Diocese invites young adults on pilgrimage to Australia

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
Sept. 6, 2007

The Bishop of Sioux City was a priest in Denver when Pope John Paul II inspired hundreds of thousands of young adults at the 1993 World Youth Day.

"Ever since that time I have been very impressed with the faith of the young people who attended that World Youth Day and were so impressed with the holiness of Pope John Paul II," said Bishop R. Walker Nickless, bishop of Sioux City. "It changed the whole city of Denver."

The bishop found it to be a profound experience and now he wants young adults from the Diocese of Sioux City to consider attending World Youth Day in July of 2008 in Sydney, Australia.

Diocese to coordinate pilgrimage

Jessica LaFleur Malm, diocesan director of youth and young adult ministry, said the diocese is coordinating a pilgrimage for young adults to Australia for World Youth Day.

"It is targeted for young adults ages 18 to 35," said LaFleur.

The diocese would like college students, young adults - whether married or single - and families to attend. Families could be young adults with small children or middle-aged adults with teenage children.

She explained that in this country the word youth is associated with teenagers, while in other countries that word refers to young adults.

"If individuals would like to go, they don't have to worry about getting a group together from their own parish," she said. "If an individual or family is interested in attending World Youth Day, they should talk to me and I will work with them on planning the pilgrimage."

LaFleur's office will make arrangements for the trip - flights, lodging and registration for World Youth Day. She is also compiling suggestions for fundraisers on the local level.

Her goal is to have 35 to 50 people take part in the pilgrimage, which is a journey to a holy place as a form of religious devotion.

Experience Christ in universal church

"This is a pilgrimage to experience Christ through the international, universal church," said La Fleur. "People from all over the world will be there."

World Youth Day, she noted, is expected to provide a moving and sanctifying pilgrimage in faith. It will enable young adults and families to experience the power of the Holy Spirit to strengthen their faith while rediscovering the centrality of the Word and sacrament. It will also enable the pilgrims to be witnesses of Christ.

In his message for World Youth Day 2008, Pope Benedict said he hoped a huge crowd of young people would join him in Australia, July 15-20.

The international gathering will include catechetical teaching sessions each morning and festival events in afternoon and evening. Participants will have chance to renew their promises made at baptism and confirmation as well as attend Mass celebrated by the pope.

The theme of World Youth Day 2008 is: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses."

First WYD in 1986

In 1984, Pope John Paul II announced 1985 as a Jubilee year for the Catholic Church. In an effort to recognize the growing youth of the church, he invited them from around the world to travel to Rome for Palm Sunday in March of 1986. He declared that day to be the first World Youth Day, and that the youth should go back to their home towns and communities and celebrate their new-found fellowship and continue the tradition for each year to follow.

"The church has much to say to young people, and they have much to say to the church. This mutual dialogue must be open-hearted, clear and courageous. It fosters an encounter and exchange between the generations and becomes a source of wealth and youth for the Church and society," said Pope John Paul II.

Bishop Nickless said John Paul II started World Youth Days as a means to tap into the enthusiasm of the youth of the world.

"It has been very successful all of these years. Many vocations to the priesthood and consecrated life have come from the experience that young people have had at World Youth Days," he said. "Also youth who truly want to grow in their Catholic faith become stronger in that faith and become good husbands, good wives in good marriages in the future."

LaFleur said this would be a wonderful spiritual experience for young adults.

"Young adult ministry is not where I would like it to be yet in this diocese. We have a hole a in our ministry and World Youth Day could help fill that hole," she said. "World Youth Day is an opportunity for parishes to support their young adults in the pilgrimage."

Bishop Nickless said he would love to have young adults from this diocese attend World Youth Day because he knows "it will change their lives. I want to assure them that just being there with people who believe will have a wonderful effect on their own faith life."

Bishop Nickless encouraged people to pray for the success of World Youth Day.

Anyone interested in this pilgrimage should contact LaFleur at (712) 233-7561 or e-mail her at jessical@scdiocese.org.