WYD

+ Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney
27 Jul 2008

Thank you Sydney.

While Sydneysiders took the young pilgrims to their hearts, so did the pilgrims with Sydney.  They are taking away precious memories of our beautiful city, but, more importantly, memories of the thousands of staff and volunteers who worked hard and the thousands of passersby who went out of their way to help.

I had breakfast with a group from Kalamazoo, Michigan and one veteran of many WYDs complimented me on the quality of the organization and claimed Sydney was the most friendly he had attended.

78% of Sydneysiders in a recent poll felt that the organizers led by Bishop Fisher and Danny Casey did a good job and this majority verdict was justified.  71% thought WYD was a good thing for Sydney and only 12% said it was bad.

An even higher percentage, 81%, agreed it was good to see so many young people enjoying themselves.

Christianity makes a difference to daily living; and for the better.  This is one reason why the followers of Christ have increased and multiplied across the world for nearly 2000 years.

WYD ennabled us to restate our central claims in dramatic fashion.  Our first task is to present Jesus Christ, his teachings and his followers who make up the Church.  This is the core.

A few Protestants even commented to me that they were surprised to find how Christ-centred Catholics are.  The Way the Cross, the dramatic representation of Christ’s last hours, was adapted slightly so that it was completely Scripture-based.  This fidelity to Scripture was essential to its success.

The coverage by the Telegraph papers and The Australian was first rate, presenting not only the personality of Pope Benedict, but what he had to say.  While not a great public orator, he is an outstanding teacher and his speeches bear rereading and study.  His quiet personality reveals a good and decent man, at peace with himself and the world around him.  People said they felt he was talking to them personally.

I have celebrated Mass in many different situations, occasionally even when the congregation becomes distracted and even noisy.  One small miracle was that at all the great gatherings, each with congregations of 150,000 or more, there were long periods when you could have heard a pin drop.  Tens and tens of thousands of young pilgrims, most of them Aussies at the weekend, praying silently.  To those who claim it couldn’t have been so, I say “ask someone who was there”.

Pope Benedict was delighted, grateful for all the official and public kindness he received and possibly a bit surprised by the depths of faith he encountered.

I was pleased and honoured to have been part of the team organizing WYD2008.  But I am also pleased the event is over!

It was a marvellous, life-giving celebration.  It won’t be back again in Sydney for at least a generation – if ever.  Far after my time.