World Youth Day Down Under: Diocesan pilgrims attend WYD in Australia

By KARA KOCZUR, Globe staff reporter
July 24, 2008

They hadn't arrived in Sydney yet, but that didn't hinder the Diocese of Sioux City pilgrims from encountering the spirit of World Youth Day 2008.

"The young people are up dancing around and playing music and singing songs, and we haven't even officially started WYD yet," said Mark Thomason, diocesan director of catechesis, evangelization and RCIA, from the airport in Melbourne, Australia.

Groups from South Africa, Ireland and America were sharing their exuberance together while waiting for a flight to Sydney, said Thomason, who made the trek to Australia with six others from the diocese.

The group joined an estimated 223,000 pilgrims for WYD festivities from July 15-20 in Sydney. Their days included activities such as Mass, catechetical sessions, opportunities for confession and adoration, and cultural events.

While the Sioux City pilgrims are currently in New Zealand doing mission work, they were able to send back initial reports of their experiences from the first couple days of WYD via voice recordings.

"The city is just charged and alive and ready to experience this amazing event," Thomason said from the group's campsite the morning of July 15, the day WYD began.

That day the pilgrims headed to the opening Mass at Barangaroo, a site specifically built for WYD on Sydney's Darling Harbor. Barangaroo also hosted the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI, concerts and the Stations of the Cross. The Mass, reportedly attended by over 140,000 pilgrims, was celebrated by Sydney's own Cardinal George Pell.

At the Mass, pilgrims experienced an Aboriginal performance of art, dance and song, Thomason said, adding that the stadium was packed.

"The message by George Cardinal Pell in his homily was that we as young Christians should be open to the power of the spirit," said Jenny Mohlmann, 25, of St. Joseph Parish in Sioux City. "Our hearts should be open even though sometimes we may be fearful and if we take God's hand, he will do the rest."

Opening day also saw the pilgrims being welcomed in their own languages by the Australian Prime Minister, Kevin Rudd, Thomason said.

On the second day the pilgrims attended a catechesis session and Mass with Archbishop Charles Chaput of Denver. The archbishop spoke on the Holy Spirit following WYD's theme "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8).

"He emphasized that the Holy Spirit is always acting through us," Mohlmann said. "He spoke about the Holy Spirit also being represented through tongues of fire. Fire indicates energy and intensity and it's the holy fire of God to transform us."

Mohlmann said Archbishop Chaput also spoke about the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit saying that courage is the most important gift for young people because they "often need the courage to do the will of God in all things and to be faithful to God."

Maria Kasparbauer, 22, of Sacred Heart Church in Manilla, had the opportunity for the Sacrament of Reconciliation at the catechesis session. Following Mass with the archbishop, the group was off to lunch.

"We're having an amazing time," Kasparbauer said. "The weather has been absolutely beautiful."

The pilgrims weren't the only ones to notice the beautiful weather God was blessing them with.

"Our bus driver was saying that the week before it was cold and rainy and miserable, and that the day the pope arrived everything got cleared up," Thomason said.

Meals throughout the week mainly consisted of tuna sandwiches for lunch and stew for dinner. On July 17, Pope Benedict made his first formal appearance at WYD. The six-day event culminated on July 20 with a Mass celebrated by the pontiff at Randwick Racecourse.

"The overall atmosphere has been great joy, excitement, [people] singing in many languages from around the world and pilgrims standing on garbage cans to get a better view of the Holy Father!" Thomason said on July 17.

After finishing their mission work in New Zealand, the group is set to return to the diocese on July 28. But as of the first couple days of their pilgrimage, Kasparbauer wasn't ready to think of returning home.

"We're definitely not looking forward to coming home at this point," she said. "We're definitely enjoying our time."

(See the Aug. 7 issue for a recap of the group's entire pilgrimage.)