Pilgrims from Spain cheer on Pope Benedict at the closing Mass of World Youth Day.
Catholic News Service photo
SYDNEY, Australia — Pope Benedict’s first pastoral visit here Monday concluded with a farewell ceremony at the airport where the pope thanked 8,000 World Youth Day volunteers.
He told an audience of invited guests, including church and civic officials, how much he had enjoyed his 10-day stay.
The pope described the departing World Youth Day pilgrims as “united in faith and love and empowered in the Spirit to be witnesses in Christ to the ends of the earth. For the sacrifices of young pilgrims to get here, the church is grateful.”
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd thanked Pope Benedict for making the long air trip to the country.
“A hard-bitten Sydney has taken the pilgrims” to its heart, he said.
Rudd said his government would be working with the Holy See on the “great challenges of our time -- human rights, political and religious freedom, arms control and disarmament and climate change.”
In the longest-lasting and longest-distance trip of his pontificate, Pope Benedict spoke about God’s plan for all creation, but especially for people.
The trip included several days of rest as well as meetings with representatives of Australia’s government, Catholic Church and native fauna.
The pope was treated to a visit from representatives of Sydney’s Zoo, including a koala bear, a wallaby joey and an echidna.
Once the public part of his trip began, Pope Benedict spent his days combining World Youth Day activities with elements of a pastoral visit to Australia.
The pope celebrated a private Mass with four Australian victims of clerical sexual abuse and their families.
Earlier, the pope apologized publicly to Australian victims of clerical sexual abuse.
Pope Benedict prayed for the rededication and renewal of the Catholic Church throughout Australia and asked the country’s priests and religious to support fully the bishops’ programs for protecting young people.
Pope Benedict praised efforts to promote reconciliation with the country’s indigenous peoples, who had long been oppressed.
The pope’s primary focus was on the thousands of young Catholics who came from 170 countries to participate in World Youth Day.
More than 200,000 young people attended the vigil at Royal Randwick Racecourse and, police said, 350,000 people were at the track for the closing Mass. World Youth Day officials estimated the crowd at 400,000.
“Do not be afraid to say ‘yes’ to Jesus, to find your joy in doing his will, giving yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness,” the pope said.
The world needs the transforming power of the Holy Spirit, he said.
The pope told the young people that opening their hearts to Jesus and cooperating with the gifts of the Holy Spirit would transform their lives and help them bring a life-giving witness to the rest of the world.
Repeatedly during the trip, Pope Benedict described the Holy Spirit as God’s creative, life-giving and courage-giving force.
The pope also spoke often of the need to protect the environment and respect the gifts of God’s creation, but he made it clear to the young people that human beings are God’s greatest creation.
The pope also visited young people recovering from alcohol and drug abuse and other disadvantaged people.
Pope Benedict said he was “deeply sorry for the pain and suffering” endured by Australian victims of clerical sexual abuse.
Describing the abuse as “so grave a betrayal of trust,” he said it deserves “unequivocal condemnation.”
Pope Benedict offered the apology during a Mass in St. Mary’s Cathedral with Australia’s bishops and representatives of the country’s priests, religious, seminarians and novices.
The pope consecrated the Sydney cathedral’s new altar, using it as a symbol of the renewed dedication to Christ and the church that he said he hoped was under way.
