The mission of the Pope visiting Australia as a pilgrim has been to "confirm" youth in "faith" and "open" their hearts to the "power of the Spirit of Christ and to the richness of His gifts" so as to send them as "a new generation of apostles to bring to world to Christ!", in the Pope’s own words at the final Mass of the XXIII World Youth Day at Sydney’s Randwick Hippodrome. The Holy Father called everyone’s attention to the fact that here in Australia, this "great south land of the Holy Spirit, all of us have had an unforgettable experience of the Spirit’s presence and power in the beauty of nature. Our eyes have been opened to see the world around us as it truly is: "charged", as the poet says, "with the grandeur of God", filled with the glory of His creative love".
"Here too, he added, in this great assembly of young Christians from all over the world, we have had a vivid experience of the Spirit’s presence and power in the life of the Church. We have seen the Church for what She truly is: the Body of Christ, a living community of love, embracing people of every race, nation and tongue, of every time and place, in the unity born of our faith in the Risen Lord". (to be continued)
