Pilgrims walking across the Sydney Harbour Bridge at the 2008 World Youth Day

Lasting impact for World Youth Day pilgrims

Young Catholics who attended World Youth Day last year considered it to be one of the best experiences of their lives, a joint study at ACU has found.

The study of Australian pilgrims aged between 14 and 35 was conducted by Professor Ruth Webber and Rev Dr Michael Mason of ACU, and Dr Andrew Singleton from Monash University.

Professor Webber said the majority of World Youth Day pilgrims said what they had enjoyed the most was being part of the large happy crowd, walking together through the streets and making new friends.

“In spiritual terms, what pilgrims found most helpful was the experience of Church: sensing that God was present in this large gathering of people sharing and celebrating the same faith; feeling themselves part of a community that transcended them in space and time and fused them into a unity with others and with God,” she said.

The report also found that more than 40 per cent felt their faith in God had strengthened, and more than half said they were determined to change their behaviour towards others.