Two weeks ago World Youth Day finished. I’m still digesting it all, but I think it’s fair to say that Sydney-siders underestimated the impact WYD would have on this city. I was surprised by the amount of goodwill expressed about the event, and particularly about the pilgrims. It’s hard not to like people with yellow and red backpacks. On the final Saturday I ventured out with a friend and a camera to the prayer vigil at Randwick, to interview pilgrims on their experiences during the week and the significance of their faith to them. The responses surprised me – the video is nearly complete, and I’ll post it here shortly.
I was particularly amazed by the comments in the media about the event, and especially about Jesus. Jesus doesn’t normally make it into mainstream discourse, but here’s some quotes I picked up during the week:
- Jabba on the Hot 30 radio show – “I saw Jesus today…well, I saw “Jesus saves” written in the sky and lots of pilgrims were taking photos of “Jesus saves”.
- Former health minister, Tony Abbott in a press conference – “I’m an imperfect Catholic…Christ didn’t come to save saints, Christ came to save sinners”.
- A radio announcer on the Saturday afternoon – “Oh God I love Britney” pause…”it’s only when the Pope’s in town that I realise how often I take the Lord’s name in vain”.
- Merrick and Rosso – “The best thing about Christian fun, unless you’re in the Hillsong church, is that it’s free”. Merrick and Rosso, 16 July.
- A letter to the editor in the SMH – The Pope’s 17-car motorcade then made the short trip to Admiralty House at Kirribilli.” Jesus rode a donkey, when he wasn’t walking. Has the church lost the plot, we wonder?
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