Wyd Lives Again - One Year On

BlockbusterJuly has started with a bang in Sydney

Catholic Communications, Sydney Archdiocese,
6 Jul 2009

Nearly two thousand youth gathered over the weekend to participate in the Matt Maher experience of live music, dancing and moments of quiet prayer.

The popular American Catholic singer/song writer returned to Sydney one year after performing at Barangaroo in front of over 100,000 during WYD08.

This time the crowd wasn't quite so big, but the energy levels were high as youth from Sydney and surrounding dioceses filled the new auditorium at De La Salle College, Ashfield.

Matt Maher's style incorporated crowd pumping music coupled with moments of deep silence drawing young people into prayer.

In between well known songs, Matt preached a strong message about the love of God saying "Christianity doesn't start with what you do, it starts with what has been done for us by Jesus Christ on the Cross".

Young people came from all over the state including a coach load from the Wollongong Diocese on Friday night and a coach load from Canberra-Goulburn Archdiocese on Saturday. Seventeen year old Rachel McLaren from Canberra travelled for over three hours for the concert.

"It was just like any other concert but with a great atmosphere of worship which made it a really worthwhile and enriching experience," she said.

Bishop Julian Porteous who carried the Blessed Sacrament through the crowd, was pleased with the turn out .

"WYD lives again! It's wonderful to see young people reliving the moments of joy and celebration from WYD. Tonight has been a night of vibrant celebration but also of young people showing great reverence for the Blessed Sacrament".

Nick Brien, Deputy Principal of De La Salle Ashfield who coordinated all the accommodation and catechesis venues for the whole of Sydney during WYD said "This weekend has been easier to organize than last year! And it's still great to see the spirit we saw at WYD in so many young people."

Mr Brien remembered the brand new auditorium being used for the arrival of the WYD Cross and Icon last March to be welcomed by 2,000 students from combined Catholic schools.

Echoes of WYD are being seen all over Sydney during the month of July.

They began with a catechesis hosted by Bishop Anthony in the same De La Salle hall, in a style that became popular during WYD - forums for youth to learn about and discuss faith issues with Bishops.

The Matt Maher experience continues when he appears at a special episode of Theology on Tap at PJ Gallagher's Irish Pub on 7 July. At venues all over Sydney the Catholic Apologist Tim Staples will be holding dynamic faith talks from 6-11 July and then SCENE (the Sydney Congress Embracing the New Evangelisation) kicks off on 19 July.

For more information on all these events see www.sydney.catholic.org.au/news/events

Matt Maher in worship

Matt Maher and the mosh pit!

Photos taken by Russell Newman