Pope Chooses Theme for Next World Youth Day

Catholic News Service reports that Pope Benedict XVI has chosen the theme for the next three WYD celebrations. The next international gathering will be held August 16-21, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. According to a Dec. 16 press release, the theme for that event will be "Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith," taken from the second chapter of St. Paul's Letter to the Colossians.

The 2009 and 2010 celebrations, which take place on a diocesan level, will have the themes: "We have set our hope on the living God," and "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?"

The pope apparently chose all three times ahead of time "to help build a spiritual itinerary" that will lead to the 2011 International WYD in Madrid.

-- Tim Drake

Our Daily Blog: NCRegister.com

Greetings from Pope2008.com! As time runs out on this blog, the Register is maintaining a new daily blog at www.NCRegister.com.

There you'll find:

DAILY BLOG. Contributing editor Tom McFeely finds the significant news stories you would otherwise miss.

PRINT EDITION. A slideshow presentation shows a few of the features in our newest issue. Beneath it, you’ll find all the Register stories from our print edition. All are FREE to subscribers; some are FREE to all.

HOT TOPICS. We have also provided a NEW list of hot topics — important stories that are key to understanding current events.

DAILY UMBERT. You’ll also now find a daily “Umbert” cartoon linked right from the home page.

MORE. And that's not all. Go and take a look ...

— Tom Hoopes

Benedict and 'Bernadette'

Candelight Procession

Lourdes in the Rain

Soubirous Lourdes Home

Gargoyles Watch the Pope

Paris Mass

Notre Dame Arrival

Deus Caritas Est

Huge Welcome

Notre Dame Vespers

Outside Notre Dame

Notre Dame Cathedral

The Pope and the President in Paris

The Pope Arrives in France

Benedict XVI a la France

The Holy Father leaves for France Friday, arriving at Paris's Orly airport around 11am CET. Although he is principally in the country to celebrate the 150th anniversary celebrations of the apparitions of Our Lady at Lourdes, the visit is also being seen as an opportunity to revive France’s flagging faith.

Western Europe continues to face what John Paul II termed a “silent apostasy”, and that’s particularly true in France – a nation whose radical secularity dates back to the French Revolution. Church attendance in the country is one of the lowest in Europe, with 79 percent of Catholics reportedly not attending Sunday Mass.

The Pope is therefore to give a keynote speech on Sept. 12 when he meets with representatives from the world of culture at the Collège des Bernardins. He will also meet Muslim representatives – two years to the day since he made his controversial lecture at the University of Regensburg.

The Vatican says he has devoted plenty of time and energy to his speech; it’s likely to he will address the theme of how science and faith can mutually benefit each other, and why it’s important to have what he calls a ‘healthy secularity’ in which religion can play a role and contribute to the common good in society. It's a view for which President Nicolas Sarkozy also has sympathy. The French president was insistent that the Pope visit Paris on his way to Lourdes - a request the Vatican accepted.

While in Paris, the Pope will celebrate Vespers with priests and religious and hold an open air Mass. On Saturday, he flies to Lourdes where he will visit the Grotto of the Apparations, lead a Eucharistic procession, and celebrate Mass.

The Pope will be particularly looking forward to this visit: he is a great fan of French culture and speaks French almost like a native.

Compared to the tremendous reception he received in the US in April, and the impressive crowds he drew in Australia for World Youth Day, this visit will probably be more of a muted affair, but a visit no less important.

EP

World Youth Day Follow-up

It's been a month since World Youth Day, but there are still signs of the success that Sydney witnessed those five days in July.

Reports I've been hearing say that Theology on Tap has drawn larger crowds, and Theology on Tap has started in some places (Brisbane) where it didn't exist before.

A report from The Age, says that the Sydney airport set a record with 20,398 passengers passing through the airport on Sunday, July 13, making July its busiest-ever arrivals month.

Here's a diary of sorts from a Kuwait Catholic about her WYD experience.

Here's a story about WYD SYD's impact on some Canadian youth. Here's another about youth from Virginia.

Some youth were so taken by Australia that they want to stay. Perhaps you've seen the stories about the 20 or so youth, mostly from African countries, who are seeking asylum in Australia.

Some readers have asked about DVDs or videos of the "Stations of the Cross." I believe that SBS had all the video rights for covering the events in Sydney. If anyone will be producing such a video, I imagine it will be them.

-- Tim Drake

The School of Benedict and You

Tom Hoopes here. Welcome to Pope2008.com. I'll be your guide as you tour the museum. Make sure and sign in (as the Pope is doing above, on vacation, at a museum devoted to Josef Freinademetz, a 19th century saint who died as a missionary in China).

Actually, "museum" sounds too static ... too historical. Think of this as a school.

The Holy Father, the Vicar of Christ, the on-earth head of the visible Church, went out of his way this year to give specially tailored messages just for Americans, youth of the world, Catholics of all kinds ... in other words, you and me.

