«Back to Main Page

Palmerston North Youth to Melbourne & World Youth Day

Dan Kleinsman

I could never have anticipated such an experience.

The atmosphere was amazing! It gave you such a buzz to be walking amongst hundreds of thousands of other young people – all singing, or chanting, or dancing, or waving a flag. And the barriers of difference, discomfiture, unfamiliarity and even language, just did not exist. It was so easy to make conversation with people you had never met before, even people who could hardly speak your language! And to be amongst so many energetic, happy, friendly and noisy people was so exhilarating, so refreshing!

Also, the knowledge that all these other people were there because of God and their faith – because of Catholicism, was so encouraging, so inspiring. For once we were the majority. And that meant so much to me because often – amongst my friends, amongst the public, or even other Christians, I feel the odd one out as a Catholic. But this time it was quite the opposite and it gave me such a strong sense of pride to be a Catholic at such an event! And that pride has remained with me as I have returned home! Friends had seen it all on TV and I can say I was a part of that and share my awesome experiences! That gave me a real boost of energy, confidence and enthusiasm – spiritually.

And the experience was yet so much more. For it was so exciting to be meeting so many people from all around the world, however the Passionist Youth Encounter in Melbourne allowed us to actually get to know the people. We shared and compared our different lifestyles, we prayed together, ate together, danced together, we lived together for that week. And this was something very special – if it was not for this encounter, we would have never been able to get to know these people. A priest once said at a youth mass in Wellington, that it is important to find and connect with others who share your faith, for together we can do so much more. This is exactly what we were doing and this was exactly the effect.

However the experience was not just about getting to know other young Catholics, but getting to know God and our purpose in God’s world. And at the opening mass in Melbourne, Fr. Joachim Rego CP specifically addressed us and explored this. He told the story of a young man experiencing depression who, when asked to illustrate his life and feelings at an appointment with a therapist, drew a vase with massive black cracks all through it. Weeks later, after a definite improvement in his mental health, the man’s therapist retrieved the drawing and asked his patient to use it again to illustrate what life was now like. The man took a golden pastel and drew great big rays of golden light from the cracks!

Father Joachim then went on to talk about how we, as young people, are called to make a difference today, but that this can simply be achieved – by being ourselves. We do not need to be heroes; we do not need to be what we are not. We must simply be ourselves, and be so, for God.

To me, this says that although we are all flawed, although we all have cracks in our personalities, God shines through those cracks, and we need to only be ourselves to manifest the glory of God. For example, while we as young people sometimes lack concentration, maturity and wisdom, it is through these cracks that our enthusiasm and energy shines, and through this that God is manifested. When Cardinal Wilfrid Napier OFM spoke at the encounter, he explained that the enthusiasm and energy of young people is exactly what motivated him to participate in another World Youth Day. And so it’s clear that as young people we can make a difference, and we do have a role in God’s world – today!

These are just a few of the many great memories and experiences of World Youth Day and the Passionist Youth Encounter in Melbourne, all of which have certainly challenged, inspired and encouraged me on my journey with God and others, and I cannot wait for WYD ‘RID, Spain 2011! I would like to sincerely thank all those who have supported me financially and in prayer, it means very much to me and will never be forgotten, for it was the experience of as lifetime – and would not have been possible without you or your support.