Notable post-WYD commentary and Stations slideshow

Via the Pope2008 blog:

A slideshow of highlights from the Sydney Stations of the Cross is up at the ncRegister.com, named "Amazing Grace" after one of the songs sung.

The Register has just put up another photo slideshow: This one is called "Memories" and gives you highlights from World Youth Day 2008. Find the slideshow here.

See also John Allen's wrap-up.

Report: "For secular Australia, World Youth Day was wake-up call"

World Youth Day, it should not be forgotten, serves not only the inner life of the Church, but also provides a stirring witness to the country in which it takes place:

In what is often seen as one of the most intensely secular nations in the world, Australia received a wake-up call: the faith of the church on public display over the weeklong celebrations of World Youth Day.

For young Catholics used to seeing a steady annual decline in figures such as Mass attendance -- now estimated at approximately 13 percent of Catholics nationally -- and feeling like the only young person in the local parish, the sight of an estimated 300,000 pilgrims from around the nation and overseas may well have provided a much-needed shot in the arm. (CNS)

Do any knowledgeable contributors wish to speak about the state of the Church in Spain...?

WYD 2008 Concludes

And it went well:

• CNA: Final Mass was largest gathering of people in Australia’s history (~350,000)
• CNA: Next World Youth Day will be in Madrid (in 2011), Pope announces
• NLM: Coverage (with photos) of the Final Papal Mass at World Youth Day

There is already a facebook group lobbying for Houston, TX as the WYD host in 2014.

Photo: Large WYD Monstrance

But not very beautiful...

Full-size here, courtesy of Pope2008.

Ph/t: Faith&Family.

Megapost: WYD 2008 in Sydney, Australia

Coverage of major papal events/Catholic gatherings poses several challenges, to be sure.

On the one hand, there is a proliferation of media: live video feeds, on-the-ground blogging, local coverage, international coverage, etc.

On the other hand, there are the crucially important addresses and speeches of the Holy Father, which merit special attention.

Add into that mix the reaction among the faithful and the witness provided to the local population and, well, you begin to see the picture.

That said, I'm going to try my very best. Watch this post to be updated with the pope's speeches, notable links, and - most importantely - continually updated resources pages so you can pursue the stories and information that interest you most.

Finally, because megacoverage requires a special amount of time and attention (above and beyond the regular posting that will continue), a little jingle in the paypal tip jar is always especially appreciated.

The important bookmarks:

• Pope2008 - on the ground, regular-updated coverage with an EWTN live feed
• The official WYD 2008 website - includes a special video section
• The Vatican website's WYD section - includes texts of the Holy Father
• EWTN's excellent video and audio coverage, also see Salt & Light + H2o News
• CNS has a dedicated blog, local ABC news has a page, and so does CNA!

Okay, that should keep folks busy for a start. If anthing notable happens - you'll see it here.

Photo Slide Show: Pope Arrives in Sydney

Fr. Z spent a lonely vigil in front of his computer screen grabbing photo stills from the CTV feed of Pope Benedict's grand entrance into Sydney harbor. Validate his valient efforts by clicking here! It's worth it.

Pictures: Pope Benedict with Serpent, Koala, Parrot & Roo!

Of course, you have to start with a Kangaroo:

And Koalas are kute:

This would freak me out too:

Whew, much better:


Fr. Z has a bit of video of the pope's meeting with animals and CNA describes it.

Ph/t: UK Evening Standard.

Update: WYD condom-throwers could face jail

I somewhat indecorously described this sort of thing earlier as something that "ticks me off."

Looks like the aussies don't have much patience with this sort of thing either:

Protesters planning to hand out condoms to Catholic pilgrims during Pope Benedict XVI's visit to Australia this month face arrest under special new police powers, critics said on Tuesday.

