On July 4, pilgrims, including five diocesan priests, one religious sister, 12 adults, five young adults, and 20 high school students will depart Philadelphia International Airport to journey to Australia to participate in World Youth Day Sydney 2008.
World Youth Day (WYD) begins on Tuesday, July 15 and ends on Sunday, July 20 with a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI. This year’s theme is “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8).
WYD brings together Catholic young people from around the world to pray, celebrate and learn about their faith. Since its first celebration in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1987, WYD has become the largest gathering of youth in the world. Held every three years, it was last held in 2005 in Cologne, Germany.
Prior to the start of WYD, the participants will spend a week visiting local attractions including Dreamworld, Australia’s largest theme park, as well as various national parks, beaches, and rainforests. On July 14, the group will make their way to the city of Camden, Australia, to visit St. Paul Parish, and present the Faith of Camden Cross. This cross was reverenced by all cities in the United States that share the name Camden, and by all 10 parishes in the city of Camden, New Jersey.
For more information, the youth will be keeping a blog on their experiences at http://www.camdendioceseswyd2008.blogspot.com/.