Day 2

Wednesday was a day full of events.
After breakfast, we headed to a chapel down the road for catechesis, mass and lunch. There was a bishop Victor from India, who gave the main talk during the catechesis, which also included some music, prayer, sharing, and a not-so-successful skit. The bishop presided over the Mass, and 8 other priests concelebrated, which is a lot for such a small church. There were maybe 60-80 in that chapel and it was packed. In the morning, I still felt tired and not fully there yet. Some time during the meditation time, acknowledging I just cannot focus and that I want to just be present in the moment, I asked the Holly Spirit to just help me be in his presence. I didn't want to start praying in any other way, I just wanted to be present. And then it happened - like a breath of fresh air, I just felt the Spirit and then just allowed myself to sit in his presence...
The mass was followed by lunch on the lawn, tuna or bean cans, burger buns, and some sweets. (we later found out that other groups had Ozzie bbq for lunch at their accommodation sites) BTW, this accommodation site, which is just 1 mile from the Randwick racecourse is supposed to be a prime location. We actually see the top of the altar roof where pope will celebrate the mass on World Youth Day, Sunday the 20th.
I had plans for the day, but didn't really want to go all day by myself. So, I made a compromise, and hung out with the group for a little while. When we got down town, we first took a 20min ride with a mono rail, which is train that goes on one rail that is about 2-3 stories high above the road. It gave us some good views of the city and the harbor.
After that we went to the Sydney aquarium. Although I took bunch of pictures of different fish, my main goal was to photograph the little fairy penguins up close. We will see them in their natural habitat in Melbourne, but won't be able to take pictures there. (again posting pictures will have to wait, because of the technology available here...)
I then separated from the group and went to catch the 2nd part of the 2nd talk I wanted to go to. It was really good, and full packed room. Then it was time for dinner. I new I wouldn't be able to locate my group again, and I wasn't sure where the dinner was supposed to be served anyway, because the schedule just said "all city cites". So I started talking with two girls from Canada at the rail station, and they invited me to join them at the Domain, where the other 3 people from their group were already in line to get dinner. The meals here are distributed in groups for 6, so they were hoping they will have a sixth meal. When we met up with their group, they only had 5 meals, and they shared it with me. We collected all the food we had in our back packs from previous meals, and it was enough for all of us. They not only shared it, but one girl totally gave me her main meal, chicken and bean stew, which was actually really good. Being with that group actually for the first time I felt truly in the spirit of WYD, the spirit of pilgrimage where we shared what we have with one another.
My plans were to go to adoration for an hour and then to Taize service. But since they were going to Taize, too, I decided to go with them early, which turned out to be really good, because the service was for full two hours. We were able to sit up at the front, on the floor with little cushions, and two brothers from the community were there. A bit into the service, the new head of the community, brother Alfonso (spelling?) came in, and he was leading the prayer. After about an hour, they started with the prayer around the Taize cross, where they put the cross on the floor and people can come around and pray. The whole service was very moving, and I am so glad I went. Again, I felt the spirit present and my heart and mind were present in the moment too.
Today, we will see the pope - I hope.
BTW, the theme of this WYD is "You will receive the power when the Holly Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses to the ends of the earth" - how appropriate for today it was for me...