Missionaries of Africa
Sydney
Australia
By Ivan Page M.Afr.

World Youth Days 2008

Australia is a big country, and the Australian Church wanted as many people as possible to be involved in the celebration of the World Youth Days 2008. For this reason, the events in Sydney (July 14-20) were preceded by "Days in the Diocese" all over the continent. Groups of overseas pilgrims might arrive in Hobart or Adelaide or Perth, take part in activities within the local church, and then journey to Sydney by plane, train or bus. I myself travelled by express coach from Melbourne to Sydney, a journey of 13 hours, on Monday the 14th. Most of my fellow passengers, proudly bearing their flag, were from one of the world's newest nations, Timor Leste. The group was led by an Australian missionary priest and included a number of seminarians. They had enough English to make communication fairly easy.

It is a long time since I have been in Australia in mid winter. Despite one of the longest droughts on record, there has been enough winter rain to cover the country with fresh greenery, but not enough to fill the reservoirs. The young Timorese, and other visitors from tropical countries, were feeling the cold. They were to feel it still more in Sydney where most of them were billeted in schools, sleeping on the floor - and taking cold showers!

Organizing WYD is an immense task. On the whole, things went well in Sydney, but there was one notable hiccup in the accreditation of priests. Any priest who wanted to participate in one of the big ceremonies, or hear confessions, needed accreditation. Even if they had registered online, they were required to present proof of identity, and be photographed. One harassed official said they had expected about 1000 priests, and were confronted with 3000. Even if there had only been 1000 men, two computers were hardly enough to process them, given that it was taking about 10 minutes to issue each person's accreditation. If they were taken short I do not understand why they did not appeal to one of the computer companies to rush another dozen machines to their aid, in return for a bit of publicity. As it was, I heard that some priests had waited six hours or longer for their accreditation. I myself had to wait 4 ½ hours, and spent much time apologising on behalf of my country to foreign visitors around me in the queue.

Sydney harbour is a breathtakingly beautiful body of water. Changes in freight shipping in recent years have led to the relocation of much maritime activity, and the liberation of former wharves near the old city centre. Areas thus freed have been redeveloped for the use of the public, with shops and restaurants and open spaces, conference centres and moorings for pleasure boats. Having been so long absent from Australia, I did not know where Barangaroo was - but I found that few Sydneysiders knew it either. It turns out to be the new name for the eastern shore of Darling Harbour, where the opening Mass and several of the other ceremonies were to be held.

Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, presided at the opening Mass, accompanied by hundreds of visiting bishops. Australia's Prime Minister, Mr Kevin Rudd, spoke a few words of welcome in several languages, including Indonesian, Tagalog and Mandarin. At all the big ceremonies there was recognition of the culture and language of the many smaller countries in our part of the world. That Tuesday evening it was Australia's aboriginal inhabitants who were featured, when the Alleluia was introduced by the haunting sound of the didjeridoo, their primeval woodwind. That led into a kind of corroboree which was interrupted when a missionary arrived by canoe to bring the gospel of peace. After communion a hymn of thanksgiving was sung by a Maori choir from Aotearoa (which is their name for New Zealand).

Each morning the pilgrims followed catechesis in suburban churches or in the conference centre at Darling Harbour. I attached myself to the pilgrims from Madagascar, Vanuatu, French Polynesia and Versailles, who were receiving instruction at Revesby, where I happened to be staying - chiefly because the group from Tahiti included a young priest whom I had known in Rome. The morning would conclude with Mass, animated by one or other of the groups. The Malagasy dance of peace, involving everyone was a great success. We had been promised a Congolese archbishop for Friday morning's catechesis, but he was not able to come. At short notice, the Archbishop of Tours agreed to replace him. When I introduced myself as a Missionary of Africa, he quickly replied "I used to be one myself". It was Bernard Nicolas Aubertin!

As they moved around Sydney, most of the groups of pilgrims carried flags to identify themselves. I was delighted to see two young men carrying the cross of Languedoc one afternoon, and to exchange a few words with them. Throughout the week it was ever so easy to start a conversation and I am sure that many fruitful exchanges took place. Hyde Park, near St Mary's cathedral, was the scene of many activities and encounters. One afternoon I enjoyed a performance of national dances by about 100 pilgrims from Samoa. As I turned away afterwards I bumped into Fr Febian Pikiti Mulenga, from Zambia, who had lived in the Generalate while studying at the Gregorian. Neither of us knew that the other was in the country, and we were delighted to meet and talk once more.

I had volunteered to hear confessions during WYD. In fact there were so many priests available that none of us was overworked. Let it be said, though, that the process was very well run. A duly-accredited priest would present himself to the sister in charge at whichever site; he would write his name, and the languages he speaks in a register; she would give him a violet stole and allot him a cubicle; she would direct penitents speaking one of his languages to the cubicle; after an hour and a half, the priest had to take a break. It all worked admirably.

On the Friday afternoon the Stations of the Cross were movingly enacted. No doubt the television audience had the best view, for the actors moved to three different sites near the harbour. The realism brought home to everyone the horror of the crucifixion. It reduced many spectators to tears.

The World Youth Day was Sunday 20 July. Most of the young people walked, as in a never-ending stream, to Randwick racecourse on the Saturday, and spent the night there. Pope Benedict himself joined them for the prayer vigil - and returned to his lodgings. Despite the cold, the youngsters sang and danced and enjoyed themselves, and still managed to wake up fairly fresh next morning. I watched the closing Mass on television. Readers will know that, at the close of the Mass, the Pope announced that the next WYD will be in Madrid in three years' time. The Spaniards in the crowd went wild with excitement, and I have already met plenty of young Australians who have started planning a trip to Spain in 2011.

Sydney sceptics seem to have been confounded by the joy of the young pilgrims, and by their good behaviour. There can be no doubt that the event was a success. Some of the enthusiasm will wear out, but I believe it is reasonable to expect abundant fruits from WYD SYD 08.