After the 2000 Olympic Games, the World Youth Day: the hopes that young Australians have been nursing can become true now that Benedict XVI has announced Sydney as venue for the next world meeting of Catholic Youth. Indeed, it is some time that Australian bishops have been championing this idea, referring to precedents like the 2000 Olympic Games and the 2003 Rugby World Championship. These events demonstrated that Sydney is well-equipped to manage this type of international event. In the words of the representatives of the Australian Church represented in Cologne by Card. George Pell, 3 archbishops, 19 bishops, about 90 priests, 15 religious and numerous leaders of lay movements "the event will contribute to the spiritual development of the Church and to rekindling faith in the hearts of our youth. The local Church relies heavily on youth and lay people". According to the web site of the Archdiocese of Sydney, the press release issued on 1 August last states that the request to host the WYD "supported also by the Government and by the Federal State, was submitted last month (July) by Card. Pell". In the Church of Oceania broken down into 4 Bishops’ Conferences (Australia, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Pacific Islands) the Catholics of Australia are around 5.4 million grouped into 32 dioceses out of 19 million inhabitants. There are around 176 religious orders that are active throughout the territory.
