WYD Pilgrim Stories
Pilgrim Stories WYD 2000
When the Tasmanian World Youth Day Contingent set out for a pilgrimage to Rome in August 2000 it was with high spirits but with little idea of what was to come. We had very little spiritual preparation unlike the two most recent groups to attend World Youth Day overseas. The church community knew very little about the event as did we at the time. We went with the flow, saw amazing sights, heard uplifiting homilies and sang out hearts out. As with every World Youth Day it was about meeting new people, getting to know those we travelled with better and praying with more than a million young people from all over the world for a more peaceful world. We returned, each with a different experience, different spiritual journey but with the same smiles on our faces. Anyone who has been to a World Youth Day with the Pope will say it is an experience of a lifetime.
Katie Scott, WYD2000 pilgrim
Pilgrim Stories WYD 2002
I would like to say that the WYD2002 journey strengthened my faith. Travelling with such a spirited group of young people, and meeting countless others along the way, was a truly amazing experience. I found the Pilgrimage to be spiritual in a way that I have never experienced spirituality. Telling my story and listening to others share theirs, I felt a very real connection. This connection was strengthened further by the faith that we all shared so openly, so proudly. WYD2002 was for me an experience that I will never be able to fully put into words....more than anything it can be described as an emotion or feeling...one that I will never, ever forget. I feel truly grateful and thankful to have had the chance to live such an experience. May many others be as fortunate!
Di Edwards
Pilgrim Stories 2005
World Youth Day for me was simply the greatest experience of my life. Being one of a million people who had "come to worship Him" at Marienfield was such a faith affirming and inspiring feeling. In that moment discovering and realising that I was a part of such a strong faith community of people like me from all over the world who have come to say yes we are Catholic, yes we believe in God and most importantly yes we want to make this world a better place and allow others to experience the spirit of pilgrimage. This is what I experienced on pilgrimage and I hope and pray it is what you will experience in 2008 at World Youth Day in Sydney.
Thomas Laverack - Launceston
I learned a lot through my World Youth Day experience. I didn't realise before I went, or even when I first returned home, the impact it would have on my life. World Youth Day gave me a confidence in myself that allowed me to make decisions about where I wanted to go with my life. It changed my outlook on what's really important. And I'm insanely happy for it! =)
Sarah Smart