World Youth Day 2008
Encyclopedia
The 23rd World Youth Day 2008 was a Catholic youth festival that started on 15 July and continued until 20 July 2008 in Sydney, Australia. It was the first World Youth Day
held in Australia and the first World Youth Day in Oceania
. This meeting was decided by Pope Benedict XVI
, during the Cologne World Youth Day of 2005
. The theme was "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (from Acts
1:8).
About 500,000 young people from 200 countries attended during the week, and more than 1,000,000 came for the weekend. They were joined by about 600 bishop
s and cardinals
, as well as by 6,600 reporters.
of the Virgin Mary
arrived in Sydney to travel around the country. The relay-style event, known as the Journey of the Cross and Icon (or JCI for short) saw the cross and icon go on a pilgrimage around the diocese
s of Australia, engaging with a variety of Catholic parishes and communities.
The WYD Cross was entrusted to the youth of the world by Pope John Paul II
in 1984 as a sign of peace and hope. The Pope told the young people of the world to take it around the world as "a symbol of Christ's love for humanity". In 2004, Pope John Paul II commissioned the large icon of the Virgin Mary to accompany the Cross's pilgrimage. It is a symbol intended to represent Mary's maternal love for young people. From the announcement of the host World Youth Day, the Cross and Icon travel ceremonially around the world similar to the Olympic torch relay.
In the week preceding the main event, many young Catholic pilgrims spent time in different parts of Australia and New Zealand , staying with a local parish as part of the Days in the Dioceses. After their stay, they travelled to Sydney for the Opening Mass
of the week-long main event.
The Pope arrived at Sydney on 13 July at Richmond Air Force Base in North Western Sydney on a special Alitalia
flight. Until 17 July he stayed in the Opus Dei
centre, called Kenthurst Study Centre, 30 km from Sydney.
On 15 July, World Youth Day 2008 began with the Opening Mass, celebrated by George Cardinal Pell
, the Archbishop of Sydney, at Barangaroo
. This was followed by a concert.
Each morning from 15 to 17 July, Catechists
was held in approximately 300 locations. Pilgrims received teachings from a Bishop and also celebrated Mass. In the afternoons, pilgrims journeyed into the city and attend the Youth Festival consisting of a series of art exhibitions, concerts, seminars, and conferences.
On 17 July 2008, 500,000 attendees from around the world were present at Barangaroo to welcome Pope Benedict XVI on a day dubbed Super Thursday by the press. The Pope actually arrived on 14 July, but only appeared in public for the first time on the 17th. The event involved the Pope travelling around Port Jackson
in a "boatacade" where pilgrims lined the shores to see him. However, there were many disappointed spectators in places like The Botanic Gardens and Circular Quay who did not actually see the Pope because of where he was sitting on the boat. The Sydney Children's Choir and Gondwana Voices performed at the event. The Pope then spoke extensively to the pilgrims and greeted them in five foreign languages. In order to let the pilgrims see him better the pope was driven around Barangaroo through the crowds in his Popemobile.
On 18 July, there was a live re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross
at major city landmarks with an estimated number of 270,000 participants. Around 500 Million people around the world followed the stations on television.
On 19 July, around 235,000 pilgrims embarked on a 10-kilometre pilgrimage walk, beginning at the Mary MacKillop Chapel
in North Sydney, over the Sydney Harbour Bridge
and across the city to attend an overnight Vigil before the Mass at Randwick Racecourse
.
Approximately 250,000 pilgrims slept overnight at Randwick, and about 300,000 to 400,000 participants attended the Final Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 20 July.
Pope Benedict continued a tradition of Australian Papal Masses at Randwick Racecourse, following in the footsteps of John Paul II and Paul VI. At the conclusion of the final mass the Pope announced that the 2011 World Youth Day would be held in Madrid
, Spain.
It also saw the launch of a new registration social networking site called xt3.com, with the aim to connect young Catholics before, during and after World Youth Day 2008.
On 8 September, a final message was sent via SMS
to WYD2008 Pilgrims registered on Xt3.com, marking 50 days after the closing Mass:
s, Weet-Bix
Crunch, Vegemite
, lamingtons and good old baked beans
" Mr Morris said. Organisers also held a "Big Aussie BBQ", which saw 200 barbecues lit up simultaneously across Sydney.
Any remaining merchandise will be given to Catholic charities and surplus clothing will be sent overseas to developing nations.
World Youth Day organizers revised the expected number of attendees downwards during the lead-up to the event. In October 2007, the Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, George Pell, claimed that "over half a million" people would attend the final mass at Randwick. The World Youth Day site later claimed likely attendance of "up to" half a million. Similarly, the projected number of overseas attendees was 150,000 people in 2006. This was later altered to a projection of "over 125,000" people from overseas.
