For those who don't know I have started a new job (third week) with World Youth Day 2008 (WYD) as the Sacristy Manager, it is a huge job, a huge responsibility and a huge honour. Basically my task is making sure that all the Mass sites (about 300) are equipped and that we have the people in place for the massive task of the distribution of Holy Communion to an approximate 500000 pilgrims in the final Mass. The entire event is absolutely massive, on every level there are people working so hard to make this coming World Youth Day come together, they all really need your prayers. Maybe you could pray the WYD prayer each day.
Now there are many people with many varying opinions of WYD and whether it is good, bad or a waste of time and money. Most of your garden variety pagans (such as in the media) don't really get what the Church is trying to achieve so I'm not even going to bother commenting on them here. There are good catholics though who really question the effectiveness of such an event and I think there point does require some thought (atleast as much as I can give it during this lunch break).
It is true that WYD is very very costly and it is a massive drain on the resources and finances of the Church in Australia and most especially in Sydney. In Sydney there are many good people who seem to be over it all before it has already begun. To me though WYD is a response, a very large response to the call of Christ to go out and preach the Good News. I see it very much like the parable of the sower, we are going out and casting seed far and wide, some will fall on good soil and yield a rich harvest, some will produce temporary results and some will fall on bad soil and have no effect. WYD will be a spring board for many people to get back into their faith and see Jesus in a whole new light, as their Lord and God. WYD is not the only way to spread the message of Christ, individual contact and guidance will always be the best way but as a Church we need to keep looking for new ways and methods to spread the word and WYD at this point is time has become an effective vehicle for many people. Remember the Church and all her resources exist to save souls...that is her preeminent task.
At Mass today Father made a very good point. He was encouraging us to always keep going regardless of the challenge, regardless of those who mock or try to get in the way of the message. He spoke of Noah...here was this man who God asked to build an ark in the middle of the desert! Now if anything was going to look like a waste of time it was that. If we do our end, if we build our ark, God will do his end, he will do the impossible.
So in regards to WYD I say we push on, we keep doing the possible, we plan the biggest single gathering of young people in Australia and we pray that God will come to the party and touch the souls of those there present. 
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