KCP - Catholic Diocese of Broome

Australia recently received worldwide focus as His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Palm Sunday Mass followed by the handover of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon of Our Lady. The handover marked the formal commencement of Sydney’s role in hosting the world’s largest youth event, World Youth Day, in 2008.

The Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, led an Australian delegation of World Youth Day organisers to Rome. Representing all the Australian Dioceses were seventy young people, including Jasmin Fogliani and Jacopo Pioli from the Broome Diocese.

The Australian youth delegates carried banners emblazoned with the colourful and symbolic Sydney World Youth Day 2008 logo as they accepted the Cross and Icon in front of tens of thousands of worshippers gathered in the Square and global television audiences.

The plans presented in Rome for 2008 included the traditional World Youth Day Mass with Pope Benedict XVI, teaching sessions, a Pilgrims Walk and overnight Vigil with a sleep out ‘under the stars’ as well as a Youth Festival with exhibitions and performances.

“People are very excited about World Youth Day being held in Australia for the first time and by the way we are bringing the event and the city of Sydney together,” said Cardinal Pell. “We’ve had very positive feedback on our plans and we presented some quite new concepts for this event, such as an online e-Pilgrimage which is a new way to reach young pilgrims.”

Get Ready Now for WYD 2008 in Sydney.

More information about this event and how our own young people can participate will be published from time to time in the Kimberley Community Profile. Those intending to be part of this unique event should begin their fundraising and their other preparations now.
Check out www.wyd2008.org for further information.