"At this moment in which the live presence of resurrected Christ fuels faith and hope, I am glad to announce that the next World Youth Day will take place in Sydney, Australia, in 2008. May Our Lady guide, with maternal love, the future journey of the youth from all over the world". At the Angelus, recited today in the Marienfeld area, before more than 800 thousand youth who had gathered there for the final Mass of the 20th World Youth Day, Benedict XVI announced the place and date of the next WYD, the first to be held in Oceania. Upon hearing the announcement, the young Australians present at Marienfeld (around 2 thousand) exploded with joy and voiced their excitement. Mark Podesta, 25 years old from Sydney, is excited: "We are happy. For the Australian Catholic Church it is going to be a revitalizing experience. Indeed, many youth are abandoning our parishes, attracted by other communities. The WYD will be an opportunity for showing them the young face of our Church". Mark relies heavily on the help of the Catholic immigrant communities, "especially the Italian and Irish communities that with their great devotion and religious tradition will be able to give a substantive contribution". Undoubtedly he concludes Sydney is not around the corner, but we trust we will be able to embrace many of our brothers who are here in Cologne and many others who have not come this time".
