Introduction

I was blessed to attend the Catholic World Youth Day celebrations in Australia in 2008.

I was chosen to be Confirmed by Pope Benedict 16th at the Final Mass.

I spent 2 days in Tasmania with the Husband family and then 8 days in Sydney with the International Liturgy Group

Hope you enjoy my story =)

Flight: Jo-Burg - Sydney, Oz

Flight: Jo-burg – Sydney, Oz        (Wednesday – 09/07/08)

The food on the Qantas flight was amazing.  I spent the flight watching comedy series and listening to the on board music selection.  During my breakfast I watched Thomas the Tank Engine=) I had 3 breakfasts. I had a Vegetarian Hot first but asked for a Continental and while I was waiting for the Continental another air hostess bought me one so I ended up with 3=) BONUS=)  I really enjoyed the Flight Path option on the on board entertainment as it showed where we were and how high we were and all other interesting things about the flight as we flew. 

Sydney Airport

Sydney Airport:  (Thursday – 10/07/08)

It was a very interesting airport.  We collected our bags and then went through customs.  We had to line up away from our bags as the sniffer dogs sniffed for drugs and food.  We ended up missing our flight and so had to wait for another flight to Melbourne.  10 of us had to go on a different flight because of lack of space.  When we arrived in Melbourne we were late for our connecting flight to Hobart and so we had to run through the airport to the departures side and only just made the flight. Unfortunately luggage didn't=( It was a really tiring exercise and I was very happy to get onto the airplane thinking that the travel hassles were almost over...

Flight: Melbourne - Hobart, Taz

Flight:  Melbourne – Hobart, Taz

After a short flight we arrived in Hobart with out our luggage, put on the first morning flight, and were told that we had a 2 Hr bus drive to Launceston a head of us. I stayed in Launceston with John and Judy Husband, who were very welcoming and showed us around Launceston.  Judy made me soup when I wasn’t feeling well and it made me right as rain in no time=) It was warm and delicious.  They also have a beautiful fireplace in their lounge and Judy had FRESH Hot Water Bottles in our beds every night =) They are really wonderful people to stay with.

Tasmania: Day 1

Day 1: Friday - 11/07/08

Fetched baggage from the church and then had a welcome mass. It was beautiful.  The Church of the Apostle is such a beautiful church and the congregation are such welcoming people.  They really made us feel at home.  We then went to Cataract Cliff Grounds.  It is such a beautiful place. The mountains sides are vertical and the river was beautiful. Because of it being winter we didn’t swim but the water looked refreshing.  In the summer they open the flood gates further up the river and then they have river rafting competitions and people come there for picnics. We had lunch at the picnic spot after the beautiful walk along the cliff side and across the river.  During lunch we saw a peacock that was quite tame.  The Afternoon was spent at the zoo.  It was pretty cool seeing Kangaroos, Tasmanian Devils, Kuala Bears and Echidnas.  I was able to feed a Kangaroo which was totally cool and to stroke a Tasmanian Devil.  The Tasmanian Devil eats everything form a carcass, even the bones and hair.  We watched an Australian Footy game at home, really cool.  John explained the basic rules to us.  Their family is big into their footy. It was really cool staying with the Husbands and they really were like a family to me.

Welcome gift

Church of the Apostles - Launceston

Church of the Apostles - Launceston

Gunpowder Mill - Cataract Cliff Gorge - Launceston

Cataract Cliff Gorge - Launceston

Me and Cataract Gorge =)

Upper Gorge

A little detour-off the beaten path=)

We crossed the little bridge=)

The Rapids =)

Lunch guest =)

Emu's - Zoo - Launceston

Tasmanian Devil - Zoo - Launceston

Echidna - Zoo - Launceston

Tasmania: Day 2

Day 2:   Saturday - 12/07/08

We spent the day with our host families.  After a delicious vegetable lasagna lunch we spent the day in town.  There are such beautiful old colonial buildings.  In town we visited this little shopping place that was like a little village. We visited a couple of parks and the one I particularly enjoyed had a memorial to all the soldiers who died in the South African War, it also had an aviary.  We  visited the river and the yacht basin, which was really cool and beautiful.  We had a beautiful sending off mass for all the pilgrims that evening.  There was also a festival at the local school with a bon fire and fireworks.  Lots of fun=).  After these celebrations Benedicta, Gail, Lynette and my self had to leave the group to fly from Launceston to Sydney.  On the flight I sat next to an ex-South African and we spoke for the whole trip about what was going on in South Africa and it helped the flight go quickly. 

Colonial Architecture

Sydney

SYDNEY!!!!   

