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