The end of a voyage

The pilgrims sing the WYD theme song "Receive the Power" one last time at the Bishop O'Connor Center Friday. (Catholic Herald photo by Kat Wagner)

MADISON — All good things must come to an end, as the saying goes, and the Diocese of Madison pilgrimage to WYD08 has too come to a close. The 75 pilgrims arrived back in Madison Friday afternoon exhausted and fatigued, but full of the Holy Spirit after “receiving the power” in Sydney, Australia for the past two weeks.

The teaching of the Church

Bishop Robert C. Morlino recites the prayers of the Extraordinary Form of the Mass, commonly known as the Tridentine Mass, at St. Augustine Parish in Sydney (Catholic Herald photo by Ben Emmel)

SYDNEY — Bishop Robert Morlino capped off the diocesan pilgrimage to Australia for World Youth Day by celebrating an Extraordinary Form of the Mass Wednesday.

‘Go forth to proclaim the Risen Lord’

His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI thanks the pilgrims during the Final Mass at Southern Cross Precinct. (Photo by World Youth Day)

SYDNEY — With the joyous celebration of a Final Mass Sunday, Pope Benedict XVI inspired the youth of the world and brought WYD 2008 to a close with an exhoration for the young people to be “burning with the fire and love of the Holy Spirit.”

Joy and wonder with the Holy Father

Pope Benedict XVI greets the Sisters of Life as they reach out to touch him at the Mass and Dedication of the Altar held in St. Mary's Cathedral Saturday (Catholic Herald photo by Ben Emmel)

SYDNEY — At a time where most in the city were sleeping, including many pilgrims exhausted by the non-stop activity of World Youth Day, the seminarians for the Diocese of Madison were awake, dressed in cassocks, and standing outside St. Mary’s Cathedral in the brisk morning air.

Gathered under the Southern Cross

From left, Theresa Ptak, Anna Schiedemayer, Lucy Ptak, and Erik Duhn prayer with the Holy Father at Randwick Racecourse Saturday night. (Catholic Herald photo by Ben Emmel)

SYDNEY — Illuminated by candlelight, and united under the night sky at Randwick Racecourse, 235,000 pilgrims joined Pope Benedict XVI in prayer at the Evening Vigil Saturday night. The Holy Father led the prayer and song for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, as he explained in his homily.

Bringing the Cross to the World

Jesus is helped by Simon of Cyrene is performed as part of Stations of the Cross at Darling Harbour during World Youth Day Sydney 2008 on July 18, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by World Youth Day)

SYDNEY — In what could be the most spiritual event yet at World Youth Day, the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI, joined an estimated 270,000 people around Sydney for the Stations of the Cross. The thirteen stations, based on a contemporary Scripture-based meditation, were located at all the major WYD events, including the Sydney Opera House, Darling Harbor, and the Barangaroo area.

Bringing the Spirit down upon the world

Carrie Bowden, left, and Theresa Ptak, both Madison pilgrims at World Youth Day 2008, show their joy at the presence of the Holy Father in Sydney, Australia. (Catholic Herald photo by Ben Emmel)

SYDNEY — After months of anticipation, and years of preparation in Sydney, the Holy Father made an grand appearance in Sydney today for the young people gathered at World Youth Day 2008. Thousands of pilgrims were gathered at sites around the city of Sydney, where the Pope first appeared in a “boat-a-cade,” traveling on a yacht through the harbor and greeting the youth amassed on shore.

‘Come, come O Breath of God’

A view of the Sanctuary during the Opening Mass of Welcome of World Youth Day Sydney 2008 at Barangaroo on July 15, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by World Youth Day)

SYDNEY — World Youth Day has begun! Cardinal George Pell of Sydney celebrated the opening Mass of Welcome yesterday, and the pilgrims of the world (not just Madison!) are ready to celebrate their faith, no matter what the difficulty.

Australian rules: Not just football

The Wisconsin pilgrims battle out a game of "footy," or Australian-rules football, against the youth of St. Peter Chanel Parish in Deer Park. (Catholic Herald photo by Ben Emmel)

SYDNEY — Tomato sauce, biscuits, and football: seem straight forward? Not in Australia. The different meaning of these words from their American definitions are only a few examples of the many small cultural differences between the US and Australia.

Receiving the power from the Holy Spirit

Greetings from Sydney!  The Madison youth have arrived safely at World Youth Day held in the largest city in Australia, and have been trying to settle in at Sacred Heart parish in the suburb of Mosman. I say “trying” because, in the journey by bus from Melbourne to Sydney, the luggage of all 72 pilgrims was lost in transit. While Fr. Paul Arinze, group leader, has furiously been tracking the missing bags down, the Madison youth are “roughing it” as true pilgrims on the way to Christ.

Today, Tuesday, is the opening Mass celebrated by Cardinal George Pell of Sydney. Over 225,000 pilgrims are here from every corner of the globe. As you walk the streets of the city, you see each group proudly wearing and displaying their national flag, singing hymns and cheering with each fellow pilgrim who passes by. Walking from the Sydney Opera House to the Darlington, one feels, as the WYD theme song goes, the power of the Holy Spirit present in all the Catholic youth, celebrating their faith.