SYDNEY 15-20 July 2008 Hundreds of thousands of young Catholics gather for the XXIII World Youth Day and Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to Australia

The countdown to the 23rd World Youth Day -- the 10th international WYD -- and Pope Benedict XVI's first visit to Australia is well under way. It is the first time the event, which typically draws up hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from around the globe to share their faith, has been held in Oceania. The Pope arrives at Richmond RAAF Base on 13 Jul. He joins the youth on 17 Jul, arriving in the city by boat on Sydney Harbor. The sex-abuse scandals of recent years have left the Church in crisis, financially and because of a precipitous drop in religious vocations. While the Pope is unlikely to address or allude to the problem in his homilies, he will be relying on his presence to try to undo some of the damage.

The Pope will join the youth for a prayer vigil at Randwick Racecourse in Sydney, which can accommodate some 400,000 visitors, and wrap up the event the following day with a Mass at the same facility. The Pilgrim Walk to the Racecourse will include a walk across the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Overflow crowds will see the event screened live in nearby Centennial Park.

The city of famed bridges, beaches and waterways should be able to handle security and logistics for this crush of pilgrims with ease, as it is now a seasoned veteran of large-scale international events that could be attractive targets for terrorism: its recent experience includes hosting the Summer Olympics in 2000. WYD08 website indicates that the security measures include the tight screening of the visitors.

Organizers report that they are planned for up to 300,000 people to attend a prayer vigil at the racetrack on the night before the Mass, with most of them spending the night there. Australian authorities estimate that well over 100,000 visitors from outside the country will attend the World Youth Day events.

Days in the Dioceses will take place in the leadup to WYD08, from approximately 10-14 July 2008.

The itinerary includes all of the engagements that the Pope will attend including official meetings with the Governor-General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery; Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; NSW Governor Marie Bashir; and NSW Premier Morris Iemma.

Initiated by Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day has been held every year since 1986 when the first event was held in Rome. The 10 international events have been celebrated: In 1985 in Rome; in 1987 in Buenos Aires, Argentina; in 1989 in Santiago de Compostela, Spain; in 1991 in Czestochowa, Poland; in 1993 in Denver, Colorado; in 1995 in Manila, Philippines; in 1997 in Paris, France; in 2000 in Rome; in 2002 in Toronto; and in 2005 in Cologne, Germany. UPDATED May/08

RELATED READING:

World Youth Day web
http://www.wyd2008.org/index.php/en

Vatican World Youth Day page
http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/laity/documents/rc_pc_laity_doc_20070226_nota-sydney_en.html