Sign Off

Today marks my last blog post because today is my last in Sydney. As the pilgrims begin their long walk to Randwick I am packing my bags after a tiring but exciting week. Reflecting on the parts of WYD I experienced I am grateful that I came because it really was something you could not experience anywhere else. No other festival has as many cultures, as much unity and as peaceful a crowd. Australia has been lucky to host WYD. When I get home it is going to be very quite without the hum of Alleluia in the background and very dim without the many colours of flags waving in the air. Thank you for sharing the week with me. To read reflections of the week or to find out about the Papal mass please read the next edition of Aurora magazine which you can get from your local school or church. Goodbye, Au revoir, Arrivederci, Auf Wiedersehen, Adios!!!!

Friday

Today pilgrims and I lined the streets to be a part of Stations of the Cross. For those who did not get a glimpse of the actors there were large screens set up following the stations. It was clear from the crowd that this was a solemn occasion. People cried, hugged and watched intently as the story of Jesus was told. It was moving to see young people connecting with a story from 2008 years ago. A pilgrim told me during the week that when Simon helps Jesus carry the cross, we are Simon because we all have a cross to bear. I believe this was portrayed beautifully during the stations because Simon was played by a young aboriginal bearing the cross of Christ and the cultural/historical cross of the aboriginal people of Australia. Another moment to be mentioned was the singing of Amazing Grace. This song seems to touch all no matter what language or what culture. It was a fantastic show of faith.

Thursday

I saw the Pope! Or at least the back of him as he drove past in literally 2 seconds. I can’t say I am not disappointed because I waited 3 hours to be able to see him from the front row but he didn’t even stay long enough for me to get a picture of him. View the slide show for the picture I did get of the back of hie head in the black surroundings of night (because he was late). But what is most disappointing is that I didn’t get to see the Pope’s interaction with people. Other than this the day was very electric with anticipation. The pilgrims who were able to attend the Pope’s mass were the lucky ones. Now I am off to the youth festivals to see more live music with a crowd who can only be described as invigorating.

Wednesday

Today kicked of the youth festivals. Sydney resonated with singing, chanting and applause. Catching the train around the city was an event in itself. Pilgrims from Brazil and Lebanon were sharing their cultural dances with passengers as they danced in the walkway. Hyde Park was a festival hub with cultural dancing, singing and costumes. One of the most outstanding was coming face to face with New Zealanders doing the Haka. Then with some of my connections (friends who work serving food to the pilgrims) I managed to get into the concert at the domain. There was an excellent vibe though it was interesting to open the show with an American band playing Irish tunes. Today I acted like a sponge and absorbed all the sounds of the world literally. Now I am off to bed after a very long but entertainment packed day.

Tuesday

My trip began before I expected it to. What I mean by this is that as soon as a stepped on the train I spotted two of my friends. They were travelling with their brother and sister solely to see the Pope. They are not registered pilgrims but the pull of WYD was too strong. Then after much gum flapping I settled into my seat. I overheard a conversation between two other pilgrims. How do you spot a pilgrim? Well they are normally overly excited, dog tagged and carrying a very bright backpack. These pilgrims were discussing an article in the paper referring to Australia as a religiously bare country. One of the ladies was saying that in third world countries there is a lot of faith because these people are grateful for everything they have. Yet in Australia we have grown up with everything and this is why we don’t appreciate our world through our faith. I thought this was a good point until I arrived in Sydney. Literally thousands of people flocking around the screens showing the opening mass. People walking past in their daily lives were stopping to watch and marvelling at the people who were having a moment with their beliefs right in the middle of Darling Harbour. It was the spiritual meeting the monotonous. It was also amazing to see Cardinal Pell address the pilgrim congregation in 5 different languages.
On another note I know how the Chaser team from ABC felt when they ‘accidentally’ snuck into APEC. Today despite no pilgrim accreditation I managed to get through four of the five check points leading into the main ground of the opening mass. It was guilt and a large security man in a yellow jacket which convinced me to return to the big screens. To see pictures of my adventures so far view the slide show on my page.

DID

The events during DID were just excellent. During the week I visited the Wetlands to help with tree planting and it was fantastic to see children as young as three planting ground cover foliage. I also participated in Stations of the Cross on Fernleigh track. This was a bizarre experience which set the tone for the rest of the week. Here was a deeply spiritual act of remembrance clashing with everyday life. As pilgrims carried the WYD cross and icon singing along the track cyclists and families out walking would be engulfed by the service. It was interesting to see the effect the spiritual had on the everyday. Some would stop a pay respect, others would ignore and the best were the people who stopped to ask questions.
Finally, the Corroboree in at the Foreshore was a wash of cultural diversity. I decided to just wander and talk to pilgrims to get an idea of the atmosphere that was going to be in Sydney. Bradley Wagoner from Canada spoke volumes for pilgrims saying, “We have come because we believe, to share our common reason and our unity.” Lauren Higgins from Denver, USA, laughed about the joy of meeting so many people in an environment that was about positive growth. A bit closer to home Kuggim Kim of Kempsey spoke about her appreciation in a Catholic event targeted at young people.
I look forward to my trip to Sydney.