World Youth Day Sydney 2008

I was privileged enough to be a part of the group of pilgrims from St Mary’s Parish who travelled to Sydney Australia experience World Youth Day 2008.

World Youth Day was one of the greatest experiences I have had in my life. Being in Sydney and being part of a 200-300,000 strong crowd of like minded Catholics opens your eyes to the fact that as a young Catholic, you are not alone. There is something about a twilight mass, outdoors under a setting sun with a crowd that large that moves you and it definitely moved me. I felt as though you could say what you want and believe what you wanted and no-one looked twice at you as we were all there for the same reasons. This helped me to let go and figure out my faith as I could be completely honest about what I believed and speak about what was difficult or hard to understand about Catholicism.

Experiencing the energy of World Youth Day caused me to truly feel the power of the Holy Spirit. It was in the energy of the people surrounding me, the vibrancy of the Californian groups songs whom we shared catechesis with, and the words of wisdom of the Bishops and Pope. On World Youth Day I felt I heard and saw God in my life very clearly. Teenagers these days can be swerved very easily by the temptations that the world has to offer, material goods, alcohol and drugs are abundant, yet the Pope spoke of material goods and the riches of this world to the young people and how God will fill you far more than the desire of wants. I realised that as many gadgets and clothes you can buy, your thirst is insatiable and we did not need these to have the awesome time we did on the trip. Praying did seem somehow fulfilling and satisfying and it feels as though you are confiding in someone who you trust who knows what you should do.

Through World Youth Day and the teachings of the catechesis, I found a lot more meaning to my prayers, I felt as though I was truly speaking to someone, but what’s more it felt as though my prayer was being listened to and possibly acted upon or getting a reply in my inbox. I hope – and pray – that I can continue to strengthen my relationship with God as I feel I have found myself closest to him thus far in the journey of my faith. World Youth Day was also an extremely fun time with friends and my awesome chaperone Mike Smith. We did have some hardships such as sleeping on floors for 12 days, and at times only 3 showers for 350 people and faced some very obvious consequences because of it, however these really made me value the quality of life I enjoy at home in comparison to those elsewhere in New Zealand and the World.

The group from St Mary’s were some of the greatest people I could go with and Pa Yvan and Fr Joe organised and brightened up the trip religiously and humorously. Thank you so much to them, the Aquinas teachers, parents and parishioners for your help getting us to Sydney as it was one of the best times of my life which allowed me to feel closer than ever to the church than I could at home.

Ben Cull Year 12