World Youth Day 2016

Blessed are the Merciful, for they shall receive Mercy (Matthew 5:7). This was the theme of the 31st World Youth Day which was held in Krakow Poland. World Youth Day – which runs for a week – is the global gathering of millions of young Catholics who meet one another and with the Holy Father to share in their Catholic Faith and love of Jesus and his Church. This year, Catholic Regional College Sydenham had one staff member and five students attend this global Catholic gathering. This was alongside a larger group of 330 Victorian pilgrims, which was a part of a community of 3 million pilgrims from around the world.  For two weeks we learned, experienced and grew closer to our Catholic faith through Catechesis with Cardinal Timothy Dolan (New York, USA) and Archbishop Christopher Prowse (Canberra and Goulburn, Australia), Stations of the Cross and a vigil and mass with our Holy Father, Pope Francis. We also experienced an incredible “Night of Mercy” which was a night of Praise and Worship, and Adoration of Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament. Personally speaking, this World Youth Day for me was a chance to reflect on my relationship with Jesus and how I can be an instrument of his love and mercy to my brothers and sisters in Christ. 

Wendy Smith

World Youth Day 2016 was probably one of the most incredible experiences of my life so far. The bubbling atmosphere of over 3 million youth was an incredible witness to the Catholic faith and global church, and one that not only inspired me to go deeper in my faith but learn more about the church and its teachings. The festivals and people I met on a daily basis were filled with joy and happiness, a glimpse of hope much needed amongst the constant suffering and turmoil our world has experienced within the last year. 

A highlight for me was attending the 'Night of Mercy' festival at Krakow's Tauron Arena where over 20,000 young people gathered together for a night of praise, worship and adoration lead by renowned Christian artists, Matt Maher and Audrey Assad. The upbeat music in the arena got everybody on their feet, and the presence of God was felt by many in my group including myself. To be among so many passionate young Catholics from all different nations and cities is a true representation of solidarity in both our Catholic family and our global community. Although not everybody in the arena knew English or the lyrics well, music was the universal language that brought us all together to celebrate our love for Christ and his unending mercy for us all. 

Geraldine, VYTILINGAM

World Youth Day was an amazing and empowering experience for myself. Held in Kraków, Poland, youth from all around the world came together through pilgrimage to celebrate their faith life and to discover what it means to be a young Catholic in the 21st century. An exhilarating atmosphere surrounded everyone in the small city of Kraków, with people chanting and singing as well as being reflective and quiet while attentively listening to Pope Francis' words of advice to young people. It was interesting to see how faith can make people stronger and empower them to fight injustice in our world.

Papa Francesco (Pope Francis) calls young people to not be 'couch potatoes', and to fight for our futures. He calls us to leave a mark on the world. We are not here to be comfortable, we are here for greatness! This experience has taught me how important each and every one of us are and how together young people can change the world for the better! We are the present and the future and we can fight to live in a world which is more merciful and peaceful.

Andrew Owen

How fortunate I feel to have been a part of such a special event, amongst 3 million others from all across the globe, sharing the same values and beliefs of faith. World Youth Day for me has definitely opened my eyes to the mercy shown throughout the nations through the love of God. I found it so easy to connect and build relationships with those around me. The silence of 18,000 during adoration at Matt Maher's concert had me in awe! Everyone so focused on the Eucharistic Presence of Christ; the moment is just indescribable, and left me in goosebumps. Another highlight for me was the closing weekend of World Youth Day. I, along with 3 million others, made a pilgrimage walk to “Campus Misericordiae,” or the “Field of Mercy. Here we celebrated a vigil with Pope Francis and slept out on the field overnight. On the Sunday morning, we woke up to the celebration of Mass with Pope Francis! An experience that I will always treasure.

Maree Calleja

World Youth Day experience during the Papal mass:

A Papal mass with the Holy Father himself has made me come to a realisation that not only is this gathering a miracle, but that life itself is a miracle. It is a blessing. It is an opportunity to hear the cries of the world. It is an opportunity to be instruments of mercy to the world. Now, more than ever, is the time for mercy. Today’s world demands that we be protagonists of history because life is always beautiful when we choose to live it fully, when we choose to leave a mark.

"Are you up to this? What answer will you give, with your hands and with your feet, to the Lord, who is the way, the truth and the life?" - Pope Francis, World Youth Day 2016.

So my brothers and sisters, I encourage you to fully immerse yourselves with God, to dig deeper in your hearts, to hear the whisperings and callings God may ask of you for the world

Alexander Celestial