OCEANIA/NEW ZEALAND - “Think Big!”: Catholic Bishop of Auckland encourages his people to take part in World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008

Friday, 28 July 2006

Auckland (Agenzia Fides) - “Think big and be very generous!” is the call launched by New Zealand Bishop Patrick Dunn of the diocese of Auckland, to young people and people of all ages as Catholics in that part of the world prepare to host World Youth Day in July 2008 in Sydney Australia. In a Pastoral Letter the Bishop traces briefly the history and development of World Youth Day WYD events started by John Paul II, and outlines the programme encouraging as many people as possible to take part in this “experience of a life time”.
Recalling that the theme for these days, chosen by the Pope, is Acts Chapter 1, verse 8: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my Witnesses to the ends of the earth", the Bishop adds “some early European maps had referred to Australia as "The Great South Land of the Holy Spirit" [Terra Australis de Santo Spirito].
However WYD is not just about two weeks in July 2008, Bishop Dunn explains, there are three phases to World Youth Day in Sydney: phase one “right now and until June 2008” preparation through evangelisation, catechesis and prayer; phase two: July 2008 a “pilgrimage of faith which will provide for us all an encounter with Christ, with his Holy Spirit and with his Church”; and phase three from “August 2008, to 2028 and beyond to reap, please God, the fruits of our participation in WYD” .
“As we now begin this FIRST PHASE of our Preparations for the World Youth Days in Sydney I urge you to try to THINK BIG, and BE VERY GENEROUS - Bishop Dunn writes. “Try to imagine the impact on the life of the Church in NZ if we in Auckland Diocese were able to send 5,000 or more young people to these World Youth Days” he continues underlining that “World Youth Days will never again be this accessible to us in NZ” and for all who attend, “it will be the experience of a lifetime. Even in old age they will remember this encounter with the Successor of Peter and with hundreds of thousands of fellow Catholics from around the world.”
Bishop Dun gives the address of WYD website www.wyd2008.org, for all necessary information and says a New Zealand website will be opened later this year where people of all ages can register as ‘e-pilgrims’ for the next two years, receiving each month “some spiritual food” for the journey. Parish and communities are encouraged to establish WYD committees to determine how to assist as many young people as possible to get to Sydney in 2008. He also asks people to let the diocese know how many young pilgrims they can host for the marvellous experience of the Days in the Diocese leading up the 10-14 July 2008, now an integral part of WYD and stresses the importance of prayer suggesting that parishes should establish a weekly time of prayer and adoration for the success of these World Youth Days, a “time for renewal”.
“In an age when so many are "like sheep without a shepherd" [Mark 6:34], - the Bishop concludes - may our pilgrimage over the coming two years help us to listen anew to the voice of Jesus our Good Shepherd. May we experience a fresh outpouring of his Holy Spirit and truly be his witnesses "to the ends of the earth". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 28/7/2006 righe 39 parole 599)


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