SYD WYD 2008: In the Eyes of the Pilgrims (Irene)

Hi Nanette,

Thanks so much for sharing your SYD WYD 2008 experience. I am so envious with you and Irene and all our brethren and sisters who were and are fortunate to experience this WYD 08 (even if are no longer "Youthful", but I am sure very youthful inside!).

Irene and workmates were at the crowd of well wishers at the parade yesterday as well. Funny, they were testing their mobile phone cameras so they can take a photo of the Pope and the Pope mobile as it passes. She said all you can see are the myriad hands with cameras and what not. When the Pope mobile whizzed thru, no one in their contingent managed to get a picture. It was that fast! I think I got a better view on the news on TV. I guess being there; the experience would be totally different....

Mar

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The Three Sisters with the Pope

Auntie Chit messaged (SMS) my wife if she wants to come to the Sunday mass of the SYD WYD 2008 at Randwick. She said she could get extra tickets as she was a "homestay" host. At first she was lukewarm to the idea, as they were not on speaking terms. I told my wife that this might be the her way of making up with her. She relented and called her back. They spoke of Auntie Chit's recent travel to the Philippines and she said it would be good for them to go to this mass. Especially since the Pope would be celebrating.

So last Sunday, together with their other sister, they met up at Central and trekked by foot to Randwick to join the more that 400,000 pilgrims. Although the walk was pleasant enough, it took them more than an hour to get there. From what my wife tells me, it seems that the whole "ordeal" was an experience she could not forget.

According to her, there was this eerie spirituality with the whole experience. A pilgrimage of sorts with her two other sisters, as if they were being egged on by their late mother: to forget past differences and hear the Pope's message in this historical ode to young Catholics. I am sure the more than 12 hours makes up for the past conflict they had. Her mother, I am so sure; is only too glad to see her three daughters on this pilgrimage!

Journey of Faith: SYD-WYD 2008

In less than a fortnight, Sydney will be transformed by the hundreds of thousands of young pilgrims participating in discovering and rediscovering their Christian faith in Sydney's World Youth Day 2008. The SYD WYD 2008 (click for my previous blog!) will be held from 15 to 20 July at the Randwick race horse tracks and other various Sydney venues.

My friend, Nanette and Bob just picked up a distant niece from the airport the other day. One of the many thousands of young men and women on the pilgrimage. Her name is Ina, from San Francisco, California. Together with another fifteen youngsters, they flew to Adelaide (what a fitting place, the "city of churches") this morning spending time on outback Australia: "... experiencing God in the outback as she (Ina) puts it."

According to Nanette, "She (Ina) has a bubbly personality and gets along well with Nicole and Mikey. Last night, they spent hours just talking.. in Mikey's room... and practicing her Australian accent on them. Nicole told her she needs more practice. She cracks up at all of Nicole's jokes."

Ina's mom emailed her the following, with the title: "Trust in the Lord Jesus"

"Tomorrow you will be joining a pilgrim. It's a journey together with some of the students where you will travel OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE. You will walk for miles and miles to reach your destination in search of God's LOVE and MERCY. You will experience a once in a lifetime journey in search of the TRUTH. The truth that there is GOD. Whatever hardships you encounter along the way, trust that GOD is with you and has always been ever since you were born. He will be with you along the way. Trust in the Lord Jesus.

Love,

Mom"

(Photo credit, MJB - taken at Glebe's St James Catholic Church, love Sydney's sandstones in most heritage buildings and churches.)