Police and emergency service volunteers will be able to stop conduct that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants" in World Youth Day events expected to draw hundreds of thousands of young people to Sydney. (AFP)

Update 2: More details from the Associated Press:

New regulations give police and emergency services workers the power to order anyone to stop behavior that "causes annoyance or inconvenience to participants in a World Youth Day event," according to a New South Wales state government gazette. Anyone who does not comply faces a $5,300 fine.

Places Pope Benedict Won't Visit: Orange, Australia

But hey, the Central West Business Chamber in Orange, Australia, decided to give it a shot:

The Central West Business Chamber has sent a letter to Sydney’s Catholic Archbishop Cardinal George Pell asking him to pass on Orange’s invitation to the pope, reminding him that Orange has one of the largest Catholic populations in NSW.

“He’d be amongst friends,” said Central West Business Chamber of Commerce president Ellie Brown.

“Staying in Orange would give the pope the opportunity to see Australia away from the big cities and allow him to experience our rich natural and indigenous heritage.”
“We would hope that he would consider coming but we understand if his schedule and security team wouldn’t allow it.”

Sorry, but you probably needed to give him a little more notice. The local priest agrees:

Orange priest Father Tony Hennessy said it was very kind of the Orange community to invite the pope although he believes the chances of him taking up the offer were “0000”.

The local reporting paper had some fun with the story, including a photoshopped image with it:

The caption they included: "The pope’s proposed visit to Orange could include a trip to Towac Park. Graphic Jude Keogh."

.... yeah, that's about right. :-)

Fallacious reporting: World Youth Day to drive upswing in Sydney sex industry

Good heavens. This takes the cake for stupid reporting:

NEWS.com.au says a report by Industry analysts IBISWorld predicted the 2008-09 financial year would see strong growth for brothels, strip clubs and prostitutes stemming from the Catholic Church's World Youth Day, primarily on the back of a marked increase in tourism levels to Sydney.

IBIS World senior industry analyst Ed Butler said the report did not suggest the 225,000 international pilgrims or clergy would be heading to brothels or strip clubs.
But the event, to be held from July 15 to 20, would also draw people from outside the church including tourists, support staff and media and some of them would use the sex industry's services.

"Any major event will drive tourism, which is closely related to the sex industry and World Youth Day will also bring out a certain number of non-religious people," he said.

The article at least has some sense that any connection between the two subjects is incidental:

"Growth would be estimated to be greater, but the religious nature of the event is likely to have a dampening effect on growth rates, as many of the visitors may have moral anxieties relating to this particular industry's services."

Ramada Khawley, function manager for strip clubs such as Men's Gallery and Pure Platinum, said she was not expecting an upswing in trading.

"We're not making any special preparations for World Youth Day," she said.
"But we'll keep a table reserved for the Pope."

Brothel madams spoken to by NEWS.com.au also expressed doubts that World Youth Day would be of benefit to their trade.

And it seems this is something they agree with World Youth Day organisers on.
"I'd be surprised if the sex industry gets a boost from a religious event," a World Youth Day spokesman told NEWS.com.au.

I'm guessing instead that people with "moral anxieties" about prostitution might discover a reason during the pope's visit to transform those anxieties into certainties about the immorality the practice.

Wait, let me rephrase that in a language that the reporters can understand: "World Youth Day may yield a significant increase in the certainty of individuals between the ages of 18-35 that brothels are 0% worthy of their patronage."

Much better.

Picture: A Text Message from Pope Benedict

This sure beats the "LOL" or "TTYS" texts I'm used to receiving on my phone....

Okay, so actually this is a CNS concept photo, but you get the idea.

Also cool? The surfer cross. Yeah.

Ph/t: Pope2008.

Video: Cardinal Pell talks WYD and Text Messaging from the Pope

Ph/t: Pope2008 (which has more details):


Cool stuff, plenty to catch up on!

Pope Benedict plans Australian holiday prior to WYD

Sharp-eyed readers noted on this post that Pope Benedict will actually be in Australia a few days before he is scheduled to publicly appear at the 2008 World Youth Day activities in Sydney.