65,000 visas were granted as of 12 days before the start of the event.
Around 500,000 welcomed the pope to Sydney and 270,000 watched the Stations of the Cross
. More than 300,000 pilgrims camped out overnight in preparation for the Final Mass. The final attendance reported by Reuters
was up to 300,000, however World Youth Day's Chief Operating Officer Danny Casey and other media reported over 400,000 attendees.
is an original song written by Guy Sebastian
and Gary Pinto, and chosen in May 2007 as the official anthem for the Roman Catholic Church's XXIII World Youth Day (WYD08).
Receive the Power was played extensively throughout the 6 days of World Youth Day in July 2008, and also in the television coverage which went around the world. Guy Sebastian
performed at the concert after the Opening Mass which officially welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to Australia. Sebastian and Paulini
also performed both the English and International versions at the Final Mass at Randwick Race Course on 20 July
An estimated 400,000 people attended the Mass.
Sebastian and Paulini were invited to perform Receive The Power at the Pope's Farewell and thank you to volunteers on 21 July.
) which results from sin.
There are two types of indulgences available
However the Sydney Chamber of Commerce estimated that World Youth Day would generate $230 million of economic activity and the NSW State Government had claimed that World Youth Day would have a direct economic benefit over $150 million. In addition to direct benefits the State Government had stated that the coverage of World Youth Day overseas was worth at least $1 billion. These gains would offset and exceed the government's expenditure on World Youth Day.
The use of the Randwick Racecourse
for the event had been criticised and legally challenged by the racing industry in Sydney. Industry representatives argued that alternative sites, such as the Sydney Olympic Park
at Homebush Bay, were more suitable venues for World Youth Day. However, the NSW and Federal governments and the event organisers insisted that Randwick Racecourse was the only location suitable for an event of such scale.
The World Youth Day committee initially offered to pay an agreed settlement to the racing industry. However, after some complaints, the federal and the New South Wales state government stepped in and jointly pledged $42 million in compensation to the racing industry — more than triple the previously agreed upon amount. In exchange, the industry relocated its operations to the Warwick Farm
and Rosehill Gardens
racecourses, with infrastructure at these sites and at Randwick to be upgraded as part of the compensation package. In addition, the Australian Jockey Club
's lease at Randwick will be extended by 50 years.
Despite some earlier concerns the final mass left the turf in good condition. The Randwick Project Steering Committee chief Hugh Martin stated that he was "very pleased with the state of the track" and an Australian Jockey Club spokesman noted that the "track seems to have held up well."
passed the World Youth Day Act 2006 especially for the event. The regulations made under this act however had been the source of some controversy, mainly in the operation of various provisions of the World Youth Day Regulation 2008 within hundreds of so-called declared areas across Sydney. These areas included over 40 city locations, including popular tourist spots the Sydney Opera House
and the Sydney Harbour Bridge
, as well as at numerous public transport stations and schools.
The most significant and contentious amendments to the regulations were announced by the Deputy Premier John Watkins
on 25 June 2008 and came into effect on 1 July 2008. People entering or exiting declared areas would had been subject to being searched, including vehicles or baggage, if so requested. According to The Australian
, this may have included either general clothing inspections, partial strip searches, or even arrest. The regulations would have been enforced by police, with the Rural Fire Service and the State Emergency Service having enforcement power over some provisions. The authorisation of Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service had been especially controversial, as such granted enforcement powers normally available only to police. The new powers have caused concern to those organisations, who did not consider enforcement to be their role.
Of the most contentious of the regulations, a maximum fine of A$5,500 was able to be imposed for causing 'annoyance or inconvenience' to WYD participants. This was challenged in the Federal Court of Australia
on the grounds of violating the implied constitutional freedom of political communication and/or exceeding the regulation making power of the World Youth Day Act 2006 (NSW). The Full Court agreed with the latter argument, declaring Clause 7(1)(b) regarding the specific prohibition of causing "annoyance to participants in a World Youth Day event" invalid.
, abortion
, and contraception
. Additionally groups representing some victims of sexual abuse protested prior to WYD. On Saturday, the day of the pilgrimage walk approximately 100 protesters positioned themselves on a street corner to chant slogans and wave banners at the over 200,000 pilgrims walking to Randwick. A strong police presence controlled the protesters.
Protest organisers had planned to use T-Shirts with anti-Catholic slogans such as "Religion harms us by privileging faith over reason.", "Badly needed community services were robbed to pay the Pope". and "107 Catholic clergy convicted".
