The Hermeneutic of Continuity

For some excellent on-the-ground reports on World Youth Day, see the Catholic Herald WYD08 blog. Kurt Barragan, a seminarian at Wonersh, has been writing, as have Sophie, Rosie and Teresa Caldecott, daughters of the "Apostle of the Ressourcement", Stratford Caldecott. Kurt manages to convey very well the good spirit that has characterised the World Youth Day with off-duty bus drivers offering to take pilgrims home, commuters joining in the fun, and being offered Vegemite (the Australian version of Marmite). Rosie and Teresa have posted photos, including the one above. The backpacking priest is Fr Daniel Seward. Sophie has also been writing for the Oxford-Durham-Soho group. James Preece has a good article which tells of the West Hull Parishes following the coverage live on EWTN and getting a message of their own up on screen. (Cf. Catholic and Loving It: St Wilfrid and World Youth Day ) He makes a link with the teaching of St Wilfred on the importance of union with the Holy S...

When I wrote about the BBC bias in reporting World Youth Day, I had not seen the article by Abbot Christopher Jamison OSB in the Times: The Pope, negative press and World Youth Day, Sydney . He says: The Australian ran a leading article saying that the Sydney Morning Herald and the ABC were guilty of ‘squalid myopia’, urging Australians to be proud of hosting WYD in Sydney. Surprisingly, the BBC correspondent in Australia appears to be following the ABC agenda, so BBC reports are heavily weighted towards the clerical abuse agenda. Stunning images of joyful young people lining Sydney harbour were accompanied by a commentary on clerical abuse. Cynical as I am about the BBC, the only word I would disagree with here is "surprisingly." Congratulations to Abbot Jamison for getting this article published in the Times. It is important for Catholics not to remain silent about this unjust treatment in our "public service" broadcaster. On a positive note, let me quote the way ...

This morning, one of my Deacons told me that he had been glued to EWTN for much of the past three days, watching coverage of the World Youth Day. I advertise EWTN (free) in my newsletter every week and have been encouraging people to watch it for what I knew would be "wall to wall" coverage of the World Youth Day events. I did so because I suspected that it would not get very good or balanced coverage in the British media. My Deacon confirmed my suspicions when he said that he had from time to time watched the BBC news which had focussed almost exclusively on the Holy Father's apology for sexual abuse by clergy. Fr Ray Blake fills out the picture: WYD: but the BBC.... Apparently, the BBC did not focus only on the apology but gave space to report on the homosexual activists handing out condoms. Viewers relying on the BBC to find out what is happening in the world would gain the impression that the World Youth Day was an act of a defensive and beleagured religious leader...

I have stayed up a bit late to watch the beginning of the Mass for World Youth Day at Randwick Race Course, Southern Cross Precinct. After a sensible and reverent "new movement" style piece during the procession, the Introit is being sung in Latin... Cardinal Pell gives a magnificent introductory address recalling the Holy Father's words "The Church is alive, and the Church is young" which warms my heart as it is one of my favourite quotations from the Holy Father. The Cardinal talks of the mission of young people and says "one mission is better than a thousand options..." The penitential rite is #3 from the Novus Ordo but the petitions are concluded with Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison , spoken and then sung to a polyphonic/operatic setting. Some sharp followers of the live coverage have pointed out on NLM that the text of the Gloria was a literal translation - perhaps the new ICEL version. With the altar set up with seven candles and...

I'm not sure what time it is in Australia - it is tomorrow afternoon over there or something. At any rate, the Holy Father has celebrated Mass at St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney and consecrated the new altar. He is just travelling round in the popemobile before the main World Youth Day Mass - I'm watching some of the footage on EWTN . NLM has some stills from the CTV coverage with some comments. Cardinal Pell quoted the beginning of Psalm 42 Introibo ad altare Dei when speaking about the centrality of the altar to be consecrated by the Holy Father. The vestments for the Mass in Sydney Cathedral were designed by the St Bede's Studio - and very fine they are too.