Now we know why - looks like he wants to make sure he's rested and ready for the youth:

Pope Benedict XVI will holiday at a secret location in Australia before World Youth Day in Sydney in July, event organisers said Friday.

Sydney Archbishop George Pell said the pope would arrive in Australia on July 13 and leave on July 21, taking three days vacation before attending World Youth Day.
Event organisers said the 81-year-old pontiff "has decided to spend several days preparing for his encounter with young people" following the lengthy flight to Australia from Rome.

"The trip to Australia will be the longest journey the Holy Father has ever undertaken," World Youth Day coordinator Anthony Fisher said, adding organisers had selected a holiday destination for the Pope that was "beautiful and suitable for the leader of the world's Catholics."

"He will have the opportunity to see some of Australia's beautiful flora and fauna," Fisher said.

"We cannot, of course, disclose the location; he is a head of state seeking private time and has asked that that privacy be respected." (AFP)

Lucky guy. Flora and fauna - what's not to love about that?!

(... and I hope someone manages to sneak a picture of Papa Benny in a hammock).

The Pope knows how to make an entrance

What better to greet him than a flotilla?

Pope Benedict XVI will arrive at World Youth Day 2008 in Australia aboard the “Sydney 2000”, the largest cruiser in the region, which will be met by seventeen other ships in the Sydney Bay as the Pope arrives for the massive youth event. [More.]

Update: Well excuse me. The Pope is arriving aboard Australia's biggest warship. Cool.

Cardinal Pell's apt - and memorable - "Donald Duck heresy"

Update: David @ C-N-S has a good break-down of the Cardinal's argument in short hand.

Cardinal Pell has been too-long absent from AmP coverage. Reading about his constant witness and energetic teaching to build up a culture of life around the world is always a strong gust of fresh air:

In his recent book “God and Caesar,” the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, said a “common heresy of our times” is believing that Catholics can accept and practice contraception, using the “primacy of conscience” as a justification.

Taking a metaphor from Oxford professor Felipe Fernandez-Armesto, the cardinal called this belief that has spread among Catholics the “Donald Duck heresy,” referring to the Disney character who "knows it all", and "has an unshakeable conviction of self-righteousness." The self-indulgent duck, explains Pell is well-meaning but "his activity is often disastrous for himself and others."

The same thing happens with Catholics who practice and promote a disordered vision of human sexuality through contraception, abortion and the destruction of embryos.

With claims to "primacy of conscience," he said, “they falsely believe themselves in the right, while they thus distort the image of God which the Creator intended to convey in the fruitful sexual union of husband and wife.”

"Too many 'Donald Ducks' produce a 'feel good' society, which works to remove personal guilt, anything that would make people feel uncomfortable, and complacent self-satisfaction becomes a virtue," writes Pell. "Confession of sins is replaced with therapy, and self-reproach with self-discovery."

Cardinal Pell noted that the false conception of the “primacy of conscience” was the object of John Paul II’s 1993 encyclical Veritatis Splendor.

"Only truth, or the Word of God has primacy, and is the ultimate rule of action.” The individual conscience is necessary, but sometimes insufficient. “Even a genuine searcher for truth can be mistaken, sometimes with disastrous consequences," he added.

The book is a compilation of essays the Cardinal has penned over the years. In one essay which was delivered as a talk to the Linicare Conference in the UK in 2000, under the title "The Role of the Bishop in Promoting the Gospel of Life", the Cardinal warns that the Catholic Church would not grow unless the full teaching of the Church on life issues was promoted. "Tactical silence", as practiced by many bishops, would in fact stifle growth, he suggested. [CNA]

Needless to say, I expect him to shine at World Youth Day in Sydney next year.

