Jul 2008

So this is the final entry just to round my last week up..
It seems so long ago that I started this blog, and travelling round New Zealand feels like months ago, but at the same time, it feels like I only left yesterday. I've been back home for a week now, and it's taking some time to settle back into my normal routines. Now that I'm back all I want to do is get up and go again, I think I've caught the traveller's bug!

So my final week was spent in Sydney for World Youth Day: a huge youth pilgrimage with the Pope. The basic idea of it is to celebrate being Catholic, and to share the experience of travelling a distance (pilgrimage) to gain a deeper spiritual calling to God, and learn more about you faith by sharing it with other-like-minded people. The youth of the Church were recognised to be expremely important for the future of the Church, and so Pope John Paul II decided to celebrate this with 'World Youth Day'. 600,000 pilgrims travelled to Sydney Australia to rejoice in the message of God, and the message of the Pope - "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" - (Acts 1:8) So this was the theme - all about the Holy Spirit, all about our duties as young Christians, all about our calling and what our life should be going towards.

I had a busy week with the International Liturgy Group. 150 representatives from all over the world, and I was proud to represent Scotland. Everyone had different roles to fulfill for the week, and the choices had been made regarding who did what before we had arrived. My first duty was to carry the Scottish flag for the opening mass - the reps carried huge flags to begin World Youth Day. For three days in a row we had catechesis in St. Benedicts church (Catechesis is about teaching the faith and talking deeper about areas within faith, God, Church - it's also what I'll be studying on my MA degree!) I was then part of the 'Stage Welcome' group on the stage. 16 representatives were chosen to welcome the Pope as he walked up to the stage, and this was to be the first time the pilgrims would properly see him.

So we did just that, we welcomed, shouted, cryed, and were over-joyed and amazed with the experience, it was truly amazing! I was standing 2 metres away from the Pope infront of 500,00 people!! Unfortunately I didn't get to meet him, and my friends at the other side of the line did, but, I got Papal Rosary Beads, and I am quite sure that I'll meet him one day in the future!!

The days in between the main events included rehearsals and Stations of the cross, various outdoor festivals and indoor concerts. I managed to meet up with my friends I travelled with, but unfortunately didn't get to meet up with my Paisley Diocese. The last main event was the over night vigil with the Pope. We were lucky enough to be in the 100m restricted zone infront of the stage, and it was a lovely evening. Everyone had candles, we had adoration, and the Pope spoke about some really amazing things - Holy Spirit, love, our mission as Catholics. It was very inspiring. We are called to be the light of Christ in this world of darkness - so true.

So we headed back to Sydney University where we were staying the next day and got all packed up. We had a wee party, said our goodbyes, and left the next morning for the airport. I was in tears saying goodbye to some folk. I became really good friends with a few people from America, Australia and New Zealand, in particular Cameron, a seminarian who will be a priest in two years - I asked him to do mine and Mark's wedding, and he gladly accepted! I plan to stay in touch with all my new mates!

So that's my blog over. I hope you all enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing. I don't know when my next travel adventure will be, but I hope it won't be too long! Thanks for reading everyone!

God Bless, until next time, Cheryl x

Hey everyone, hope you're well!
Last night I arrived in Sydney airport around 10pm, and stayed up pretty much all night to meet my diocese of Paisley. Their flight was heavily delayed so I didn't meet them til 10am'ish. I was so happy and glad to see everyone and all the priests. Lots of hugs and chats about where I'd been. There's a few priests here - Fr. Andrew Coleman, Fr. John Morrison, Fr. Frank Hannigan, Fr. Gerry Gallagher, Fr. Stephen Baillie, and Fr. Euan. So we got on the coach and 2 hours later arrived in the diocese of Wollongong. It was a quick procedure, but basically just met the parish priest at St. Francis Assisi and then headed off in our inidividual groups with our family house sharer pilgrim. Basically for the next few days we're staying at various parishiners homes. I'm with Jenni, Clare and Denise, and the house we're staying in is HUGE!!! This family are proper rich, with their own pool table and gym. I think we got the best deal! Plus, there's WiFi!!!

