For 16 days next July, a group of Saint Louis University students will be going down under. They will participate in the 2008 World Youth Day convention in Sydney, Australia. The event is a five-day international convention geared toward Catholic youth.

Pope John Paul II began the tradition in 1985, and the first World Youth Day was held in Argentina two years later. Since then, it has been held every three years in cities all over the world.

World Youth Day’s goal is to provide a cultural learning opportunity to young people while integrating teachings of the Catholic faith and fostering a sense of community and purpose. ?
The conventions are not exclusive to practicing Catholics, but are focused toward the Catholic faith and community. Those between 18 and 30 years of age may participate.

Steve Fowler, SLU Campus Ministry’s coordinator for World Youth Day ’08, said that he has high hopes for next summer’s event. Fowler attended World Youth Day eight years ago in Paris, and he has fond memories of the experience.

“So many people talk about a personal relationship with Christ,” Fowler said, “but WYD helped me engage in a personal relationship with the church. It helped me understand that the church has a real purpose and mission in the world.”

This year’s participants from SLU will leave for Brisbane, Australia, on July 10 and then travel to Sydney on July 15 to spend five days worshipping and learning with thousands of other pilgrims from around the world. The experience will culminate with a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.

Before heading back to the United States on July 26, SLU students will spend time in Cobar, a small farming and mining community in New South Whales. Cobar is in the midst of a drought and also has a large Aboriginal population, two factors that Fowler believes will make this a particularly interesting trip.

“The 2008 group will be able to see how Catholicism is expressed in rural parts of another country experiencing hardship, as well as among Aboriginal cultures in the area,” Fowler said.

Freshman Chris Murphy will participate in World Youth Day ’08 and said that he was initially drawn to the program after hearing Fowler give an informational talk about it during this year’s Welcome Week. Murphy said the he spent a good deal of time thinking and praying about the trip before ultimately committing.

“When I first heard about it, it seemed like something I had always wanted to do, so why not go?” Murphy said. “The financial situation obviously motivates you to try and really decide if it’s something that’s really important or if it’s just a fun trip.”

Murphy, whose birthday falls on the day of the Papal mass, said the he is anticipating a meaningful experience as well as a fun trip.

“I’m most looking forward to community,” Murphy said. “Both being [with] the group that’s going [from SLU] . and also being with hundreds of thousands of young Catholics from all over globe and experiencing unified faith within that community.”

This will be an expensive trip for participants-approximately $3,480-but Fowler has already set up an online program in which donors can give to the group as a whole or to individual participants. Once a donation has been given, the donor gains access to the online blogs that will be maintained by SLU’s pilgrims. These blogs will be updated throughout the trip and can only be accessed by donors.