cathedral for the massive re-enactment. I was glued to the screen for the 3-hour Oscar winning performance of all the actors involved. It was unique: it included classical music scores and aboriginal music echoing the Darling Harbour basin. The performance was edge of your seat even though you knew the story. But then it was given a personal touch to see Sydney transformed into Bible scenes: the stations started at Sydney St Mary's Cathedral and finished at Barangaroo.
Pilgrimage walk
On the morning of the 19th July we got ready for the pilgrimage walk to Randwick Racecourse. We walked over Sydney Harbour Bridge which was closed for the day; the Bridge has only ever closed a handful of times in its 75 year history. We set out from Ryde at 9.30 and arrived in Randwick at 4.40 where we were tired and sore; I was still nursing a sprained ankle and it had taken its toll on the body as I was barely able to walk.
 Cardinal Sean Brady & Jenny |
Sleeping under the stars
On the evening of the 19th of July the Pope arrived for a prayer vigil, and then headed off as we remained under the stars for the night!
The weather was very good in Sydney, but it got very cold at night! We wore about 40 layers as to combat the cold; it only got really cold at about 2am when I had to put on more layers. It was hard to sleep but I managed a few hours between my ankle aching and the chattering of my teeth.
World Youth Day 2011
On Sunday 20th July morning the Pope returned for the Mass at 10am, but at 8:45 the Pope had a flyover in a helicopter to see all the pilgrims. The Mass was brilliantly focused on the importance of the growing faith and how we need to embrace it.
Following the Mass we awaited the announcement for where the next World Youth Day event will be held. Everyone was holding their breath for the announcement for the next WYD. I was hoping it would be held in Ireland but I was saying it would be in Spain and at 12.00 it was announced that Madrid will host World Youth Day 2011. The place went mad. I felt disappointed that it was not in Ireland; we will have to make do with the Eucharistic Congress in 2012 instead. There was talk that the Pope will be visiting next year, so here is hoping!
When the Pope left Randwick we had to make our way home. I managed to make my way over to where Sonia and Luka were for the Mass. I hobbled over and got a lift home and wasn't I glad to get home and get a shower and start packing for the long trip home!
The long trek home
We left Ryde at 4.45 on the 21st July for the long trek home.
We stopped over in Seoul in Korea to sleep in the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Incheon. This is one of the nicest hotels I have ever stayed in - the bed was a welcome friend as we were all tired!
FFrom there we made our way to Heathrow. I got no sleep on the second flight so I was feeling tired when I got to Heathrow and that hour long flight to Dublin was so nice! I was counting the minutes 'till I was on home ground and I could not wait 'till I got home to get to bed. I was overtired and just needed to sleep!
A deeper understanding of faith
My overall experience was one of gaining a deeper understanding of faith and making new friends and networks in Australia. I hope to visit again Australia as it is a place of truly remarkable people who welcomed pilgrims with open arms.