(From our Sydney correspondents) – It does not matter if you are wearing a uniform, you can still be a pilgrim. To prove this, 200 military personnel from Australia, Germany, France and Canada – led by Max Davis, the military ordinary bishop – gathered in front of Sydney’s Opera House to meet with WYD youths. Huddled in their uniforms, they met with pilgrims and talked to them: "We want them to understand that Catholic servicemen and women are working for peace Australian Lieutenant Colonel Frederic Assouad explained to be honest I believe that maybe the mission in Iraq was a mistake, but people should not forget that we, Australian soldiers, have always worked for peace, even if we wear pips. And I am thinking about missions such as East Timor, in Indonesia, where we helped local populations after earthquakes or civil wars. Serving in the military is a way for us to be useful to your country." It is quite common to see servicemen and women amongst the crowds of young people hailing for peace Canadian Lieutenant David Chee reiterated this is often just a uniform, we can testify to faith and peace even if we wear one". With this initiative, Australia has been the first country to involve young service men and women in WYD.
