WYD '08 least attended, best organized

So reports Andrew Rabel for Inside The Vatican magazine:

After week long celebrations, the final Mass of World Youth Day 2008 was celebrated by Pope Benedict in extraordinary fashion with the attendance a little over 400,000 persons at Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park, which was a splash of color with the flags of people from over 100 countries represented.

This means that the 23rd World Youth Day had the smallest crowd attendance in another country. (Previously that record was set by Denver in 1993 with a tally of 500,000 people, and there are no recorded figures for Buenos Aires in 1987.)

However, in the opinion of many overseas journalists this was the best organized, and certainly the most innovative, being held in winter among other reasons. According to Fr Matthew Gamber SJ of Chicago, "I have been to several WYD’s, and this was by far the best. Cologne a few years ago was a bit of a disaster in terms of logistics".

This year’s event was completely 21st century in the online nature of registrations and accreditation of other professionals, and before the event Cardinal Pell had launched http://www.xt3.com, a way WYD pilgrims could socially interact with each other, to which thousands had signed up for in just a couple of weeks.

The Stations of the Cross held through the streets of Sydney at some of its prominent landmarks, was for many the highlight of the six day event also drawing strong accolades in comparison to previous ones at other WYD’s.

Today’s Mass began in a spectacular way with helicopter fly over by the Pope and then a motorcade in his Popemobile.

This took place after 200,000 people slept the night out in the cold following the Evening Vigil at the racecourse.                                                                                     

Read the entire piece.

Comments

[Deacon Harold]

"The 23rd World Youth Day had the smallest crowd attendance in another country." So what!

This is the first time that WYD has been held in Oceania, which is a very expensive place for many pilgrims to travel. I would surmise that, given today's technology and the great gift of EWTN, more people "attended" WYD via the Internet or satellite than ever before.

It should also be noted that more people attended WYD than did the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

[Ed Peters]

exactly, deacon.

[Steve Jalsevac]

Sydney's World Youth Day was spectacular but I have to admit, after watching the modernistic Way of the Cross, the Toronto one was more moving and powerful. It was awesome in its fidelity, realism and sometimes spine tingling musical accompaniment.

Being right there and following along from one station to another was a religious experience that I will never forget. The convincing, manly Christ actor carrying the heavy cross to the bitter end evoked true sorrow and gratitude for what Christ did for us.

However, that does not take away from the awesome organization and success of WYD 2008. And yes, it was undoubtedly the most watched WYD in history. The world has been blessed by it.

[Adrian Ng]

Having been at Cologne, I didn't experience the disastrous logistics that Fr Gamber described. Instead, there were a few frustrating moments at Sydney. Firstly, the transfer from the pre-WYD to homestay/schools was a mess. We were expected out of the Olympic park in the morning but the homestay/schools were only open at 4pm to receive pilgrims. No satisfactory solution was given where to store the luggage as we didn't want to waste 1 day when we could visit the city. Secondly, the sound system and the projection screens were not adequate or in a position that enabled our focus. Thirdly, it was hard to pay attention to the Stations because the open air environment where we were sitting wasn't prayer-conducive. Fourthly, there weren't proper signs at strategic places in the Exhibition Centre on what sessions were happening where; this was particularly frustrating as some venues were changed. Fifthly, the organisers said that groups that are linked will be given a same location for accommodation- that didn't happen. Sixthly, at Randwick, they didn't put the map for the place in strategic locations but hung it on the volunteers neck. Seventhly, Communion was disorganised- my parish priest even found a piece of host on the ground. Eighthly, one time, I waited one hour for dinner. Ninethly, I thought that the souvenir shirts etc were extremely overpriced.

Don't misunderstand; I'm not saying that Sydney didn't do a great job. But to suggest that it was logistically better organised that Cologne, no. The programmes at Sydney were awesome - Matt Maher, Hillsongs, Christopher West, John Pridmore, better liturgy....That makes it the best WYD for me!