.- Along with 20 bishops, 2,000 young people from England and Wales are traveling to Sydney to see Pope Benedict on his first visit to Australia. Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster expressed his excitement for the visit given the impact it will have on Australia and on the young people who attend.
“The Holy Father’s visit will be a blessing for the country in a very significant way,” explained Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor. “Australia exerts a strong fascination; many English and Welsh youngsters go there to work for a short period. It’s important that the youth of England and Wales should support World Youth Day, especially when it is being held in an English-speaking country.”
The cardinal continued by explaining that he is mostly looking forward to “meeting the young, not only those from our country but especially those from other countries.”
To assist in enriching the WYD experience, the Bishop’s Conference compiled a book of prayers for the English and Welsh pilgrims.
Those attending WYD will also be able to reach out to those unable to visit Sydney though diocesan blogs which will relate the experiences of over 30 pilgrims.