There were very few physical confrontations between the pilgrims and protestors, where it was initiated by the protestors throwing condoms at the pilgrims. Police arrested one Australian pilgrim for attacking a protestor. Additionally a Sydney small business owner alleges that he received an anonymous threat against him and his family for producing "annoying" T-Shirts.
Anthony and Christine Foster spoke out on the Bishop's comments, labelling them "very insensitive". Their daughters Emma and Katherine were raped by priest Kevin O'Donnell leading to Emma's suicide at the age of 26, while her sister Katherine drank heavily before being left disabled when hit by a drunk driver in 1999. Advocates for Survivors of Child Abuse director Michael Salter was outraged by Bishop Anthony Fisher's comments, saying, "The Catholic Church has a lot to learn about the burden of clergy abuse on the lives of victims, and those who care for them."
Bishop Fisher later said he had been misquoted by media representatives, who - according to him - had been the people he had called "cranky" and not the victims.
Following World Youth Day, the NSW Premier Morris Iemma
gave the transport systems performance a 10-out-of-10 rating. He stated that special events such as WYD proved that decent public transport was possible and was considering implementing some of the strategies used for the event on an ongoing basis.
In Sydney's St. Mary's Cathedral
, Pope Benedict XVI made a historic full apology for child sex abuse by priests and clergymen in Australia, on 19 July 2008. Before a 3,400 congregation, he called for compensation and demanded punishment for those guilty of the "evil": "Here I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country. I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them that, as their pastor, I too share in their suffering." The Pope added: "Victims should receive compassion and care, and those responsible for these evils must be brought to justice. These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation. I ask all of you to support and assist your bishops, and to work together with them in combating this evil. It is an urgent priority to promote a safer and more wholesome environment, especially for young people." On 21 July, before flying out of Australia Pope Benedict met with a group of four victims of sexual abuse. He met them at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, listened to their stories and celebrated mass with them.
But the Broken Rites support group representing Australian victims said: "Sorry may be a start but we want to see a lot more. We want the victims to be treated fairly, we don't want them to feel that they have been shut out, we don't want them to be re-abused by church authorities." It reported 107 Catholic priests and religious brothers sentenced in Australian courts on sex charges, and in 2002, Australian bishops had already apologised for past abuses.
The Pope met 2 male and 2 female victims of sex abuse by priests at St. Mary's Cathedral. Broken Rites criticised the meeting as hand-picked: "I'm afraid that what they've done is selected victims who have agreed with what the church's policies are.
But the NSW Premier Morris Iemma hoped "it would be a sign of righting the wrongs of the past and of a better future and better treatment by the church of the victims and their families."
on 21 July 2008. Before boarding a chartered Qantas
Boeing 747-400
at Sydney airport's Hangar 96, he thanked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
, Governor General Major General Michael Jeffery
, newly appointed Ambassador to the Holy See Tim Fischer
, and Cardinal George Pell. The Pontiff, left Australia after the farewell message of thanks by Rudd: "Today I announce that for the first time Australia will have a resident Ambassador to the Holy See in Rome. And today I announce that the Government will be recommending to his Excellency the Governor General the appointment of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia the Honourable Tim Fischer as Australia’s first resident Ambassador to the Holy See."
World Youth Day
World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Catholic Church event. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, the invitation to attend extends to all youth, regardless of religious convictions....
held in Australia and the first World Youth Day in Oceania
Oceania
Oceania is a region centered on the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean. Conceptions of what constitutes Oceania range from the coral atolls and volcanic islands of the South Pacific to the entire insular region between Asia and the Americas, including Australasia and the Malay Archipelago...
. This meeting was decided by Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
, during the Cologne World Youth Day of 2005
World Youth Day 2005
The 20th World Youth Day 2005 was a Catholic youth festival that started on August 16 and continued until August 21, 2005 in Cologne, Germany. It was the first World Youth Day and foreign trip of Pope Benedict XVI, who joined the festival on August 18. This meeting was decided by the previous...
. The theme was "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you" (from Acts
ACTS
Acts or ACTS may refer to:Christianity* Acts of the Apostles , a genre of early Christian literature* Acts of the Apostles, the fifth book in the Bible's New Testament...
1:8).
About 500,000 young people from 200 countries attended during the week, and more than 1,000,000 came for the weekend. They were joined by about 600 bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
s and cardinals
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
, as well as by 6,600 reporters.
