World Youth Day 2002 was an experience that would stay with me always. It was the most wonderful display of unity in the Church across the world, and just being there among the young people of the world (the future of the church) was excellent.
At times if I stood still enough, I could feel clothed by the vastness of the love emanating from Exhibition Place. Everyone seemed to have such a great love for each other, and most of all for God, and they exhibited it without reservation.
One of the most moving experiences for me was when everyone in excess of 800,000 sang the theme song, (Light of the World, Salt of the Earth) in their own language. This was so beautiful. Even though we may not speak the same language or be able to understand each other, we do understand the language of love, spoken by God.
In one of our Catechism sessions the Bishop said, "We may not speak the same language or know each other personally but we are bonded to each other by our baptism". From what I have seen, I truly believe this of all Catholics across the globe. We have a baptismal bond.
It's really great to think that even though we live so far from each other the faith is the same, and even better is the realization that yes, other young people across the world are going through some of the same spiritual struggles we are facing now in our lives.
The whole experience was wonderful and eye opening. It was an experience that I will surely never forget.
Natalie Bain