Speaking to the young people gathered to greet him at Barangaroo on the shores of Sydney Harbour, the Holy Father said: Standing before me I see a vibrant image of the universal Church. The variety of nations and cultures from which you hail shows that indeed Christ’s Good News is for everyone; it has reached the ends of the earth. Yet I know too that a good number of you are still seeking a spiritual homeland. Some of you, most welcome among us, are not Catholic or Christian. Others of you perhaps hover at the edge of parish and Church life. To you I wish to offer encouragement: step forward into Christ’s loving embrace; recognize the Church as your home. No one need remain on the outside, for from the day of Pentecost the Church has been one and universal. Pope Benedict also spoke of the various countries over which he flew during his journey and referred to the importance of care for the environment and sustainable development. He added and important rider: The concerns for non-viol...

Fr Ray Blake has the story about the kitten that has been brought in to the opus Dei Retreat Centre in Sydney to keep the Holy Father company. (cf. Aaaaaaaaaaaaah! Kittens ) Now personally, I don't have any pets. Frankly I'm too busy - it would be just one more thing to take care of when I actually get to take a day or two away from the parish. But if I were a noted cat lover (actually I don't mind cats - don't much like dogs on account of having been bitten by one or two when a small boy) I would certainly appreciate the thoughtfulness of anyone who brought a cat in for me to play with, fed and watered the animal and took it away again. This is so quintessentially Opus Dei - real care and thought for their guest. I bet that it was the women who came up with this great idea.

Thanks to Fr Z , here are a couple of video clips from the beginning of the Holy Father's visit to Australia for the World Youth day. The first short clip from Vatican TV has Pope Benedict celebrating Mass, taking a walk in the Opus Dei retreat house, and enjoying a concert: This next clip has footage from people arriving for the World Youth Day, in particular the Burmese pilgrims who had difficulty obtaining visas until Archbishop Fisher intervened: Flash player 7 or better is required to view this content.

En route to Australia, the Holy Father sent telegrams to the heads of state of all the countries he flew over: Albania, the Hellenic Republic, Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Indonesia. In each case, the text read something like: Flying over N. en route to Australia for the celebration of World Youth Day, I send cordial greetings to you and to all your fellow-citizens, along with the assurance of my prayers invoking abundant divine blessings of peace and prosperity upon the nation. BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

The Holy Father has now arrived in Australia and is sensibly taking a couple of days rest and retreat. Significantly, he is staying at the Kenthurst Study Centre, an Opus Dei house. Some reports have made much of the austerity of his accommodation. I would say, from my experience of Opus Dei hospitality that the accommodation will be comfortable without unnecessary luxuries, the food wholesome but not extravagant, and the atmosphere of the house priestly, prayerful and good-humoured. They will know how to show respect and courtesy to the Holy Father without smothering him. An intelligent choice of retreat on the part of our most priestly Holy Father. Many thanks to Deo volente and Peter in the combox for these links to these additional blogs that will have coverage of the World Youth Day. Aristotle, The Recovering Choir Director from Florida, is in Australia and has some posts and photos up already. From the land of Oz itself, Australia Incognita will be keeping us posted. David Webb...

Juventutem , the online home of the English speaking young people attached to the traditional form of the Mass. Fr Stephen Langridge is also reporting via Southwark Vocations . Apparently one of the local clergy has taken some persuading that one element of such a pilgrimage is daily Mass. I would be interested to know of any other blogs, online diaries, or photo posts especially from English pilgrims attending the World Youth Day.

Anna Arco has been working hard on a new blog and general information centre for news about the forthcoming World Youth Day in Sydney. It's good to see news there of groups going with Fr Dominic Allain, Fr Dominic Howarth, Fr Daniel Seward and Fr Alexander Sherbrooke. We have a few people going from Bexley Deanery and a couple of girls contacted me from a neighbouring parish to say that they hadn't quite raised enough cash - I volunteered a personal donation since I am eager to see as many young people as possible attend this event which has the potential to change lives and open the way for young people to respond to a vocation from the Lord. I encouraged them to be in touch via the internet - facebook, comments on blogs, start their own temporary blog or whatever. I would love to receive photos and stories for the blog. This World Youth Day is going to be the most blogged ever, I think. If you are going, there are loads of activities over there, I know. Don't forget the ...

The website for World Youth Day 2008 has published its January 2007 newsletter . It begins with an excellent introduction from Bishop Anthony Fisher and is devoted to Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body.