CFRP: Benedict XVI & Ron Paul

Over at Catholics for Ron Paul, the newly-joined contributor Casey Khan of AnarchoCatholic offers a very thought-provoking essay charting the similarities between Pope Benedict and U.S. presidential candidate Ron Paul. I think he makes some very compelling arguments and connections.

Here are some other highlights from the past week over at CFRP:

• Video: Mitt Romney's pro-abortion past
• Rosary for Ron Paul's campaign begins today
• CFRP asks the question, Is Non-Interventionism the same as Isolationism?
• My post: Ron Paul astounds with $5 million raised in 3rd quarter
• CFRP discusses Ron Paul's opposition to the Death Penalty

A final word in the WYD racetrack dispute?

Let's hope so!

Despite protests from racing officials, the government in the Australian state of New South Wales will not change plans to host World Youth Day (WYD) activities at the Randwick racetrack.

Premier Morris Iemma of New South Wales told an Australian broadcast audience that the state-owned racetrack is "the most appropriate venue for a whole range of reasons." WYD organizers have consistently said that Randwick is the only facility in the region that can accommodate the crowd of 500,000 or more that is expected for the event, which will culminate with Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.

...Premier Iemma said that his government is committed to finding a solution that will minimize the difficulties for the Randwick trainers, while allowing WYD to proceed on schedule. [CWNews]

CNA reports here.

Muslim leaders want to get involved in WYD '08

CWNews:

Islamic leaders in Australia may encourage participation in the 2008 World Youth Day celebration, in exchange for a promise from Catholic leaders that there will be no effort to convert young people of other faiths, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

CNA reports:

Sydney’s Muslim leaders have offered to open their mosques and school halls to Catholic pilgrims for World Youth Day 2008. The announcement was made after WYD organizers met with more than a dozen Islamic religious and community leaders on Monday for a briefing about the international Catholic youth event.

WYD Coordinator Bishop Anthony Fisher said the briefing was also a chance to consider ways that the Islamic community might collaborate by offering hospitality, hosting interfaith activities, or volunteering at WYD. The Church has committed that it will not try to convert members of other religious denominations volunteering at WYD, reported The Sydney Morning Herald.

Certainly a good opportunity, under the proper circumstances.

Meanwhile, in other Catholic youth news, Pope Benedict "encourages young people to have nostalgia for the eternal":

In a message to the participants of the International Pilgrimage of Youth, which has arrived in the Marian shrine of Mariazell in Austria, Pope Benedict XVI told the young people that “despite ‘material satisfaction,’ nostalgia for the eternal is very present and that the Church in Europe is alive.”

The Pope invited participants to seek an encounter “with Jesus Christ, in prayer, in the Sacred Liturgy, which you celebrate in visible communion with the Church, as well as at different times during your encounter, so that your friendship with Him can grow.”

“When so many young people come to Mariazell to encounter Christ there in the sacraments, one cannot help but see in that a sign that despite ‘material satisfaction,’ nostalgia for the eternal is very present and the Church in Europe is alive,” the pontiff said in his message which was read by Cardinal Cristoph Schonborn of Vienna.

Pope Benedict's message to the participants of WYD '08

Full text available on the WYD '08 website here.

Catholic News Highlights, Monday July 23rd

Catholic News Highlights....

Catholic News Agency:

• Pope Benedict calls for a new Pentecost as World Youth Day approaches: "...Pope Benedict has issued his message to the youth preparing for World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, Australia. In his discussion of the theme for the gathering, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be my witnesses,” the Holy Father called for a new Pentecost." Related: His Holiness addresses the youth of the world to prepare for WYD08 - Official website. Also related: Anthony Fisher, chairmain of the WYD organizing commitee, speaks with Vatican Radio here.
• German Jesuit at Vatican Radio “dreams” of women cardinals: "...the director of the German language programming for Vatican Radio, Jesuit Father Eberhard von Gemminger, said he hopes future popes will be elected by a College of Cardinals in which “at least half” of the members are women." (wa-hey?!)
• Christian filmmakers to discuss replacement industry for Hollywood: "... The academy, a project of Vision Forum Ministries, is designed to give Christian filmmakers the nuts-and-bolts skills to succeed in creating films for the glory of God."
• Bishops seek meetings with Republicans and Democrats on Iraq War: "The U.S. bishops have asked to meet with Republican members of the House of Representatives to discuss a responsible transition to end the war in Iraq."

