This article is from page 15 of the 2008-08-12 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 15 JPG
AS the influence of the Catholic Church in Ireland fades, 20 young Clare Catholics discovered the 1m- portant role religion still plays in the lives of their peers from other coun- WUE
The 20 from the dioceses of Killa- loe made the journey to Australia for World Youth Day with the director of youth ministry and Kilkee parish priest Fr Donagh O’Meara, and met with young people from all over the globe.
“When you go to something like this you get a sense of ‘this is 1m- portant’ to other young people from around the world. It is a type of en- couragement especially in a time when it (religion) does not seem to be so important in Ireland,’ he said.
The west Clare priest admitted that it was not as easy to find people to make the flight of faith this year.
“It was easier a few years ago,” he Sr nLGe
As well as a change in religious attitudes Fr O’Meara said that the distance the Irish had to travel for this year’s world youth event played rem Ore va
“This time the journey was long and cost would have played a factor. In the past we would have brought 30 to 40 people,” he said.
The event takes place every three years and is attended by the Pope. It will take place in Madrid in 2011.
Described as a gathering of the young people of the world by Fr O’Meara, the highlight of the event was on Saturday night when half a million of the world’s young adults
aged between 18 and 30 gathered in the Randwick Racecourse in Sydney for a vigil.
The candlelight vigil was followed by a concert and then the young peo- ple slept out under the stars until the following morning when Mass was celebrated by the Pontiff at 10am.
As well as learning to meditate, those that travelled also visited prayer groups and went to concerts as part of the 10-day event.
It wasn’t all prayer and adoration for the group from Clare however.
“People enjoyed themselves. We went out and had that craic and a few Sessions in the Irish bars,’ said Fr O’Meara.
The group also toured famous Australian tourist attraction includ- ing the Blue Mountains, the Opera House and Bondi Beach.