• Home
• About Us
• Mission
• Learning
• Schools
• Employment
• Resources
• Contact

A A A

• Structure
• Diocesan Map
• Mission Statement
• Key Dates
• Site Map

   

    

 

 

 

        

      World Youth Day 2008 

Broken Bay Year 12 Celebrate World Youth Day Unleashed

 

Tony Cunneen shares his story of this wonderful event.

There is something particularly energizing in being with a large group of ebullient yet well-behaved young people who have come together for a common purpose. The Broken Bay Diocese Year 12 World Youth Day Cross and Icon Event at Oxford Falls on Tuesday 18 March showed just how powerful such activities can be.  It was a great introduction to World Youth Day activities to come in July this year.

The Broken Bay event brought together over 1600 Year 12 students, 150 school staff from across the Diocese, as well as people from the Catholic Schools Office and the Curia who organized and managed the event.  The liturgy was certainly not a traditional form but specifically aimed to connect with young people.

Students had their own choice of clothing so instead of the usual islands of school uniforms there was a kaleidoscope of colours, styles and outfits which suited the clear blue skies. There was a real sense of purpose in the air – perhaps due in part to how well managed the whole process was.  Broken Bay presented the WYD message as being all about telling young people that “we need you”.  The Church needs the youth, passion, energy and enthusiasm of its young people.

 

The WYD Cross and the Icon of Mary were the centerpieces for the event. Millions have carried the WYD Cross around the world.  It has been borne on dog sleds, jet planes, pilgrims’ shoulders, fishing boats, surf boats and all manner of vehicles.  The WYD Cross has visited all manner of places of tragedy such as Ground Zero in New York, Rwanda and Buchenwald Concentration Camp.  It has been through schools, nightclubs, processions, carnivals and cathedrals.  The WYD Cross brings a message of peace, hope and reconciliation to anywhere it goes.  Oxford Falls was no exception.  Suntanned surfer kids, bulked up footballers, intense musicians, stunning young people of all shapes and sizes welcomed the WYD Cross. The liturgies were honest, imaginative and superbly produced.

In his address, Bishop David Walker described all those present as part of the ‘family of Christ’. “When we send you out from Catholic schools, we hope you have something to offer.  It costs to love.  That’s the message of World Youth Day.”

 

It’s easy to be cynical about things.  It’s easy to expect one liturgy to be like another and fail to see the success someone else is having.  Broken Bay is working hard to show its young people that the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection can be easily applicable to the world of today.  The day was not for everyone:  it was for young people and it worked splendidly.  If this is anything to go on, World Youth Day will be quite an event.

Tony Cunneen
Promotions Co-ordinator
St Pius X College, Chatswood.