CWNews:

• End all wars, Pope pleads: "...the Holy Father said that the peaceful surroundings of the Alpine region made him feel "even more intensely" the impact of the news that he received on "the bloody confrontations and episodes of violence happening in many parts of the world."
• Cardinal Zen meets with Pope on Chinese reaction: "...Church spokesmen confirmed that although the Pope has held few private audiences during his vacation, he did talk with Cardinal Zen about the Chinese reaction to his message."
• Vatican expert pleased with Turkish election results: "... the strong showing by ... [the]Justice and Development Party (AKP) represented the best chance for a stable secular government in the country."

Individual registrations for WYD 2008 open today

From the WYD '08 website:

From today, individuals from Australia and around the world can register to attend World Youth Day 2008 (WYD08) in Sydney.

Individual registrations open exactly one year before Pope Benedict XVI celebrates the Final Mass for an expected 500,000 people at Randwick Racecourse.

WYD08 organisers have already received indications of attendance from groups representing 137,000 people. Individuals are now able to register and purchase accommodation and meal packages for the six-day event from 15 - 20 July 2008.

[a list of events]

"These events will open to the public, but registered pilgrims will have priority seating wherever places are limited," WYD08 Chief Operating Officer Danny Casey said.

"So those who want to get the best view possible should complete their registrations early."

Registrations can be made through this website www.wyd2008.org

Update: more on the WYD/Randwick racetrack dispute

In follow-up to this post, more details today from the Australian Southern Courier:

The NSW Government told Randwick horse trainers that it would use legislation compelling Randwick Racecourse to be used as the venue for next year's Papal Mass if trainers did not comply with the decision.

Anthony Cummings, president of the Randwick Trainers Association, told the Courier he had been seeking legal avenues to pressure the Government into hosting the mammoth event elsewhere in Sydney.

But after a meeting with Labor MLC John Della Bosca last week, he said he was resigned to the fact that the event would go ahead at Randwick.

While one could look at this situation negatively (i.e., local business is being negatively impacted by the encroachment of WYD) I think there are also two positives:

First, it demonstrates that the Australian government is deeply committed to hosting WYD. This is, from the perspective of the government, just good economic sense, as a WYD brings in a great deal of tourism and related commerce. It also betokens a hopsitable environment to high-profile events of a religious nature.

Second, the WYD representatives are very committed to ensuring that the effected individuals and businesses receive just compensation (quoting from the same article):

World Youth Day officials said they had already adjusted their planning to minimise disruptions for the trainers.

"His Eminence has always wanted us to ensure that we minimise the disruption to the racing community," World Youth Day communications director Jim Hanna said.

"We have been in discussions to assist with relocating those affected for the 10-week period."

A spokesperson for Deputy Premier John Watkins said negotiations about compensation for racecourse users were "ongoing".

Mr Cummings said the State Government had seemed "quite genuine" with regard to compensation talks.

And I think under these circumstances that's the best you can hope for. Moving on!

Racetrack hurdle overcome on path to WYD Sydney '08

Earlier this week it was reported in Australian papers that the reservation of Randwick Racecourse for a Papal Mass during World Youth Day next year (with an estimated attendance of up to 600k people) was being legally contested by a training association that normally uses the racecourse. The racetrack had been previously used by John Paul II for a Mass of beatification in 1995.

Today, CNS is reporting that the dispute has been resolved and plans for using the racecourse are again proceeding as scheduled:

Disgruntled horse trainers withdrew a legal threat against the 2008 World Youth Day vigil and papal Mass at Royal Randwick Racecourse and agreed to work with the New South Wales government on a compensation package.

