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Where are you on WYD?

We can be cynical, sceptical or concerned about the World Youth Day and its zeal, but should we not wish it well?

It must be a good thing that young people from around the world gather happily and safely in Sydney for a party, although I understand that those who've been seriously inconvenienced by the crowds and their requirements might not agree.

There are those who see the Pope's visit as an ideal time to protest against Catholic priests' sexual assault of children, and there are those who are horrified that anyone would so challenge the Pope.

The Pope's minders seem to be prevaricating about the much-demanded apology? And, as I ask in my column today, for what might the Pope apologise? For the pedophilia of some priests?

Or for the betrayal of children by a church that turned a blind eye to such pedophilia?

There are many threads to World Youth Day. (Shouldn't we call it World Catholic Youth Day?)

And isn't there something about the army of chanting, hallelujahing, starry-eyed youth that suggests cult?

What's your take on it all?

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Posted By: Jeff Corbett on 17/07/2008 4:14:51 PM | Comments (12)

Comments


Jeff, I must say firstly it is great to see the youth here for WYD having soo much fun. They have embraced Sydney and around Newcastle with a special kind of unspoilt naivety unseen in such numbers. After what our cities go through with binge drinking and violence these guys are refreshing to say the least. Now as for the priests and brothers of the Catholic church, an amazing high proportion have been involved in the sexual abuse of children or knew about it and did nothing. This will not go away, and sorry Mr Fisher if it's spoiling your party. I for one cannot let it go. Ignoring the crimes of the church will not make them go away.
Posted by Buell on 18/07/2008 9:58:20 AM
Yes it should definitely be called World Catholic Youth Day because that is what it is. I have no objection to people of any faith getting together to celebrate but I am opposed to this event being funded by the taxpayer. I wonder what the reaction would have been if those of the Islamic faith or any other religious group had their own variety of world youth day and the taxpayer had to shell out for that. I suspect that some sectors of society would be appalled at the thought. And why is it called World Youth Day when it goes for five days?
Posted by sergeant smith on 18/07/2008 12:02:29 PM
Sergeant Smith, you've got it all wrong. WYD is for all denominations, and to see that you just have to look at the streets of Sydney yesterday as the popemobile went through. Muslims, Anglicans, Uniting churches were all there to see the man in the white robe. For a cult, three-quarters of Australia must be in the sect because the very paper you work for, Jeff, has six pages on the Pope. As for pedophila, every religion has that problem - you are just picking one religion. Why hasn't the head of the Church of England apologised? Why hasn't the Dalai Lama agologised? They all have that problem. Jeff, you're a bloody Protestant!
Posted by tough titties on 18/07/2008 1:35:12 PM
Tough Titties, do you think your comment re Jeff being a 'bloody Protestant' illustrates the problems with religion? This comment would suggest that only non-Protestants can comment on WYD and the Catholic church. I would extrapolate this comment to infer that World Youth Day is only for Catholics.
Posted by sergeant smith on 18/07/2008 2:52:31 PM
Good point! I'm Catholic by birth, and since I haven't officially recanted still nominally Catholic.
Posted by Jeff Corbett on 18/07/2008 3:34:35 PM
Jeff, I must admit that I am happy to see a mass gathering that isn't a rave party full of drunken or stoned zoomos but I hope all of those bright-eyed attendees remember one thing: when they are driving behind a greyhead or spread across a footpath or jostling in a queue, that could be the Pope in front of them minus his hat, frock and red shoes. So if you treat him with respect treat all oldies with respect. Also, the push is on for a republic and the main reason, as I understand it, is to relieve us of the interference of a head of state who tries to run our lives for us. Am I to understand therefore that Rudd, Iemma et al will support my push for an Australian Pope as head of the Australian Church in the new republic?
Posted by Roger on 18/07/2008 3:29:56 PM
Hey tough titties, no one seems to have a problem with the pilgrims. Like I said, a breath of fresh air for the city, but don't defend sexual offenders just because they are Catholic. You can be sure that if it was an Anglican event and the Grand Pooh-Bah was turning up, we would want an apology from him as well. Basically, if you go around abusing your position and interfering with children You Will Get a Bad Reputation! Some churches have that reputation at the moment! So lobby your church to fix it!
Posted by Buell on 18/07/2008 4:32:23 PM
Yes Roger, while we are about it make it a gay black male Protestant Australian pope!
Posted by StephenB on 18/07/2008 5:12:58 PM
Buell and Sergeant, I don't defend rock spiders! I have kids myself.... The day this blog was written the Pope was meeting all heads of all religions. The people who should be apologising are the ones who abused these children as they did the crime, not the Pope! The Dalai Lama comes to Australia more than the Pope - how many times have they asked the Dalai Lama to say sorry? Not once! How many times have they asked the Archbishop of the Church of England to say sorry? The way you are speaking it sounds like you have Catholic-phobia. Aim up all religions, not just one - they all have this problem! Is it national "say sorry" year in Australia, because everyone wants to hear "sorry" coming from someone's mouth. "Sorry" Jeff, they are the bloody protestants!
Posted by Tough Titties on 21/07/2008 11:45:02 AM
Hello Jeff. A "tsunami of faith and joy" eh? As opposed to God's other cute version where we have mass destruction, rotting corpses etc. Do these people have any sense of irony at all? I suppose not or they couldn't swallow this nauseating guff.
Posted by Snooze on 21/07/2008 12:38:24 PM
Dear Tough Titties, I don't know why you have included my name in your comments - I have made no comment about any sexual abuse issues and don't intend to. I feel it is a complex and serious matter, which is prevalent is many areas of life, church, schools, sports etc. I do not have any inclination to address this most important issue in a blog. As I have previously indicated, my only issue with World Catholic Youth Day is that is is ok as long as taxpayer funding for this type of event is available to all religious groups.
Posted by sergeant smith on 21/07/2008 1:09:23 PM
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Jeff Corbett
Bend the online ear of the Hunter's most provocative columnist.

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