World Youth Day Conversions Begin!

World Youth Day is already bringing converts to the Catholic Church, and it hasn't even started yet.

SYDNEY (Zenit) - Sydney's Polish-Catholic community World Youth Day coordinator, 24-year-old Basia Slusarczyk, explained to ZENIT that her non-Catholic boyfriend is participating in the Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults.

His conversion was triggered by the experience of praying with her for the fruits of World Youth Day.

"He is attending World Youth Day with me and I hope the week of events and the solidarity with so many Catholics from around the world will make him proud to be joining the Catholic family," Basia said.

She was with a group of young Polish-Australians dressed in traditional Polish dancing uniforms at the veneration of the World Youth Day cross and icon at Belmore Park.

With international pilgrims already bringing a buzz to the life of Sydney, Basia believes the youth event will breathe new life into the Church in Australia, and re-energize what has been dormant.

"We have small and vibrant churches in Australia, but we need them to be alive for future generations," she said.

Basia affirmed that young people are drawn to Benedict XVI just as they were to Pope John Paul II, who started World Youth Day.

She said the late pontiff's interest in the lives of youth continues to draw youth to the faith, especially from Poland.

"[Karol Wojtyla] was actually upset when he was asked to be the next archbishop of Krakow, because it meant giving up his daily work with the youth of his parish," Basia said.

"But when he became Pope, he maintained his love of youth, even through his illness. There was something in his eyes and his voice that just drew youth to him."

Basia leads a 200-strong group registered for the youth event in Sydney, and says pilgrims from Ireland, Canada, Poland and even Western Australia have joined them.

"We are great lovers of John Paul II and realize the big impact he has had on each of us and the world," said Agnieszka (Agnes) Jaszczyszyn, 34, the group's other pilgrim leader.

But the reigning Pope is never far form their thoughts, and they continue to pray for the success of his mission in Australia.

"It is because of Pope Benedict XVI that we have World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney -- he kept the tradition going," she said. "The youth of the world are here because of him."

Arrival

The streets of Sydney were flooded with pilgrims such as the Polish group, wanting to witness the final leg of the journey of the World Youth Day cross and icon.

The youth day cross was given to the young people of the world by John Paul II in 1984 to be carried as a symbol of Christ's love for humanity; the icon of Our Lady was his second gift to young people in 2003, to accompany the cross.

The symbols' last leg through the streets of Sydney was the culmination of a global trip. After traversing the continents, the symbols were handed to Australian representatives on Palm Sunday 2006 in Rome.

Hundreds of pilgrims followed the cross and icon as they were carried by ferry from Manly to Circular Quay, then walked with the images as they cut through the center of Sydney's central business district down Pitt Street, past Sydney Tower and down to Belmore Park.

There, every pilgrim got a chance to venerate the cross and icon, and many, including some from Texas, were moved to tears and embraced each other as others prayed and sang around them.

It was the cross and icon's last leg before the images form part of the scenario at the opening Mass on Tuesday at 4 p.m., local time.

The Mass will be presided over by Cardinal George Pell of Sydney at Barangaroo, a disused shipping port in East Darling Harbor.