Schedule of events
The festivals of WYD began on 1 July 2007, when a large 3.8-meter-high wooden Cross and a large 15-kilogram IconIcon
An icon is a religious work of art, most commonly a painting, from Eastern Christianity and in certain Eastern Catholic churches...
of the Virgin Mary
Mary (mother of Jesus)
Mary , commonly referred to as "Saint Mary", "Mother Mary", the "Virgin Mary", the "Blessed Virgin Mary", or "Mary, Mother of God", was a Jewish woman of Nazareth in Galilee...
arrived in Sydney to travel around the country. The relay-style event, known as the Journey of the Cross and Icon (or JCI for short) saw the cross and icon go on a pilgrimage around the diocese
Diocese
A diocese is the district or see under the supervision of a bishop. It is divided into parishes.An archdiocese is more significant than a diocese. An archdiocese is presided over by an archbishop whose see may have or had importance due to size or historical significance...
s of Australia, engaging with a variety of Catholic parishes and communities.
The WYD Cross was entrusted to the youth of the world by Pope John Paul II
Pope John Paul II
Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...
in 1984 as a sign of peace and hope. The Pope told the young people of the world to take it around the world as "a symbol of Christ's love for humanity". In 2004, Pope John Paul II commissioned the large icon of the Virgin Mary to accompany the Cross's pilgrimage. It is a symbol intended to represent Mary's maternal love for young people. From the announcement of the host World Youth Day, the Cross and Icon travel ceremonially around the world similar to the Olympic torch relay.
In the week preceding the main event, many young Catholic pilgrims spent time in different parts of Australia and New Zealand , staying with a local parish as part of the Days in the Dioceses. After their stay, they travelled to Sydney for the Opening Mass
Mass (liturgy)
"Mass" is one of the names by which the sacrament of the Eucharist is called in the Roman Catholic Church: others are "Eucharist", the "Lord's Supper", the "Breaking of Bread", the "Eucharistic assembly ", the "memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection", the "Holy Sacrifice", the "Holy and...
of the week-long main event.
Alitalia
Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. , in its later stages known as Alitalia - Linee Aeree Italiane S.p.A. in Extraordinary Administration, was the former Italian flag carrier...
flight. Until 17 July he stayed in the Opus Dei
Opus Dei
Opus Dei, formally known as The Prelature of the Holy Cross and Opus Dei , is an organization of the Catholic Church that teaches that everyone is called to holiness and that ordinary life is a path to sanctity. The majority of its membership are lay people, with secular priests under the...
centre, called Kenthurst Study Centre, 30 km from Sydney.
On 15 July, World Youth Day 2008 began with the Opening Mass, celebrated by George Cardinal Pell
George Pell
George Pell AC is an Australian cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He is the eighth and current Archbishop of Sydney, serving since 2001. He previously served as auxiliary bishop and archbishop of the Archdiocese of Melbourne...
, the Archbishop of Sydney, at Barangaroo
Barangaroo
Barangaroo was the second wife of Bennelong, who was interlocutor between the Aboriginal people and the early British colonists in New South Wales. Barangaroo was a member of the Cammeray clan...
. This was followed by a concert.
Each morning from 15 to 17 July, Catechists
Catechism
A catechism , i.e. to indoctrinate) is a summary or exposition of doctrine, traditionally used in Christian religious teaching from New Testament times to the present...
was held in approximately 300 locations. Pilgrims received teachings from a Bishop and also celebrated Mass. In the afternoons, pilgrims journeyed into the city and attend the Youth Festival consisting of a series of art exhibitions, concerts, seminars, and conferences.
On 17 July 2008, 500,000 attendees from around the world were present at Barangaroo to welcome Pope Benedict XVI on a day dubbed Super Thursday by the press. The Pope actually arrived on 14 July, but only appeared in public for the first time on the 17th. The event involved the Pope travelling around Port Jackson
Port Jackson
Port Jackson, containing Sydney Harbour, is the natural harbour of Sydney, Australia. It is known for its beauty, and in particular, as the location of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge...
in a "boatacade" where pilgrims lined the shores to see him. However, there were many disappointed spectators in places like The Botanic Gardens and Circular Quay who did not actually see the Pope because of where he was sitting on the boat. The Sydney Children's Choir and Gondwana Voices performed at the event. The Pope then spoke extensively to the pilgrims and greeted them in five foreign languages. In order to let the pilgrims see him better the pope was driven around Barangaroo through the crowds in his Popemobile.
On 18 July, there was a live re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
at major city landmarks with an estimated number of 270,000 participants. Around 500 Million people around the world followed the stations on television.
On 19 July, around 235,000 pilgrims embarked on a 10-kilometre pilgrimage walk, beginning at the Mary MacKillop Chapel
Mary MacKillop
Mary Helen MacKillop , also known as Saint Mary of the Cross, was an Australian Roman Catholic nun who, together with Father Julian Tenison Woods, founded the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart and a number of schools and welfare institutions throughout Australasia with an emphasis on...
in North Sydney, over the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
and across the city to attend an overnight Vigil before the Mass at Randwick Racecourse
Randwick Racecourse
Royal Randwick Racecourse is a racecourse for horseracing in the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney, New South Wales. Randwick Racecourse, is operated by the Australian Jockey Club and known to many Sydney racegoers as headquarters...
