(from our correspondents in Australia) Over 2,000 youngsters from England and Wales will arrive in Sydney, accompanied by 20 of the bishops of the 22 dioceses in the next few days, to participate in WYD with Benedict XVI. "It’s the first visit of the Pope to Australia", declared Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, Archbishop of Westminster, on his departure for the pilgrimage. "The Holy Father’s visit will be a blessing for the country in a very significant way. Australia exerts a strong fascination; many English and Welsh youngsters go there to work for a short period. It’s important that the youth of England and Wales should support WYD, especially when it is being held in an English-speaking country". The Cardinal described the activities of catechesis and meetings with the young planned during their stay in Australia, adding: "Meeting the young, not only those from our country but especially those from other countries will be for me the finest aspect of the journey". To help the young English and Welsh pilgrims, the Bishops’ Conference has produced a booklet of prayers to help them better interiorise the experience of Sydney. For those who are forced to remain at home, on the other hand, the dioceses have organized some blogs that will recount the first-hand experiences of over thirty young pilgrims who have been suitably trained as communication experts for WYD.
