Pope Benedict signals start of WYD with personal text message to pilgrims.
Posted: 07.16.08
CARA CATAFULMO | FC
Alicia Catalfumo gets a boost from fellow pilgrims from the Diocese of Palm Beach as she takes a photograph at the World Youth Day opening Mass celebrated by Cardinal George Pell July 15 at Barangaroo.
SYDNEY | There were two big signs July 15 that World Youth Day 2008 had officially begun. An estimated 150,000 pilgrims poured through the streets of Sydney to the waterfront district known as Barangaroo for the opening Mass. And Pope Benedict XVI sent this personal text message to pilgrims: “Young friend, God & his people expect much from u, because u have within u the Father’s supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus – BXVI.”
Cardinal George Pell of Sydney celebrated the opening Mass in the sunset with the city’s harbor as a backdrop. Many in the congregation expressed awe.
“Mass was spectacular and gave me chills,” 21–year–old Aracelys Bonachea of San Lazaro Parish in Hialeah told a Florida Catholic pilgrim journalist.
After an official indigenous welcome, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd inspired the crowd when he said “too often when young people travel in large numbers, it’s for war. But you have come here as pilgrims of peace.”
Following the 168–flag procession and the walk–in of the WYD Cross, Icon and Indigenous Message Stick, Cardinal Pell welcomed the international pilgrims in four languages – English, French, Spanish and Italian.
Joined by 26 cardinals, 400 bishops, a 300–person youth choir, and an 80–piece orchestra, Cardinal Pell gave a homily focused on the fruitfulness of commitment.
“Don’t spend your life sitting on the fence, keeping your options open, because only commitments bring fulfilment. 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.
In one of the closing speeches, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko created a new feeling when he stated that the WYD08 pilgrims have brought spring to the Australian winter, and a new springtime for the Australian church.
The site of the opening Mass is a former shipping port that has been cleared for transformation into a recreational, business and shopping precinct. World Youth Day organizers decided to make use of the waterfront open space for activities, including the pope’s scheduled arrival at the global youth event on Thursday, July 17.
Earlier in the day of the opening Mass, Australian military pilgrims gathered with their Bishop Max Davis at the Sydney Opera House for a performance for visiting pilgrims. And the Vocations Expo at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre officially opened, featuring over 100 exhibitors from all over the world, including a U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops team including seminarians from the Diocese of Orlando.
Compiled in Orlando by Denise O’Toole Kelly of the Florida Catholic staff from media reports, press releases, pilgrim journalist dispatches and other sources.
