, Mar 10, 2008 / 04:39 pm (CNA).- Some 350 young people from the island of Guam will travel to Australia to attend World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney, thanks to the efforts of local Catholics.  The young people have raised the money for their trip through cultural events, fairs, sporting events and donations from foreign organizations.

The local WYD coordinator, Tarsila Muth, said this time of preparation is of great spiritual benefit to the young people and has created strong bonds between them.

Muth said the Church in Guam hopes “that young people of Guam will have the chance to rediscover their baptismal call and the centrality of the sacraments of the Eucharist and Reconciliation, and thus discover a new apostolic zeal for bearing fuller witness to the Gospel in the modern world.”

Many organizations and communities, such as the Sisters of Mercy of Australia, are also providing help to young people traveling to WYD from Peru, South Africa, Papua New Guinea, Cambodia, East Timor, Samoa, the Philippines and other countries.

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