As Americans stayed home in honor of Labor Day, we headed to the Polding Centre for our first official day of work for the World Youth Day Office.  We were invited to attend the meeting for the Diocesan Youth Ministry Leaders from throughout Australia.  Once again, we received an opportunity to meet many zealous and dedicated Catholics.  Among the highlights of the day were presentations by the dioceses which had already experienced the arrival of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon in their area.  Several had compiled DVDs to share the images and the spirit of the event with others.  From their accounts and testimonies, it became clear that even people who had not heard of World Youth Day were drawn by the procession of the Cross.  Person upon person testified to the grace of conversion that came when they had the opportunity to venerate the Cross and Icon.  The stories reminded us of the gift of the sacraments in which Christ allows us experience tangible signs of the miracle of grace in our souls.

At the meeting, the plans and promotional materials for the World Youth Day “Holy Hour of Power” were released.  Every parish in Australia is being asked to host a Eucharistic Holy Hour each week to prepare for World Youth Day.  Each meeting we attend sheds new light on the profound depth and breadth of the preparation for this encounter, and the enormous blessing it is to share in it.