The pope and pope benedict xvi’s thechurch

SYDNEY (Reuters) – Pope Benedict arrived in Australia onSunday for an
international Catholic youth festival andpromised to apologise for a
sexual abuse scandal that hasrocked the church in the country.

After a refueling stop in Darwin, he arrived in Sydney,site of the
Roman Catholic Church’s World Day of Youthfestivities. He will rest
for three days in a secludedresidence outside the city before the
official start of hisvisit on Thursday.

During an in-flight news conference with reporters shortlyafter the
plane left Rome, the pope said everything possiblewould be done to
prevent a recurrence of Australia’s sexualabuse crisis and to promote
healing among the victims.

Another main issue during the in-flight news conference wasthe crisis
gripping the Anglican Church, which risks schismover a decision by a
Church synod to ordain women bishops.

“My essential contribution can only be prayer,” he said inresponse to
a question about the current crisis in the70-million-member Anglican
communion, whose mother Church, theChurch of England, split with Rome
in 1534.

But the conference faces mass defections by conservatives,mainly from
Africa, Asia and South America, who were vehementlyopposed to the
ordination of openly gay U.S Bishop GeneRobinson and the blessing of
same-sex marriages in Canada.

“The desire is that schisms and new fractures can beavoided,” he said,
adding that Catholic Church would not”intervene immediately” in their
decisions.

SYDNEY, Australia (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI arrived in Australia on
Sunday, saying he wants to use his visit to raise awareness about
global warming and address the crisis of clergy sexual abuse.

Benedict suggested to reporters on the flight from the Vatican that he
would express regret about abuse by priests, though victims’ groups
are demanding he go further and make a direct formal apology.

Bernard Barrett, a spokesman for the victims’ group Broken Rites, said
Benedict’s comments did not go far enough.

“The pope must apologize for the way his Australian bishops have
covered up sexual abuse, the pope must tell his Australian bishops to
stop blocking victims’ access to justice in the civil law courts,” he
said.

On the plane, Benedict acknowledged the church in the West was “in
crisis” but insisted it was not in decline. “I am an optimist”
about its future, he said.

Benedict will then tour through Sydney in a parade that is expected to
shut down most of the downtown district. He will join a crowd expected
to total 200,000 at a vigil before leading a Mass next Sunday at the
culmination of the festival.

Australia’s senior Roman Catholic leader, Cardinal George Pell, has
been accused of badly handling a sexual abuse claim and this week
agreed to reopen investigations into the 25-year-old case.

At a news conference on the plane taking him to Australia, the Pope
said he would make similar comments to those during a trip to the
United States in April.

Then, he made apology for sexual abuse a major part of his visit,
meeting victims and vowing to keep paedophiles out of the priesthood.

The leader of Australia’s Catholics and Sydney’s archbishop, Cardinal
George Pell, is under criticism for his handling of a 1982 case
reportedly involving the sexual abuse of minors by a priest.

It is the pope’s ninth trip outside Italy. His plane, a chartered
Alitalia B777, refuelled in Darwin. It arrived at the RAAF Richmond
air base in western Sydney at 3pm (AEST).

The Pope will rest for several days at a retreat near Sydney ahead of
the six-day event celebrating the Catholic faith aimed at young
people.

Eight temporary base stations will be erected to allow young pilgrims
to send text messages to family and friends.

Four giant digital “prayer wall” screens will be at the Sydney Opera
House, the Domain, Darling Harbour and Randwick Racecourse.

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About 50 faithful from local Catholic groups lined the Darwin RAAF
base fence, which borders the Stuart Highway, to welcome the pontiff
at 9.10am (CST) this morning.

The Pope was officially welcomed on the tarmac by RAAF Base Commander
Noel Hinschen and Group Captain Peter Viggers.

He was also joined on the plane by Darwin’s Bishop Eugene Hurley, who
will make the trip to Sydney with him for the World Youth Day
festival.

“We are the very first in Australia to greet him … and it will
certainly be a privilege for me to say that I welcome him to
Australia.”

Asked about climate change following discussions on the environment
during this month’s G8 summit in Japan, the Pope said there was a need
to “wake up consciences”.

© AP
2008-07-13 07:13:08 –
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) – Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Sydney to
lead hundreds of thousands of pilgrims at the Roman Catholic Church’s
youth festival. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and other officials greeted
the pope at a military air base on Sydney’s outskirts. The 81-year-old
pope flew more than 20 hours from the Vatican, with a refueling stop
in the northern Australian city of Darwin. Benedict told reporters
during the flight that while in Australia he wants to help heal wounds
caused by the clergy sexual abuse scandal. Australian victims have
demanded the pope make a formal apology for the abuse. Benedict is to
rest for three days at a retreat in Sydney before joining the World
Youth Day festival starting Thursday.

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More than a thousand people gathered outside the base in the hope of
catching a glimpse of the Pope as he arrived, while soldiers patrolled
the fence.

Traffic on the road adjacent to the base slowed to a crawl as drivers
tried to see the plane land.