.
Approximately 250,000 pilgrims slept overnight at Randwick, and about 300,000 to 400,000 participants attended the Final Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday 20 July.
Pope Benedict continued a tradition of Australian Papal Masses at Randwick Racecourse, following in the footsteps of John Paul II and Paul VI. At the conclusion of the final mass the Pope announced that the 2011 World Youth Day would be held in Madrid
Madrid
Madrid is the capital and largest city of Spain. The population of the city is roughly 3.3 million and the entire population of the Madrid metropolitan area is calculated to be 6.271 million. It is the third largest city in the European Union, after London and Berlin, and its metropolitan...
, Spain.
Web 2.0
WYD 2008 was the first World Youth Day to take full advantage of telecommunications, with Pope Benedict sending text messages to the pilgrims during the week. Each pilgrim who registered for WYD had the option of providing a mobile phone number to which the Pontiff's message would be sent at the beginning of each day.| Date | Papal Message |
|---|---|
| TUE 15 July |
Young friend, God and his people expect much from you because you have within you the Fathers supreme gift: the Spirit of Jesus –BXVI |
| WED 16 July |
The Holy Spirit gave the Apostles and gives you the power boldly to proclaim that Christ is risen! –BXVI |
| THU 17 July |
The Holy Spirit is the principal agent of salvation history: let him write your life history 2! –BXVI |
| FRI 18 July |
The spirit impels us 4ward 2wards others; the fire of his love makes us missionaries of God's charity. See you tomorrow nite –BXVI |
| SAT 19 July |
Dear friend, you must be holy & you must be missionary: never separate holiness from mission –BXVI |
It also saw the launch of a new registration social networking site called xt3.com, with the aim to connect young Catholics before, during and after World Youth Day 2008.
On 8 September, a final message was sent via SMS
SMS
SMS is a form of text messaging communication on phones and mobile phones. The terms SMS or sms may also refer to:- Computer hardware :...
to WYD2008 Pilgrims registered on Xt3.com, marking 50 days after the closing Mass:
Food
Pilgrims were served a traditional Australian menu. Over the six-day event, 3.5 million meals were served. To cater for the masses, 210,000 slices of bread, 425,000 chocolate bars, 200,000 meat pies and 300,000 servings of Weet-Bix Crunch were ordered. "We want to provide pilgrims with a good feed and a little bit of an Australian taste" WYD director of services Geoff Morris said. "We have tried to do that by including some of our more iconic items such as Tim TamTim Tam
Tim Tam is a brand of chocolate biscuit currently manufactured by Arnott's in Australia. A Tim Tam is composed of two layers of chocolate malted biscuit, separated by a light chocolate cream filling, and coated in a thin layer of textured chocolate....
s, Weet-Bix
Weet-Bix
Weet-Bix is a high-fibre breakfast biscuit manufactured in Australia and New Zealand by the Sanitarium Health Food Company, and in South Africa by Bokomo....
Crunch, Vegemite
Vegemite
Vegemite is a dark brown Australian food paste made from yeast extract. It is a spread for sandwiches, toast, crumpets and cracker biscuits, and filling for pastries...
, lamingtons and good old baked beans
Baked beans
Baked beans is a dish containing beans, sometimes baked but, despite the name, usually stewed, in a sauce. Most commercial canned baked beans are made from haricot beans, also known as navy beans – a variety of Phaseolus vulgaris – in a sauce. In Ireland and the United Kingdom, a tomato...
" Mr Morris said. Organisers also held a "Big Aussie BBQ", which saw 200 barbecues lit up simultaneously across Sydney.
Souvenirs
Pilgrims and the public were able to buy 470 different products including papal mementos such as special WYD rosary beads, Pope Benedict XVI baseball caps and rugby jerseys. Sydney's Catholic Archbishop Cardinal George Pell said that the Church was not looking to make a profit.Any remaining merchandise will be given to Catholic charities and surplus clothing will be sent overseas to developing nations.
Attendance
65,000 visas were granted as of 12 days before the start of the event.
Around 500,000 welcomed the pope to Sydney and 270,000 watched the Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
. More than 300,000 pilgrims camped out overnight in preparation for the Final Mass. The final attendance reported by Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
was up to 300,000, however World Youth Day's Chief Operating Officer Danny Casey and other media reported over 400,000 attendees.