This evening we're going to the family's parents house for dinner (they're italian too, so it should be great food!) Unfortunately I'm only staying for 2 days in the diocese whilst everyone else stays for 4 days. I have to make my way to Sydney University on Saturday to meet up with the International Liturgy Group.

I'm a little sad I won't be staying with my diocese, friends and priests, but I'm hoping to meet up with them during my free time. That's basically a case of organising times and meeting places and chatting to my youth officer, Christine to try and arrange something.

I'm missing my friends though (the ones I've been travelling with for 4 weeks). I won't see them until the flight back home in 2 weeks, but I'm sure we're all going to have a fantastic time. I'm so so excited, and I'm so so blessed to have this opportunity!

And my folks gave me some pennies for passing my degree - woo hoo!

Here's some more photies from the past weeks:

Speak soon, God Bless x

Hey everyone, I'm currently in Surfer's Paradise (Gold Coast). We've been here for the last 3 days, but the weather's been rubbish up until today - it's blue skies and sunnnnnny sunnnnny weather. So.... The first night we stayed in a wee rubbish hostel hotel in the town centre which was basically just bunk beds. After that we checked into a 4* apartment with an amazing view, and huge rooms! It's been great. We've wandered around town, went to Byron Bay 2 days ago which was great - lots of little hippy shops (my sort of stuff) and today we're going to lounge on the beach. I'm all packed up and leaving for Sydney tonight and meeting my diocese tomorrow morning. Yesterday we went snorkling and scuba diving - very scary at first, but pretty cool at the same time! I'm facing my fears!

So this is just a short update to say I'm alive and safe and well and having a great time.
Here's a wee photo for ye's :D

And by the way, I am now Cheryl Johnston BA (Hons) Theology! I got a 2:1 for my degree!!!!!!! Woooo Hoooo! So if you want to give me lots of money and presents, please feel free!

Next stop - Sydney WORLD YOUTH DAYYYYY!

God Bless xx

G'day! I'm now in the very very nice city of Melbourne!
To finish off where I left off - Christchurch is a rubbish town! Full of rubbish tourist shops and Japanese/Koreans. Not much to the city despite my previous entry of there being lots of restaurants. Plus the weather was terrible when we were there - we were glad to get on the flight!

We arrived in Melbourne, and Elisa's family came to pick us up. They hired a mini-bus so we got to their house in Cranbourne and were fed some proper food (Dutch soup and garlic bread-twas lovely!) (Elisa's from Holland). So we've been staying in a proper house the past few nights and had proper food and proper showers and it's been great. The houses here are so huge, and the area is really nice too. On our first full day here we headed into the mall and I bought some nice wee shoes to wear with my kilt for WYD, also bought some nice tops. The next day Elisa's cousin took us to a wildlife farm. We saw snakes and lizards, koalas, dingoes, emus, turtles, parrots and fed kangaroos from my hands!! They're so cute! Afterwards we went to watch the 'Penguin Parade' - everyone sits at the beach and waits for the sky to get dark enough to watch the penguins come out of the sea and go back to their home in the bush. It was a nice thing to see and they're so small and cute too!

We then headed to Shane's house (E's cousins) to book our flight from Melbourne to Gold Coast where we're going on Friday for a few days. The gang's going surfing there, and supposedly there's so much to see and do there. I also booked my flight from Gold Coast to Sydney as I have to leave earlier than the group to meet up with my diocese (5.30am 10th July Sydney Airport)

Unfortunately this computer doesn't have a card reader, but here's some photos from snowboarding! I miss boarding soooo much! I posted my shorts and goggles home the other day to save some room, so mum you'll be getting a package in next week some time. I'm also going to post my boarding trousers today..

Photies:

Speak soooooon, Love and kisses, God Bless x