Our job is to ensure that his efforts don't become — as Father Owen Kearns, our publisher put it to me yesterday — a "pebble dropped in a pond." That means we can't let those words slip into the past. We need to make sure they march into the future, through us.

Look through Pope2008.com to be informed, inspired, and equipped. See:

• July, when World Youth Day was in full swing
• June, when Tim Russert's passing and Bush's Vatican tour reminded us of the Pope's importance
• May, when the true impact of the April U.S. visit was starting to sink in
• and April, when Peter walked among us in our own streets ...

Also, make sure and check out the news at our host site:

• National Catholic Register, ncRegister.com

Discover the newest blog from our publisher, Circle Media:

• FaithandFamilyLIVE.com

And if you are truly into Benedict XVI, do yourself the favor of checking out Circle Press for:

• Benedict of Bavaria and other great titles.

Enjoy!

The Pope Assesses WydSyd

It will be comforting to our intrepid correspondent Tim Drake to know the Holy Father seems to share his assessment of World Youth Day in Sydney and its effect on the press. Last Wednesday the Holy Father held his annual summer Q&A session with priests. The first question came from a seminarian who'd just returned from Sydney and wanted some advice about keeping the flame of the Holy Spirit enkindled in his heart after such an uplifting experience. Building up to his answer, Benedict XVI made some preliminary observations about the WYDSYD:

I’m also happy to hear that you, along with others, were in Sydney, where in a great festival of the faith we all together experienced precisely the youthfulness of the church. For the Australians, too, it was a great experience. In the beginning they looked at this World Youth Day with great skepticism, because obviously it could have created many problems in daily life, many inconveniences, such as traffic delays and so on. But in the end – and this was seen also by the media, whose prejudices were disassembled piece by piece – everyone felt caught up in the atmosphere of joy and of faith.

Emphasis mine. Read the entire Q&A session in unofficial translation here, or the official version (if you read Italian) here.

Can WYD Make a Difference Down Under?

Now that I've returned home and recovered from the incredible trip to World Youth Day in Sydney, the question everyone is wondering is whether WYD can have a long-lasting impact in Australia?

I've been asked to address the issue on a couple of Catholic radio programs (here and here) over the past couple of weeks. Actually, the Sacred Heart Radio interview will be early tomorrow (Wednesday) morning for any Cincinnati readers.

Certainly, WYD has already impacted the country in a positive way, just by allowing people of faith the opportunity to publicly display their faith on the streets. That is something that hasn't happened for a long time in Australia, and from the Australians I spoke with, they were delighted to be given permission and support to do so.

Does that mean Sunday Mass is going to instantly transform into a youth-friendly experience at most Australian parishes? Not likely. One secular correspondent wrote during WYD that the excitement of the week led her to go back to Mass for the first time in a long time. She then wrote of her disappointment with the homily and the lack of energy at that particular service, suggesting that her experience wouldn't lead her to a long-lasting return.

That seems mightily unfair. Had she perhaps attended a service hosted by Net Ministries or at a Catholic university chapel, she may have had a completely different experience.

Of course, the proof will be in the weeks and months ahead, as WYD takes root, and those energized by the week in Sydney go back to their parishes to reinvigorate the youth groups and efforts taking place throughout the country.

Then there are the religious vocations. Religious vocations always stem from WYD. That's a fact. However, not only will Australia be the recipient of religious vocations, but they also will be receiving some sisters from younger American orders who will be engaging in ministry in Australia. In a country which hasn't witnessed habited nuns on its streets in a generation, the sight of young, vibrant sisters engaged in university and other ministries cannot help but have a positive impact on the Church in Australia.

For a look on how the event has been reported on after-the-fact, here are a few articles of note. This article from Australia's public radio described the event as a "logistical success" and "spiritual and organizational triumph." TV New Zealand has this article wrapping up WYD. This opinion piece from the Sydney Morning Herald states that "pilgrims from across the globe melted a cynical city's heart." You'll find some compelling editorials on WYD here at The Australian. This article states that Australians rate the Pope a "top bloke." Finally, here's a great summary piece by none other than Cardinal George Pell, the man most responsible for bringing WYD to Australia.

-- Tim Drake

Scenes From Down Under

The Register has just put up another photo slideshow: This one is called "Memories" and gives you highlights from World Youth Day 2008. Find the slideshow here. And don't forget to check out all of Tim Drake's Register stories about the events. Enjoy!

-- Tom Hoopes

Stations of the Cross Slideshow

A slideshow of highlights from the Sydney Stations of the Cross is up at the ncRegister.com, named "Amazing Grace" after one of the songs sung ... Click here to see it. On Friday, Tim's astonishing interview with the actors who played Jesus and Mary will be available for non-subscribers.

