Opening Mass at Sydney World Youth Day 2008
(July 15, 2008) World Youth Day (WYD) is the largest youth event in the world and will be held in Sydney from Tuesday 15 to 20 July. Organised by the Catholic Church, WYD brings together young people from around the globe including India, Pakistan and China, to celebrate and learn about their faith on a more regular basis. The Opening Mass is the first major event of the week, formally celebrating the start of 23rd WYD at Australian Local Time 4.30 pm, Tuesday, 15th July. Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney and Chairman of the Committee for World Youth Day presided at the Mass, with all Cardinals and bishops of the world, at Barangaroo in Sydney, to invoke the power of the Holy Spirit. After the Mass Youth Festival events continued at the same place. A much-anticipated feature of the Mass was the arrival of the WYD Cross and Icon, after an amazing journey inspiring and renewing the faith of Catholic youth throughout Australia and the world. In his homily Cardinal George Pell spoke of the call of Christ to all suffering, not merely Christians but especially those without religion. “Christ is calling you home, to love, healing and community,” he said. Speaking on the theme of the convention, namely, the Holy Spirit, he referred to the vision of the valley of dry bones given by Prophet Ezechiel in the first reading, where the Spirit came from four corners of the world to give life. Referring to the Gospel Cardinal Pell said that the Parable of the sower and the seed explains the fundamental truth about Christian discipleship and gives the alternatives to Christian life. “Our task” said Cardinal Pell “is to open to the power of the Spirit, to allow the God of surprises to act through us.” He challenged them saying, “Don’t spend your life sitting on the fence, keeping your options open, because only commitments bring fulfilment.” Finally calling on the Holy Spirit he prayed: “Come, come O Breath of God, from the four winds, from all the nations and peoples of the earth and bless our Great South Land of the Holy Spirit.”
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