Joberlyn Doctor of communication arts and Jose Jimson Cunan of computer technology, both frosh students, were at World Youth Day (WYD) 2008 in Sydney, Australia. Considered the largest youth event in the world, WYD 2008 ran from July 15-20 with 223,000 pilgrims, 110,000 of which come from 170 countries.

Doctor and Cunan journeyed through the celebrations centering on the role of the youth as bearers of the good news. The event started off with an opening mass at Barangaroo celebrated by George Cardinal Pell who welcomed the pilgrims in four languages to what he calls “the Great Southland of the Holy Spirit.” The celebration back-dropped with the expanse of the calm Sydney Harbour culminated with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd saying “when young people travel in large numbers, it’s for war. But you have come here as pilgrims of peace.” Earlier in the day, a performance at the Sydney Opera House was held for visiting pilgrims. Also, the Vocations Expo at the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Center opened on this day involving 100 exhibitors from all over the world.

July 17 saw the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI at Barangaroo who wowed Sydney on board the cruiser Sydney 2000. This marked the start of the Pope’s official pilgrimage for WYD 2008. The pope also sent out a text message for all the pilgrims during the WYD opening mass while commencing his Papal Boat-a-cade to Barangaroo. Indeed a prayerful event, the Stations of the Cross held on July 18 at Domain made the pilgrims reflect on the nature of a work of art as a reflection and manifestation of what is most deeply of the human spirit. The Stations and the music were devised to combine traditional and modern elements. The high point of the event, on the weekend of July 19-20 at Randwick, Pope Benedict presided over a spectacular two-hour presentation of liturgy and music, setting the stage for the next day’s pinnacle—the World Youth Day 2008 Final Mass.

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