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Group set for World Youth Day
archived from: 2008-06-30
by: John Franko

Bishop David Zubik will lead more than 600 young people and their chaperones from throughout the diocese who will travel to Sydney, Australia, for World Youth Day 2008.

With less than 10,000 pilgrims expected from the United States, the Pittsburgh contingent is thought to be among the largest in the country for the July 15-20 event.

The total number of registrants is expected to be around 225,000, with 125,000 international visitors. Organ-izers estimate as many as 500,000 could show up for the closing Mass July 20.

The largest contingent from the diocese — some 525 — will travel with Youthtowne in Clinton. Various parishes will sponsor trips, as will the Department for Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

The 45 members of the Department for Youth and Young Adult Ministry contingent will leave July 7 to take part in Days in the Diocese service projects in Auckland, New Zealand.

The projects will include planting trees on river banks and taking part in a mini-Olympics.

“They’ll really get a chance to experience what youth ministry is like in New Zealand,” said Joyce Gillooly, director of the Department for Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

Pilgrims from All Saints in Etna will take part in service projects in Brisbane, Australia.

The World Youth Day gathering will give the young people the opportunity to celebrate their faith with Pope Benedict XVI. He will arrive July 17 and will preside at the July 19 vigil and July 20 closing Mass.

Gillooly pointed out that the gathering will differ from previous events in that the vigil and closing Mass will be held in the heart of Sydney, as opposed to an outlying area.

Plans are in the works for a July 18 holy hour for the Pittsburgh contingent.

A gathering for the entire United States is being planned for July 19, with some 51 bishops expected to attend.

“A lot of interesting things are going to happen,” Gillooly said.

Bishop Zubik is set to celebrate an afternoon Mass July 12 in the chapel at Pittsburgh International Airport prior to his group’s departure. He will be accompanied by diocesan seminarians.

The formal diocesan send-off will be held June 30 at St. Paul Cathedral in Pittsburgh’s Oakland neighborhood. The sacrament of penance will be offered at 6 p.m., followed by a Mass at 7 p.m.

More information on World Youth Day is available at: www.wyd2008.org.

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