Australian cardinal launches countdown to World Youth Day 2008
Mar 06, 2007
Cardinal George Pell of Sydney launched the 500-day countdown to World Youth Day 2008 and encouraged pilgrim groups to register online early for the event.
SYDNEY, Australia (CNS, March 6 2007) -- "It's a long way to Australia from other parts of the world, you can't just get on a bus in Warsaw and drive here," Cardinal Pell said at the launch March 2 in front of St. Mary's Cathedral in Sydney. A giant digital clock in front of the cathedral will count down the days until Sydney hosts World Youth Day in July 2008.
"Our wish is to avoid a situation as occurred when Rome hosted World Youth Day (2000) and three quarters of a million pilgrims decided to come in the last three weeks," Cardinal Pell said.
Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney, the chief organizer of World Youth Day 2008, said most come to the approximately five-day events as members of diocesan pilgrim groups, religious movements and youth groups.
He said online registration of groups had been opened up four months earlier "to capture information" on expected numbers, language groups and special needs.
"This will enable us to plan early and match groups to accommodation and catechesis sites throughout greater Sydney," he said.
Group registrations are now available at www.wyd2008.org in English, Italian, French and Spanish. Bishop Fisher said a paper registration process will be available for group leaders who do not have Internet access, and registration for individuals will open midyear.
World Youth Day will be the largest event in Sydney since the 2000 Olympics and will be Pope Benedict XVI's first papal visit to Australia. The numbers at the closing outdoor Mass could be as high as 500,000 worshippers.
Mark Vaile, Australian deputy prime minister and a Catholic, extended his government's welcome to Pope Benedict at the launch. Vaile said local participation in World Youth Day would "show the respect we have as a nation to" the pope.
Vaile confirmed that the Australian government would waive the visa application charge for World Youth Day pilgrims and issue three-month visas to all registered visitors.
World Youth Day organizers also released a new DVD "Sydney: Witness the Spirit," which is available online for international distribution. The DVD features testimonials from young Australians and imagery of the Australian landscape.
Australian cardinal launches countdown to World Youth Day 2008