Australia will become only the third nation - after Turkey and the United States - to have been visited by each of the three 'travelling' Popes - Pope Paul VI, Pope John Paul II and now Pope Benedict XVI.
Pope Benedict will arrive at Richmond RAAF Base on Sunday, July 13. He will spend eight days in the country, including three days of private rest and reflection prior to his official arrival on Sydney Harbour on July 17.
Among the many engagements that will follow his welcome to Australia, the Pope will meet leaders of other Churches and Faiths.
He will hold an ecumenical meeting with the leaders, or their representatives, including Anglican, Protestant, Orthodox, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Eastern Rite Churches. Most leaders will be joined by a youth representative for the Papal meetings. Around 40 Christians will pray with His Holiness in the St Mary's Cathedral Crypt.
This event will be followed by a meeting with about 40 heads of other Faiths including the Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu faiths.
World Youth Day will hold a series of ecumenical and interfaith events during the Youth Festival which will take place during the event week, from July 15-20.
Pope Benedict will also meet young people in three very different settings.
He will meet some of Sydney's disadvantaged young people in an inner Sydney suburb; share a private meal with 12 young people from around the world and hold a special Mass at St Mary's Cathedral with invited seminarians and young religious. These occasions are designed allow the Holy Father to connect with young people from different walks of life on a personal level.
Bishop Fisher said the Holy Father had especially requested a meeting with some of Sydney 's disadvantaged young people.
The two Australians to attend the lunch are Teresa Wilson, 30, from Melbourne, a long-time volunteer with the St Vincent de Paul Society, and Craig Ashby, a 21-year-old Gamilaroi man and Sydney University student. The others would include two people from each of the five continents plus one representative from Papua New Guinea and one from New Zealand .
During the mass for seminarians and young religious in formation the Pope will also bless and dedicate the cathedral's new altar, as a legacy for future generations and a reminder
of the event.
Pope Benedict also will visit the shrine of Australia's saint-in-waiting, Blessed Mary MacKillop, one of WYD08's 10 patrons. According to the Apostolic Nuncio to Australia, Archbishop Guiseppe Lazzarotto, the Pope will pray for Australia and the young pilgrims of the world "so that they may be filled with the Holy Spirit and be witnesses to Christ".
Immediately before the final Mass on the Sunday, Benedict will be involved in a fly-over in a helicopter above Centennial Park and Randwick Racecourse, before getting into the 'Popemobile' and circuiting the precinct.
During the Mass, Benedict will personally confirm 24 young people -14 Australians and 10 internationals.
The Australian candidates are aged from 16-43 and are from every state and territory:
- Patrick Barrett (Lismore, NSW)
- Belinda Frame (Sydney, NSW)
- Shannon Kyrwood (WA)
- David Proudlock (WA)
- Bernadette Kosandiak (SA)
- John Low (SA)
- Alexandra Karagiannakis (Tas)
- Emily Jade Marsden (Tas)
- Matthew Reuter (Vic)
- Judi Robinson (Vic)
- Bernardo Caballero (Qld)
- Joanne Richards (Qld)
- Riordan Wang (ACT)
- Tasman Gould Heyes (NT)
The 10 international confirmation candidates are in the final process of selection.
As a Head of State he also will have civic duties which will include official meetings with the Governor-General of Australia, Major General Michael Jeffery; Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd; NSW Governor Marie Bashir; and NSW Premier Morris Iemma. His detailed itinerary (available on the Vatican website) also includes an official welcome at Government House, Sydney, a thank you to volunteers in the Domain and an official farewell at Sydney airport.
Pope Benedict XVI at the final WYD Mass in Cologne. (copyright, WYD08, used with permission)
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