We arrived at Sydney Airport at 11 o’clock in the evening and we were all tired and I thought I had lost my jacket on the plane but was obviously in the Lord’s care because I got it back and then we had to get a taxi to the university because the travel arrangements didn’t work out properly.  We eventually arrived at the university at 12 o’clock.  We were warmly greeted by Sister Anna and Morgan Rice and then were taken to our rooms.  The guys and girls stayed in different colleges on different sides of the campus but it was not that far.  I was really blessed to have Judy's home number because I was very homesick after arriving at the college but Judy was so good to me when I phoned her at 1 o'clock in the morning and then I was also able to talk to dad which was a major help.  I stayed in St John’s College and the ladies stayed at Sancta Sophia College. I had a really comfortable bed which I looked forward to sleeping in every night, especially after the long tiring days.

Sydney Cityscape

Sydney: Day 1

Day 1: Sunday - 13/07/08

We had morning mass at the Sancta Sophia Chapel which was really beautiful.  Fr. Liem Duong had forgotten his homily in his room so he said an improvised homily but it was still such a beautiful service.  We then had a talk session in the Sancta Sophia common room delivered by the Head Coordinating priest Fr. Liem. I then joined a group who were going to the Sydney Opera House. Although I wasn’t feeling so great the opera house was still impressive.  We took the bus to get there and then we also walked along the harbour front and saw the Sydney Bridge from the opera house and we passed this man sitting on the walk playing his didgeridoo and he let me play it=).  At 1 o’clock we went to Barangaroo (Harbour district) for the rehearsal of the Opening Mass.  I was allocated the Madagascar national flag to carry and Gail was fortunate enough to carry the South African flag.

Papal Flag - Common Room

ILG - Opera House

University of Sydney - Campus

Presentation - Common Room

Around the corner from my room =)

Sr. Anna - Barangaroo

Winey and I - Barangaroo

Sydney: Day 2

Day 2: Monday - 14/07/08

I had to rush to shower and breakfast because I had overslept.  After breakfast we celebrated morning mass in Sancta Sophia chapel.  After mass we had a talk by an Australian priest who has spent 4 years living with the aborigines and he had a very interesting talk.  After the talk Fr. Liem showed us a cup trick with a message about always being aware in your faith.  After a packed lunch we went to the dress rehearsal for the Opening mass. The WYD Cross and Icon were in the Sancta Sophia chapel and so we were allowed to spend time in the chapel.  It was a really special and blessed time that I am very grateful for as it was a major strengthening part of my faith journey and is a definite highlight of my pilgrimage.  I then joined some of the other members of the group and we went to a local pub.  Because I was underage I could only drink Sprite and I had to tell the bouncer that I had left my ID in my room and I promised him I wouldn’t drink alcohol.  We had lots of fun joking around and chatting and then we all danced.  I really enjoyed chilling with these older foreigners who have become like family to me.  We then walked back to St John’s and on the way we said the Scriptural Rosary.  We said the whole rosary by the time we reached St John’s and it was really special.  It was such a beautiful winter’s evening as well.

Sancta Sophia Chapel

Carina - Dress Rehearsal

Sydney: Day 3

Day 3: Tuesday – 15/07/08

We met up with the rest of the South African pilgrims and had a South African scriptural service.  It was really joyful and it was great to be back with the South Africans and to spend some time with dad. After Lunch we left the South African group and took the trains to Barangaroo for the Opening Mass and it was quite a job to get Benedicta, Gail and Lynette to trust me on how to get there but they did and we still made it in time.  It was such a beautiful mass.  All the clergy were there and all the people who were there for World Youth Day were gathered, it was mind blowing to see how many people there were.  There was such a great sense of community and the spiritual vibe was awesome and inspiring to say the least.  The weather was beautiful but as it got dark the temperature dropped and by the end it was very cold but that didn’t affect the atmosphere at all.  There was some aboriginal dancing for the opening procession and it was really cool to watch, and I was highly impressed by the man who played the didgeridoo.  There was a live full orchestra that was so beautiful, and the choir was majestic.  The music and the singing were very powerful and moving.  By the time communion came around I was very hungry and I could smell pizza from somewhere and it took a lot of effort to keep my hunger down but once the final part of the mass got going then I got distracted and didn’t think of it again.  We met up with the South African group for supper which was really cool.

Shelley, Sam, Megan and I - African Mass

Cardinals and Bishops

Aboriginal Cultural Display

Pilgrims - Barangaroo

Sydney: Day 4

Day 4: Wednesday – 16/07/08

 
We started the day off with Catechism at St. Benedict’s Church.  I had a spot at the back of the church on the floor and it was difficult to hear what was being said and what was going on and so when a lady in a wheelchair came in I offered her my spot and went outside and started talking to Ivan (Russia) who was also bored with the catechists.  We were both hungry so we decided to go have breakfast somewhere.  We chatted for a long time about lots of different things and it was so interesting to hear all about his country and his life back home.  When we got back to St. Benedict’s the mass was finished.  In the afternoon I joined up with dad and we went to Hyde Park to visit the WYD gift shop.  We spent the whole afternoon there and I bought a lot of things including the beginning of my flag collection (8 Flags).  That evening I made my own mission from Hyde Park to Barangaroo so that I could catch the bus to Randwick Race Course for the night’s rehearsal.  I missioned on the subway and it was really cool because I was all by myself and I made the bus in time.  The rehearsal was from 4 o’clock in the evening until 10 o’clock at night and it was freezing.

