The international meeting «Sydney 2008 - Madrid 2011»

From April 3 to 5, 2009, in the city of Rome (Italy), an international meeting was held on the theme «Sydney 2008 - Madrid 2011,» organized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, in particular by the Youth Section. All those responsible for World Youth Day (WYD), namely, those responsible for youth ministry in the entire world, took part. The meeting had more than 150 participants, delegates from the world’s conferences of bishops. The prefect of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, began the meeting with a word of welcome. Then Fr Eric Jacquinet, responsible for the Youth Section, spoke. The first day of the meeting (April 3, 2009 A.D.) was dedicated to an evaluation report on the WYD which took place in Sydney on July 13-20, 2008 A.D. Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell and Bishop Anthony Fisher talked about the fruits of WYD 2008. The participants of the meeting had the opportunity to share the various experience of the daily life of their groups at WYD 2008, with the difficulties that arose on the way of preparation and because of daily life in Australia; they personally thanked the organizers for good work. The afternoon session was devoted to the theme of «WYD in youth ministry.» Delegates as they wished shared their own experiences of how WYD influences local ministry and what fruits and consequences it brings. The main thought of this session is to encourage local episcopal conferences to foster the conduct and spread of the tradition of WYD at the local level so that WYD becomes the model of ordinary youth ministry. The day ended with a pontifical Divine Liturgy which was celebrated by Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell. The second day (April 4, 2009 A.D.) was devoted to the preparation of the next international WYD in the city of Madrid (Spain), which will take place in 2011. Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, head of the Episcopal Conference of Spain, and Bishop Cesar Augusto Franco Martínez came for the meeting; they presented the meaning of WYD for the Church of Spain, youth ministry in Spain, the structure of the Church in Spain, and conducted introductory dynamics of ministry on the way to preparations for WYD 2011. Before lunch a pontifical Divine Liturgy took place, which was celebrated by Cardinal Antonio Maria Ruoco Varela. After lunch, at the regular meeting of the Organizing Committee of WYD 2011 was presented plans for the conduct of WYD 2011 and the stages of spiritual preparation of youth for WYD. The participants of the meeting had the opportunity to express their wishes to the organizing committee with suggestions to better organize WYD 2011 in Madrid. At the end Bishop Josef Clemens made a detailed analysis of the message of Pope Benedict XVI on the occasion of the 26th WYD, 2009. In his closing speech, Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko thanked all for their participation in the meeting. The day ended with dinner outside the city, to which the archbishop of Madrid invited the participants of the meeting and 1200 young people from Spain. On the third day (April 5, 2009 A.D.) a solemn Divine Liturgy was celebrated by His Holiness Benedict XVI on Saint Peter’s Square, the Vatican, on the occasion of Palm Sunday, as WYD 2009 took place. During the Liturgy the youth of Australia passed the cross of WYD to Spanish youth. On this occasion 7000 Spanish young people were present. The Holy Father in his sermon noted the value of WYD and thanked the organizing committees of Australia and Spain, and also the participants of the meeting «Sydney 2008 - Madrid 2011» for the support of a tradition established by Pope John Paul II of blessed memory.

Andriy Hakh,
Patriarchal Commission of the UGCC on Youth Matters

Translated by the Information Department of the UGCC