In principle, the trainers now have no objection to the events being at the racecourse, local media reported.

ABC Australia paints a slightly different picture, but agrees that the outcome of the dispute should be favorable to the WYD organizers:

The Australian Jockey Club is reportedly refusing to sign the agreement allowing the mass to be held there.

World Youth Day chief operating officer Danny Casey says he understands some trainers are upset that there will be closures at the race track for 10 weeks.

...

The Australian Jockey Club says it has no plans to stop the mass, despite refusing to sign off on the deal yesterday.

"It has to be resolved and I can assure you that neither the government nor the Catholic Church are going to be wanting to be seen to be putting people out of business," he said.

He [Danny Casey] says he is confident the parties will come to a deal.

So, as matters stand now, the racecourse will be used for the vigil and final Mass of WYD '08.

As for the location of the opening Mass, that is evidently still under wraps because the WYD planning community is "cautious of making any announcement" before things have been finalized, which is understandable considering the awkward situation which arose during the negotiations for the Randwick racecourse.

In other WYD news, "a defiant" Australian PM John Howard ruled out cancelling WYD and a meeting of APEC even though both events will be "security nightmares." Howard's statement was made in response to the recent series of failed terrorist bombings in London and some requests to reconsider hosting such high-profile events.

On the brighter side, WYD organizer Bp. Anthony Fisher is asking "Sydneysiders" to open up their homes and host up to 50,000 WYD pilgrims. The WYD website has more information. As a personal note, when I went to WYD '05 in Germany I was accomodated by two very generous host families during my pilgrimage and it was a wonderful experience of the local culture. If you are planning on attending WYD and have an opportunity to stay with a host family (instead of, for instance, being housed at a local Catholic school gym, etc.) - I say jump on it!

Your PPOTD! Thursday, July 5th

Pope Benedict, with a beatbox near his feet, practices some new moves

for his 2008 World Youth Day appearance in Sydney, Australia.

[photo: AP Photo/Plinio Lepri]

Guy Sebastian and World Youth Day '08

My last post on the topic of WYD drew a whopping 161 comments, the great majority of those dedicated to the controversy surrounding Guy Sebastian, the composer of the WYD theme song, and his pro-homosexual comments in various interviews. The debate has, of course, not just been limited to this blog, with numerous heated combox discussions taking place and many requests to have Sebastian removed from his current position submitted to the WYD organizers.

This is a complex issue, to be sure. And while Amy has some good thoughts on the question, a few things should be kept in mind: First: Sebastian himself isn't Catholic. ("I am not Catholic as such, but I guess the fundamentals -- Christ-based faith -- are in place." - source.) Second: it is almost positive that the WYD organizers have decided to keep him. He's still on all the schedules.

That said, the controversy isn't over. From my observations it is very evident that Sebastian has a very large and supportive fan base (mostly among Christians in Australia). Equally obvious is that some people are extremely offended (not surprisingly, mostly ultra-traditionalist Catholics) by his nomination, with Catholic Family News probably taking the cake, calling on people to boycott the event because of his presence (although, honestly, they seem to dislike WYD for many other reasons besides Sebastian's presence).

As for the song itself, I'm not very impressed. Especially when Sebastian himself says that it "was written in three minutes!" Yeah, I can believe that. Watch it for yourself:

It can also be listened to in higher quality here.

The WYD '08 coordinator, Bishop Fisher, has been very exuberant and complimentary about the song, saying it "hit the mark on every level", etc. The Salt & Light blog posts a theological reflection written by Bishop Fisher on the song's meaning here (and also includes the song's lyrics). While I respect his position and the need for him to be positive about the way things are going, some sort of acknowledgement of the concerns that have been voiced wouldn't be too much to ask.