World Youth Day Official Song
Receive the PowerReceive the Power
Receive the Power is a Gospel song written by Guy Sebastian and Gary Pinto, and performed by Guy Sebastian and Paulini chosen in May 2007 as the official anthem for the Roman Catholic Church's XXIII World Youth Day held in Sydney in 2008....
is an original song written by Guy Sebastian
Guy Sebastian
Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and...
and Gary Pinto, and chosen in May 2007 as the official anthem for the Roman Catholic Church's XXIII World Youth Day (WYD08).
Receive the Power was played extensively throughout the 6 days of World Youth Day in July 2008, and also in the television coverage which went around the world. Guy Sebastian
Guy Sebastian
Guy Theodore Sebastian is an Australian pop, R&B, and soul singer-songwriter who was the first winner of Australian Idol in 2003. He is currently a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Sebastian has released six top ten platinum/multi platinum albums, including a number-one and...
performed at the concert after the Opening Mass which officially welcomed Pope Benedict XVI to Australia. Sebastian and Paulini
Paulini Curuenavuli
Paulini Curuenavuli , commonly known as Paulini, is an Australian R&B/pop singer-songwriter and actress who rose to fame as a contestant of the first season of the television series, Australian Idol in 2003....
also performed both the English and International versions at the Final Mass at Randwick Race Course on 20 July
An estimated 400,000 people attended the Mass.
Sebastian and Paulini were invited to perform Receive The Power at the Pope's Farewell and thank you to volunteers on 21 July.
Indulgence
The Pope has announced that pilgrims at World Youth Day 2008 and those from around the world who pray for the ‘spiritual goals of this meeting and for its happy outcome' will be able to receive indulgences. In Roman Catholic teaching an indulgence is believed to erase the temporal punishment (time spent in purgatoryPurgatory
Purgatory is the condition or process of purification or temporary punishment in which, it is believed, the souls of those who die in a state of grace are made ready for Heaven...
) which results from sin.
There are two types of indulgences available
- plenary (full) indulgence - for attendees
- partial indulgence - for those who pray
Public funding
Some are concerned regarding the NSW state governments public funding of $129 million and the Federal government's funding of $55 million. Some described it as a "promotional event" for the Catholic Church.However the Sydney Chamber of Commerce estimated that World Youth Day would generate $230 million of economic activity and the NSW State Government had claimed that World Youth Day would have a direct economic benefit over $150 million. In addition to direct benefits the State Government had stated that the coverage of World Youth Day overseas was worth at least $1 billion. These gains would offset and exceed the government's expenditure on World Youth Day.
Use of Randwick Racecourse
Randwick Racecourse
Royal Randwick Racecourse is a racecourse for horseracing in the Eastern Suburbs in Sydney, New South Wales. Randwick Racecourse, is operated by the Australian Jockey Club and known to many Sydney racegoers as headquarters...
for the event had been criticised and legally challenged by the racing industry in Sydney. Industry representatives argued that alternative sites, such as the Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park
Sydney Olympic Park is a suburb in western Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. Sydney Olympic Park is located 16 kilometres west of the Sydney central business district, in the local government area of Auburn Council....
at Homebush Bay, were more suitable venues for World Youth Day. However, the NSW and Federal governments and the event organisers insisted that Randwick Racecourse was the only location suitable for an event of such scale.
The World Youth Day committee initially offered to pay an agreed settlement to the racing industry. However, after some complaints, the federal and the New South Wales state government stepped in and jointly pledged $42 million in compensation to the racing industry — more than triple the previously agreed upon amount. In exchange, the industry relocated its operations to the Warwick Farm
Warwick Farm Racecourse
Warwick Farm Racecourse is a racecourse at Warwick Farm a south-west suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. It is used as a racecourse for Thoroughbred horse racing.- Races :...
and Rosehill Gardens
Rosehill Gardens Racecourse
The Rosehill Gardens Racecourse is located in the Western Sydney suburb of Rosehill, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. It is home of the Sydney Turf Club. Rosehill holds horse races for thoroughbred gallopers on a grass surface. It is one of the two premier racecourses in Sydney, the...
racecourses, with infrastructure at these sites and at Randwick to be upgraded as part of the compensation package. In addition, the Australian Jockey Club
Australian Jockey Club
The Australian Jockey Club was founded in January 1842. It morphed from the former Australian Racing Committee set up in May 1840 to set the standards for racing in the colony...
's lease at Randwick will be extended by 50 years.
Despite some earlier concerns the final mass left the turf in good condition. The Randwick Project Steering Committee chief Hugh Martin stated that he was "very pleased with the state of the track" and an Australian Jockey Club spokesman noted that the "track seems to have held up well."