Pilgrims - Hyde Park

Randwick Stage

Rehearsal - Randwick

Sydney: Day 5

Day 5: Thursday – 17/07/08

After breakfast a group of us went to Bondi Beach.  João (Portugal) and I went surfing which was interesting because he couldn’t speak English properly and I unfortunately can’t speak any Portuguese but we still had lots of fun.  After the surf I ran up and down the beach front in my hired wetsuit looking for a cheap towel (which doesn’t exist for a South African tourist) so I bought the cheapest they had (15 Dollars!!!) and a pair of slops because I only had my hiking boots with me.  Benedicta, Philipe (Portugal) and Nikolina (Bosnia) stayed on the beach and watched us surf and then afterwards we pent some time on the beach just relaxing. It was a lot of fun and was great to just relax.  After my surf I was hungry as usual and so I bought 5 burgers from Oporto’s which were really delicious, I ate 3 and kept the other two for supper =)  From Bondi Beach we went to Barangaroo for the Papal Arrival ceremony.  Pope Benedict went around the harbour before arriving at Barangaroo and quite a few of my friends were blessed enough to be on the boat with the Pope and meet him.  The Pope drove threw the gathered pilgrims and the atmosphere became electrical, I am so lucky to have been a part of it. We were very blessed to have our seats were right at the front because the Pope drove past right in front of us.  It was such an amazing occasion.  After the ceremony we went to Randwick for another rehearsal.

The Group - Bondi Station

Nikolina

Joao and Philipe

Bondi Surf

Bondi Beach - ILG =)

Statue of Jesus - Bondi Beach

Aboriginal friends =)

Some of the gathered pilgrims

Pope Benedict arriving by boat

Sydney: Day 6

Day 6: Friday – 18/07/08

We started the day off with a rehearsal at Randwick for the final mass and vigil.  After the rehearsal I spent the afternoon with dad.  We found this really cool little pizza restaurant in a street just off from Hyde Park where we sat and had pizza for lunch.  Afterwards we went exploring some of the Sydney cityscapes and found this little curio shop.  We ended up at this monument that is in front of St. Mary’s Cathedral and met a group of young Australians and one of them was from Pretoria.  It was so cool to spend the afternoon just exploring Sydney with dad, not having to worry about a group of other people.  I left dad at Hyde Park and took the train to Barangaroo and then walked a bit to the bus stop and got our bus to Randwick for our evening rehearsal.  After rehearsals we arrived at the college and were informed that some people were putting on their annual vaudeville theatre production and were going to have a fireworks display so I stayed up and watched that.  It was a pretty cool display. 

Ivan - Morning Practice

 

St. Mary's Cathedral

Carina Broucek - Traditional Wear

Sydney: Day 7

Day 7: Saturday – 19/07/08

I got woken up by a phone call from Gary and Mom at 6:45.  A bit early but was good to talk to them.  I missed breakfast from oversleeping after the phone call.   I did the hour long pilgrimage through Sydney to Randwick with Lewi Barakat and it was amazing.  It was so cool being a part of such a mass pilgrimage and the atmosphere was tremendous.  I met up with dad outside Randwick to get my sleeping bag and to say hi.  It was such a sight to see all those pilgrims slowly but steadily streaming into the area.  Our place was right at the front before the stage and altar.  Leading up to the vigil there were some performances and there was a beautiful performance of spiritual dancing which really impressed me.  I was blessed to have been part of the group who joined Pope Benedict on the altar for the vigil.  It was a really special moment and I won’t forget it easily.   After the vigil I decided to get some sleep and so I slept underneath the Australian sky.   

Pilgrims

Irish guy giving Free Hugs =)

Aboriginal Flag - Pilgrims

Papal blessing - Vigil

Sydney: Day 8

Day 8: Sunday – 20/07/08

After breakfast I went to go get ready for the Final Mass.  Finally the time had come for my Confirmation.  It was a very special occasion as it was in front of all the pilgrims who had assembled for WYD and it was being viewed by everybody who was watching it world wide.   I received the blessed sacrament of Confirmation by Pope Benedict 16th in Sydney Australia with Lynette Williams as my sponsor.  I just remember feeling very proud and happy to be getting confirmed and it was a wonderful feeling knowing that my dad was there amongst the assembled congregation of pilgrims feeling very proud, as well as Nicholas (my confirmation teacher) being there.  I thank you dad, mom, gran and all those who helped me along the road to that special moment and to all those who are still helping me along my path. 

That evening we had a farewell dinner at the college and then I joined dad at Our Lady of the Sacred Heart College were he was staying so that we could all leave together the next morning. 

Lynnette and I - Confirmation Suit

Sr. Anna and I - Last Supper

Ivan and I - Last Supper