I WRITE in reference to the coverage of Archbishop Pell’s address to the Australian pilgrims in the Queen Elizabeth Building on the first day at World Youth Day in Toronto, Canada (CL 11/8/02).
Archbishop Pell had the opportunity to welcome us as pilgrims from our great nation and to challenge us to make the most out of the universe of Christians that was waiting for us outside those four walls on our first day at World Youth Day.
He had the chance to nurture the spirit that was abounding in each and every one of us. He had the platform to make the first day so memorable.
Instead he sounded like an American politician two weeks out from a primary election in New Hampshire, rallying support for his campaign. From his references to every moral issue under the sun, to his concluding joke – you know the one where the priest in confession consoles the guy because things could have been worse after killing his father and marrying his mother. He could have killed his mother and married his father! How someone in a high profile position and supposedly so talented and forward in the youth movement in the Catholic Church in Australia, can abuse the opportunity Archbishop Pell had is beyond me.
I, like so many others, found his speech grossly inappropriate.
And no, opposed to what Archbishop Pell may have us believe in the article in last week’s Catholic Leader, the young people did not agree with him that morning. Sure there were a few ultra-conservatives from Sydney who clapped and cheered and hung on every word he said, but there were many more pilgrims, from Adelaide, Melbourne and Brisbane, that I spoke to after the event, who felt ‘alienated’, ostracised’, ‘sick’, ‘down”, ‘deflated’ and ’embarrassed’.
In many ways this is what made the Queensland pilgrimage so fortunate – from the very first homily Archbishop Bathersby gave on the Monday afternoon in the lounge room at the hostel we were staying at, and throughout the week with each reflection, blessing and homily, Fr Morgan Batt, Bishop Brian Heenan (BB) and the Archbishop (ABJB) oozed comfortability. The importance of the journey, the exploration of our faith, the impact of World Youth Day in our spiritual lives and the education gleaned from the event were continually highlighted. As was the importance of each and every pilgrim we would have the privilege of meeting and the communal message we were there to envelope – loving one another through the peace of Jesus Christ.
ABJB dared us to be challenged, and one took from the dare that he knew from this journey we would deepen our faith, through deepening our faith, find understanding, through understanding, love, and through love, peace in Jesus.
Funny thing is not once did he have to get on a soapbox and campaign. We learnt more just from his presence and his connection with the pilgrims, and I think most of all, his patience. Patience in knowing that part of the understanding and education we experienced at World Youth Day would help us understand what it means to be Catholic.
NOEL LANSKEY
Student council president
Australian Catholic University
Brisbane, Qld