World Youth Day legislation
The Parliament of New South WalesParliament of New South Wales
The Parliament of New South Wales, located in Parliament House on Macquarie Street, Sydney, is the main legislative body in the Australian state of New South Wales . It is a bicameral parliament elected by the people of the state in general elections. The parliament shares law making powers with...
passed the World Youth Day Act 2006 especially for the event. The regulations made under this act however had been the source of some controversy, mainly in the operation of various provisions of the World Youth Day Regulation 2008 within hundreds of so-called declared areas across Sydney. These areas included over 40 city locations, including popular tourist spots the Sydney Opera House
Sydney Opera House
The Sydney Opera House is a multi-venue performing arts centre in the Australian city of Sydney. It was conceived and largely built by Danish architect Jørn Utzon, finally opening in 1973 after a long gestation starting with his competition-winning design in 1957...
and the Sydney Harbour Bridge
Sydney Harbour Bridge
The Sydney Harbour Bridge is a steel through arch bridge across Sydney Harbour that carries rail, vehicular, bicycle and pedestrian traffic between the Sydney central business district and the North Shore. The dramatic view of the bridge, the harbour, and the nearby Sydney Opera House is an iconic...
, as well as at numerous public transport stations and schools.
The most significant and contentious amendments to the regulations were announced by the Deputy Premier John Watkins
John Watkins (Australian politician)
John Arthur Watkins is a former Deputy Premier of New South Wales, serving between 2005 until his resignation from Parliament in 2008...
on 25 June 2008 and came into effect on 1 July 2008. People entering or exiting declared areas would had been subject to being searched, including vehicles or baggage, if so requested. According to The Australian
The Australian
The Australian is a broadsheet newspaper published in Australia from Monday to Saturday each week since 14 July 1964. The editor in chief is Chris Mitchell, the editor is Clive Mathieson and the 'editor-at-large' is Paul Kelly....
, this may have included either general clothing inspections, partial strip searches, or even arrest. The regulations would have been enforced by police, with the Rural Fire Service and the State Emergency Service having enforcement power over some provisions. The authorisation of Rural Fire Service and State Emergency Service had been especially controversial, as such granted enforcement powers normally available only to police. The new powers have caused concern to those organisations, who did not consider enforcement to be their role.
Of the most contentious of the regulations, a maximum fine of A$5,500 was able to be imposed for causing 'annoyance or inconvenience' to WYD participants. This was challenged in the Federal Court of Australia
Federal Court of Australia
The Federal Court of Australia is an Australian superior court of record which has jurisdiction to deal with most civil disputes governed by federal law , along with some summary criminal matters. Cases are heard at first instance by single Judges...
on the grounds of violating the implied constitutional freedom of political communication and/or exceeding the regulation making power of the World Youth Day Act 2006 (NSW). The Full Court agreed with the latter argument, declaring Clause 7(1)(b) regarding the specific prohibition of causing "annoyance to participants in a World Youth Day event" invalid.
Protest groups
A number of activist groups protested against the Catholic Church on World Youth Day. Various atheist and secular cooperated to form the NoToPope Coalition for WYD. The coalition rallied against the Church's stances on same-sex marriageSame-sex marriage
Same-sex marriage is marriage between two persons of the same biological sex or social gender. Supporters of legal recognition for same-sex marriage typically refer to such recognition as marriage equality....
, abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, and contraception
Contraception
Contraception is the prevention of the fusion of gametes during or after sexual activity. The term contraception is a contraction of contra, which means against, and the word conception, meaning fertilization...
. Additionally groups representing some victims of sexual abuse protested prior to WYD. On Saturday, the day of the pilgrimage walk approximately 100 protesters positioned themselves on a street corner to chant slogans and wave banners at the over 200,000 pilgrims walking to Randwick. A strong police presence controlled the protesters.
Protest organisers had planned to use T-Shirts with anti-Catholic slogans such as "Religion harms us by privileging faith over reason.", "Badly needed community services were robbed to pay the Pope". and "107 Catholic clergy convicted".
There were very few physical confrontations between the pilgrims and protestors, where it was initiated by the protestors throwing condoms at the pilgrims. Police arrested one Australian pilgrim for attacking a protestor. Additionally a Sydney small business owner alleges that he received an anonymous threat against him and his family for producing "annoying" T-Shirts.
Controversy over Bishop Anthony Fisher's statements
Bishop Fisher, who was WYD coordinator, told journalists the latest controversy was detracting from the massive Catholic youth festival underway in Sydney. "I think most of Australia was enjoying, delighting in the beauty and goodness of these young people ... rather than dwelling crankily, as a few people are doing, on old wounds," he said.Anthony and Christine Foster spoke out on the Bishop's comments, labelling them "very insensitive". Their daughters Emma and Katherine were raped by priest Kevin O'Donnell leading to Emma's suicide at the age of 26, while her sister Katherine drank heavily before being left disabled when hit by a drunk driver in 1999. Advocates for Survivors of Child Abuse director Michael Salter was outraged by Bishop Anthony Fisher's comments, saying, "The Catholic Church has a lot to learn about the burden of clergy abuse on the lives of victims, and those who care for them."
