by Susan Brinkmann, OCDS
Staff Writer
(March 14, 2008) The high cost of travel to Sydney, Australia for World Youth Day this summer has caused the number of pilgrims from the U.S. to drop from the expected 37,000 to 20,000. This may mean the Church will have to revise its estimate of 125,000 international pilgrims who will attend the events.
The Sydney Morning Herald is reporting that group leaders in the U.S. say more youth would have committed to the pilgrimage had fares and travel costs been priced more reasonably for a religious event.
“We want anyone who wants to come to World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney to be there and we would be disappointed if this was not the case,” said Dan Casey, the chief operating officer for WYD08, who has promised to work with the leaders of international groups to find ways to make the trip.
The problem is that major airlines flying from the U.S. are charging premium prices for fares to Sydney which is far in excess of what is usually charged during the Australian winter. This is forcing many U.S. pilgrims to take connections through Japan, Korea or Canada to keep their travel expenses down.
According to Sister Eileen McCann, coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministries for the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, accommodation and air fare packages are priced anywhere from $3400 to $5600, which is well beyond the reach of most university students.
World Youth Day was instituted in 1984 by Pope John Paul II who invited young people ages 16-35 from all over the world to come together for a week-long spiritual journey to share their faith through prayer, concerts, liturgies and a closing Mass with the Holy Father.
“Discover your Christian roots,” he told youth in Toronto in 2002. “Learn about the Church’s history, deepen your knowledge of the spiritual heritage which has been passed on to you, follow in the footsteps of the witnesses and teachers who have gone before you! Only by staying faithful to God’s commandments, to the Covenant which Christ sealed with his blood poured out on the Cross, will you be the apostles and witnesses of the new millennium.”
To date, WYD has been held in Argentina (’87), Spain (’89), Poland (’91), U.S. (’93), Philippines (’95), France (’97), Italy (’00), Canada (’02), and Germany (’05).
WYD08, which will take place July 15-20, promises to be a powerful event based on the theme: “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:8)
More than just pilgrims have to deal with escalated costs, however. According to a briefing paper circulated this month to local priests by the Sydney Archdiocese, the overall cost of staging WYD has doubled to $150 million. Almost half of this expense will be covered by pilgrim fees. The rest would be made up by federal grants, the church, donors, business partners and sponsors.
The event is expected to bring long-term economic benefits to the city which are estimated to be in excess of $230 million.
But there are much greater benefits to this affair than money, the paper said. “Almost all our leaders – of whatever religious and political affiliation – also recognize that beyond the hugely positive economic impact, there is great social value in offering young people spiritual values and ideals, hope and reason to celebrate.”
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