Posted: 07.21.08
CNS | REUTERS
An aerial view shows the crowd gathered for the closing Mass of World Youth Day at Royal Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, Australia, July 20.
SYDNEY | After a weeklong celebration throughout Sydney, World Youth Day organizers said they were thrilled with a July 20 final Mass attendance nearing half a million people at Randwick Racecourse.
“It was an extraordinary sight to see more than 400,000 people gather for Mass on a gray Sunday,” said Danny Casey, chief operating officer for World Youth Day in Sydney. “This is certainly the largest Catholic Mass ever celebrated in our country.”
Pilgrims from Florida who are reporting on their experience for the Florida Catholic had difficulty finding words that fully captured the feeling of being in the congregation. Archdiocese of Miami pilgrims Janelle Garcia and Susy Gomez, who are reporting as a team, called it “inspiring.”
“Awesome” was the word chosen by Diocese of Palm Beach pilgrim Cara Catalfumo. “I have never been to Mass with that many people,” she said.
After more than 200,000 pilgrims slept overnight at the venue following the July 19 evening vigil, hundreds of thousands arrived in the morning for the final official activity on the World Youth Day program.
Referring to Australia as the “Great South Land of the Holy Spirit,” the pope enthusiastically waved and greeted pilgrims as he made his way through the giant crowd before the commencement of the Mass.
Dario Mobini, a pilgrim from the Diocese of Venice and a World Youth Day guide, appreciated the advice the pope offered in his homily.
“He reminded us of the importance to stay connected to the sacramental life of the church and to avoid materialism, relativism and secularism because they bring a destruction of love,” Mobini said.
As well as celebrating with those in attendance, the pope thanked Sydney for hosting the week–long festivities before announcing Madrid, Spain, as the next host city for World Youth Day in 2011.
Compiled in Orlando by Denise O’Toole Kelly of the Florida Catholic staff from press releases, pilgrim reporter dispatches, media reports and other sources.