Bishop Fisher later said he had been misquoted by media representatives, who - according to him - had been the people he had called "cranky" and not the victims.
Transport concerns
An additional 4,000 train and 3,400 bus services had been commissioned for the event. There were 400 road clearways and 300 road closures. Threats to strike on 17 July in the heart of the celebrations, made by disgruntled rail workers were withdrawn following negotiations with the State Government.Following World Youth Day, the NSW Premier Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma
Morris Iemma , is a former Australian politician and 40th Premier of New South Wales, succeeding Bob Carr after he resigned on 3 August 2005. Iemma led the Australian Labor Party to victory in the 2007 election before resigning as Premier on 5 September 2008, and as a Member of Parliament on 19...
gave the transport systems performance a 10-out-of-10 rating. He stated that special events such as WYD proved that decent public transport was possible and was considering implementing some of the strategies used for the event on an ongoing basis.
Apology, Meeting with Victims and Criticisms
St Mary's Cathedral, Sydney
The Metropolitan Cathedral of St Mary is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney and the seat of the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell. The cathedral is dedicated to "Mary, Help of Christians", Patron of Australia...
, Pope Benedict XVI made a historic full apology for child sex abuse by priests and clergymen in Australia, on 19 July 2008. Before a 3,400 congregation, he called for compensation and demanded punishment for those guilty of the "evil": "Here I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt as a result of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country. I am deeply sorry for the pain and suffering the victims have endured and I assure them that, as their pastor, I too share in their suffering." The Pope added: "Victims should receive compassion and care, and those responsible for these evils must be brought to justice. These misdeeds, which constitute so grave a betrayal of trust, deserve unequivocal condemnation. I ask all of you to support and assist your bishops, and to work together with them in combating this evil. It is an urgent priority to promote a safer and more wholesome environment, especially for young people." On 21 July, before flying out of Australia Pope Benedict met with a group of four victims of sexual abuse. He met them at St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney, listened to their stories and celebrated mass with them.
But the Broken Rites support group representing Australian victims said: "Sorry may be a start but we want to see a lot more. We want the victims to be treated fairly, we don't want them to feel that they have been shut out, we don't want them to be re-abused by church authorities." It reported 107 Catholic priests and religious brothers sentenced in Australian courts on sex charges, and in 2002, Australian bishops had already apologised for past abuses.
The Pope met 2 male and 2 female victims of sex abuse by priests at St. Mary's Cathedral. Broken Rites criticised the meeting as hand-picked: "I'm afraid that what they've done is selected victims who have agreed with what the church's policies are.
But the NSW Premier Morris Iemma hoped "it would be a sign of righting the wrongs of the past and of a better future and better treatment by the church of the victims and their families."
Departure
The Pontiff departed from Sydney AirportSydney Airport
Sydney Airport may refer to:* Sydney Airport, also known as Kingsford Smith International Airport, in Sydney, Australia* Sydney/J.A. Douglas McCurdy Airport, in Nova Scotia, Canada...
on 21 July 2008. Before boarding a chartered Qantas
Qantas
Qantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
Boeing 747-400
Boeing 747-400
The Boeing 747-400 is a major development and the best-selling model of the Boeing 747 family of jet airliners. While retaining the four-engine wide-body layout of its predecessors, the 747-400 embodies numerous technological and structural changes to produce a more efficient airframe...
at Sydney airport's Hangar 96, he thanked Prime Minister Kevin Rudd
Kevin Rudd
Kevin Michael Rudd is an Australian politician who was the 26th Prime Minister of Australia from 2007 to 2010. He has been Minister for Foreign Affairs since 2010...
, Governor General Major General Michael Jeffery
Michael Jeffery
Major General Philip Michael Jeffery AC, CVO, MC was the 24th Governor-General of Australia , the first Australian career soldier to be appointed governor-general...
, newly appointed Ambassador to the Holy See Tim Fischer
Tim Fischer
Timothy Andrew Fischer, AC , is a former Australian politician. He served as Deputy Prime Minister in the Howard Government from 1996 before retiring from Cabinet in 1999...
, and Cardinal George Pell. The Pontiff, left Australia after the farewell message of thanks by Rudd: "Today I announce that for the first time Australia will have a resident Ambassador to the Holy See in Rome. And today I announce that the Government will be recommending to his Excellency the Governor General the appointment of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia the Honourable Tim Fischer as Australia’s first resident Ambassador to the Holy See."