I have to say it's rather interesting that no one - not Sebastian nor the WYD coordinators - have said anything publicly about this controversy. At least, nothing that I've been able to find. While it might be "too late" to pull him, I do think a carefully-worded clarification statement from one of the coordinators (probably Bp. Fisher) might be helpful.

As for Sebastian, I think this article is perhaps rather revealing into his character. It relates that he has undergone harassment that included homosexual slur words many times, even as he is a heterosexual and Australia's "most high-profile abstainer from sex," since he claims he'll remain a virgin until marriage. I think that Sebastian, as a non-Catholic who hasn't benefitted from Catholic catechesis but who is nonetheless trying to provide a good message on other issues, shouldn't be faulted too much for his statements. Indeed, I hope this debate can be framed charitably enough to where he is invited to re-evaluated his opinions (not, of course, about loving people of a homosexual orientation, but instead about how they should live their lives chastely, etc.).

As for the people who chose Sebastian as the composer of the WYD theme song, I think more care should have been put into it. First, information is very easy to come by on the Internet and they could have guessed that folks would track down what Sebastian had said in the past. While it might be too late to gracefully choose a new song or artist, it's not too late to officially clarify the reasons why Sebastian was hired (his musical talent and star status) and - most importantly - to seriously reconsider the criterion for musical performers in the future, as this sort of embarrassment has happened to WYD organizers before (most recently with one of the minor bands performing at WYD '05 - I'll try to track down a source), where the stars' personal comments are at-odds with the organizers, participants and very meaning of the event.

In a winder context, things are still humming along for WYD '08. For instance, advance-registration numbers are continuing to look good, with the announcement being made today on the official website that "Almost 2000 groups representing more than 120,000 people have registered to attend." This is ahead of expectations.

I don't intend this to be a final or exaustive post on this question, merely an update on where the matter stands at present, with a couple suggestions and my tentative opinion. I'll probably revisit this topic in a few more days or when more pertinent information surfaces. In the meantime, please keep the comments civil.

World Youth Day 2008: 425 days and counting!

Hey, it'll be here before you know it!

This is an overdue post on the topic of World Youth Day 2008, which will be held July 15th-20th in Sydney, Australia.

First, some recent updates. CathNews reports that they've chosen an official theme song for the event: "Receive the Power" by former Australian Idol star Guy Sebastian. According to the WYD coordinator, Bishop Anthony Fisher, it "hits the mark on every level." [CNA has more.]

The song plays into the theme of this WYD, "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8).

While logistics planning for such a large gathering of youth is crucial, the apostolic nuncio to Australia recently told the Australian bishops' conference during its plenary meeting in Sydney that the real challenge is not organization, "but rather in integrating the event into the life of the Church." In this Zenit article, he begins to touch upon the wonderful creative and inspirational potential a well-executed WYD can have for its host country. I'll be praying that the fruits of WYD are especially made present to the Church in Australia.

Registrations for this year's WYD are already humming along, to the tune of 80,000. Twenty-seven thousand of those are from the U.S.

Now some good web links/resources:

• The Official WYD website.
• Wikipedia's WYD 2008 page
• The Vatican's WYD '08 page, with a very good information sheet.
• The USCCB page offers a PowerPoint Presentation here.
• Here is the text of Pope Benedict's message to youth from this year.
• At the bottom of this page are many archived stories related to WYD 2008.

I had the privilege of attending World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany, and am currently trying to find a good way to attend this one in Sydney next summer (any hot tips would be appreciated, of course!). One of my little brothers is mowing lawns this summer to raise funds for his trip.

I'll be adding this post to the sidebar soon and continuing to keep my eyes peeled for important WYD-related stories and opportunities. Please feel free to send in your own information as well!

I had intended to feature this "WYD SYD 2008 - 'Dare You To Move' Promo Video" to finish the post, only to discover upon viewing it that I'm actually in one of the short clips! Rock on, says I.

Kudos to the first person to find the (brief) footage of me...