Australia—the Land Down Under—a land of mystery and intrigue filled with unique animals and lush vegetation, home to vast and varied ecosystems—a land that many people only dream of visiting.  For Srs. Maruchi Palomo, Margaret Ann Mire, and Clarice Suchy that dream became a reality for three weeks in July when we traveled to Sydney, Australia as volunteers for World Youth Day.

On July 4 we left Los Angeles, California as part of a group of 50 young religious from various congregations throughout the United States.  Our trip was sponsored by the Council of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR).  During our first week we volunteered in various capacities.  The three of us spent many hours in the Registration Call Center for WYD.  We answered hundreds of phone calls each day and assisted pilgrims with their various inquiries.  We also spent a day at the airport welcoming other volunteers and hundreds of pilgrims as they arrived in Australia.  It was wonderful to be able to meet so many young people from Vietnam, Colombia, Ecuador, Mexico, Spain, Germany, and various other countries.  The airport was filled with the festive singing of the different groups who were arriving.

When WYD began on July 15, our volunteer role shifted.  For several hours each day we assisted at the various reconciliation and adoration sites throughout Sydney.  It was truly inspiring to see the thousands of young people who spent time in prayer and received the sacrament of reconciliation.

When we weren’t working as volunteers we were able to attend the various youth festivals and catechetical events.  It was a wonderful opportunity to meet young people from all over the world and to share our faith.  Their energy and enthusiasm was uplifting. 

As always the culmination of WYD was the vigil and closing mass with the Holy Father.  The 250,000 young people were joined by another 300,000 Australians for these events.  We gathered to sing, to pray, to worship and to share the common bond of our faith. As we looked around at the sea of faces and flags from so many countries, we were reminded of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended on the first Christian community and impelled them to go out into the world spreading the good news of the gospel.  Our Holy Father Benedict XVI urged us to bring about a new Pentecost, a new birth in the Church and sent us back to our own countries to be missionaries and messengers of the good news.  He called us to witness to Christ’s love and compassion in our wounded world and to be fearless in our zeal for spreading the gospel.  The cheers and applause that welcomed these words of challenge assured us that the young Church is very much alive in our world today.

After WYD we enjoyed a few days of sightseeing in and around Sydney.  We visited beautiful beaches and walked the trails alongside cliffs and waterfalls in the Blue Mountains.  We were also able to view some of Australia’s unique wildlife including koalas, kangaroos, and wallabies.  We returned home with many wonderful memories of the land of Australia, the people we met and shared faith and life with, and the new friendships which were formed during our time together.  We give thanks to God for having had this opportunity to experience the universality of our Church which was so joyfully and wonderfully displayed in her young people during World Youth Day.

Page last modified: 12/24/2009
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