-- Tom Hoopes

Home Never Looked So Good

Nearly 36 hours after my travel saga began at the Sydney Airport, I'm finally back in Minnesota, waiting for my plane to depart on the final leg of my journey. I've been so blessed: A trip to Australia, unforgettable encounters with the Pope and with pilgrims, and now a safe journey halfway across the world! As my editor Tom Hoopes says (literally): With all of that, it would be unthinkable to complain. But God gave me a special added grace: To make me even happier to be home than I would have been already.

The Pilgrims' Pilgrimage Continues

Well, I'm now in Los Angeles with several hours to kill. Because of the lateness of our flight from Australia, I missed my connecting flights. Now I'm due to depart from LAX at midnight, arriving in Minneapolis at 5 a.m. and then departing Minneapolis for St. Cloud at  9 a.m.

Several pilgrims on the LAX-bound plane made the remark that "it's all a part of the pilgrimage." As tired and frustrated as they are, they maintain good spirits, entering into the spiritual benefits to be gained from their sacrifices. Pope Benedict XVI referred to these sacrifices in one of his later speeches, remarking on the difficulties facing many of the pilgrims in trying to get to a place that is so far away.

The pilgrimage continues...

Flight Update

It's 8:10 p.m., Tuesday, Australia-time. The latest information we've been given is that the plane has been repaired and we're due to board at 8:30 p.m. for a 9:00 p.m. departure. That means an arrival in Los Angeles around 5:00 p.m. More than likely there will be no outgoing Northwest flights to Minneapolis that late, so I'm probably stuck in Los Angeles for the evening. The saga of the long journey home continues...

Stuck in Sydney

Well, I thought I'd been released from airport purgatory and gone to "Heaven" when I discovered that not only was I in business class, but I was in the upper "bubble" on the 747 (a place I've never seen before) with 21 other passengers - complete with completely relaxing seats with a massage function, free champagne, a hot towel, free pajamas, and other amenities that we who fly in economy didn't even know were available. However, the promise of airport "Heaven" was short-lived. After two and a half hours, we were told to disembark and head back to the Qantas lounge. There were fueling problems and a loose panel on the wing.

So, I'm back in the lounge longing to be anywhere but here - knowing that it will now be impossible for me to make my next two connecting flights, and desiring to be home where I belong, with my wife and children.

Airport time, of course, is different than normal time. The captain tells you something will be 10 minutes, and 30-40 minutes later he comes on again with another update. And the lack of communication about what is really taking place is something found only in the airline industry. Therefore, we have no idea when we'll be flying out. It could be a couple hours. It could be four hours. It could be tomorrow. Sydney Airport has a flying curfew. No planes can depart or arrive between midnight and 6 a.m. to reduce noise in Sydney at night. So, if the problem isn't taken care of in the next five hours, we'll be here overnight.

As difficult as it is, I'm trying to offer my sufferings up for the woman sitting next to me. Her father passed away this past weekend and she's trying to make it to Dallas for the visitation on Wednesday and the funeral on Thursday. It's at times like this when you realize just how far away Australia is from the rest of the world. If you would, please say a prayer that this woman can make it home for her father's wake and funeral.

-- Tim Drake

Speaking with Madrid's Cardinal

While waiting in the Qantas lounge this afternoon, I had the opportunity to speak with Madrid Cardinal Antonio Maria Ruoco Varela. He and a group of priests and bishops from Spain were watching a YouTube video of Spanish pilgrims. Cardinal Varela and an auxiliary bishop told me that they were excited to be hosting WYD in 2011. According to the auxiliary bishop, Cardinal Varela was Archbishop of Compostela when WYD was held there. That means, that not only is Spain hosting WYD for a second time, but Cardinal Varela will be the first Archbishop to host WYD twice.

Sydney's Thank You

The day that the Pope left, there was a sky-writing plane in the sky over Sydney. As you can see, it spelled out the words "Grazia" - thank you - in the sky.

When it was finished spelling the word, a group of Italians near me erupted into cheers. Such is the spirit of World Youth Day.

For My Kids

I caught grief from my children last September when I returned home from Australia with no tales of encounters with Australia's indigenous animals, other than an encounter with a stuffed kangaroo in a Cairns retail store.

So, I could hardly escape Sydney without some encounter with Australia's wildlife. This morning, with about an hour before I had to depart for the airport (now it appears that could have been extended by four hours), I walked to the Darling Harbour Wildlife exhibit. There, all behind glass, were most of Australia's native species.

My children, especially Claire - our animal afficianado - and Peter - "Mr. Science" - will be happy to see the photos and hear the stories of my seeing the Aussie animals. At left was a younger kangaroo that took some curiosity to me.

Below, is an image of a sleeping koala. I was at the exhibit when the place first opened, so all of the koalas were still clinging to their trees sleeping.