More than a thousand people gathered outside the base in the hope of
catching a glimpse of the Pope as he arrived, while soldiers patrolled
the fence.

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Earlier, in an in-flight press conference conducted less than an hour
into the flight, the Pontiff signalled that he will apologise for the
suffering of young Australians who suffered sexual abuse at the hands
of Catholic clergy.

“We have to see what was insufficient in our behaviour and how we can
prevent, and heal, reconcile,” he said. “This is the essential content
of what we I say . . . to apologise.”

He said he accepted that the Catholic Church in Europe faced
difficulties but refused to admit it was in decline, stating that as
God exisits, so religion would always exist and be needed. He said he
was an optimist about its future.

Anthony Jones, who spoke on the ABC’s Lateline program last Monday
about being sexually assaulted by priest Terrence Goodall in 1982,
said there was no point in the Pope apologising.

After 24 hours in a special hangar, its livery polished and fuselage
combed by the bomb squad, the jet was ready for its special passenger.

Inside, the papal plane traditionally has a crucifix in place beneath
the kneeler, and an enormous basket of flowers  in welcome.

Chefs had been at work since 3am preparing the papal meals and the
27-strong official “delegazione” were at the ready behind his
holiness. As the Pontiff boarded, Alitalia crew posed for the
traditional shots with the Pope.

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Times photo by CHRISTINA BAIRD Bishop David Zubik asks those attending
to introduce themselves at the Pittsburgh International Airport Chapel
before a Mass Saturday for people headed to World Youth Day in Sydney,
Australia.

More than 600 Pittsburgh area youths are taking flight for the 23rd
World Youth Day in the land down under.The area’s 616 pilgrims
make up the largest international group, second to the host diocese of
Sydney, attending the five-day Roman Catholic celebration that runs
Tuesday through July 20 in Sydney, Australia.Mary Ann Schweitzer, a
youth minister at SS. Peter and Paul Church in Beaver, said a group of
13 from her church, including six teens ages 14 to 17, are going after
spending two years raising $1,950 per person to attend. This is the
first time most in the group will attend.While most participants are
departing at different times, Schweitzer’s group will fly out at
6 a.m. today and arrive Monday, Schweitzer said.“This pilgrimage
is so special to me because I get to see God in action in all the
young people there, especially our teens,” Schweitzer said.The
celebration will be attended by Pope Benedict XVI, who is expected to
arrive Thursday by boat-a-cade down the Sydney Harbour. A motorcade
will follow in the Popemobile through Sydney’s streets. This
marks the fourth Papal visit to the country.World Youth Day was
initiated in 1984 by Pope John Paul II, who wanted to invite youth
from all over the world to gather and show the universal church
“is larger than just your home parish,” Schweitzer
said.The event has taken place in Rome twice, as well as in the
Philippines, Paris and Denver. The local group is among 500,000 young
people taking the pilgrimage.The opening Mass takes place Tuesday. Big
screens will be operating around the city so that onlookers can view
the big events live.Stations of the Cross, a re-enactment of the last
moments of Jesus’ life, will take place at several venues,
including the famous Sydney Opera House. The week culminates with an
evening vigil with the Pope July 19 sleeping out under the stars at
Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park, where a Final Mass celebrated
by the Pope will occur on the last day, considered the actual World
Youth Day.This marks the third celebration for Schweitzer, who
attended events in Toronto in 2002 and Germany in 2005. In Toronto,
Schweitzer stood 10 feet away from the late Pope John Paul II as he
went by.“That was very awesome,” she said of the
experience.Schweitzer is hopeful the group may meet Pope Benedict, or
at least a close-up view of him during the event, since fewer people
are expected to attend compared to previous years. If not, she expects
the event still will offer encouragement.“It’s tough to be
a teenager right now. There are so many temptations out there. I hope
this opens their eyes and makes them realize how to really live your
life, I mean truly live your life, according to your faith,”
Schweitzer said.Larissa Theodore can be reached online at ltheodore@
.WHO’S GOING:
Duquesne University.

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The Papal plane sporting Australian and Vatican flags landed at about
3pm at Richmond RAAF Base, where it was met by a a long line of
dignitaries including Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.

He was then led across the tarmac to the VIP lounge by Mr Rudd who was
talking constantly and pointed to the waiting media.

The convoy caused people to pull over and abandon their vehicles for
photos as it left the base, heading for a rural retreat at Kenthurst
where Pope Benedict will stay for the next three days.

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Pope Benedict XVI has arrived in Australia on a pilgrimage he says he
wants to use to raise awareness about global warming and address the
crisis of clergy sexual abuse.

“I think you can celebrate no matter what language you speak,” said
Re, 18, of St. Sebastian Church in Ross, who plans to attend St.
Vincent College in the fall. “We all praise one God.”

The local delegation has been leaving in stages, with 20 people
celebrating Mass Saturday with Bishop David Zubik before departing on
an 14-hour fight bound for Sydney. A group of 500 people is expected
to leave this morning, according to officials with the Diocese of
Pittsburgh.

The youths will participate in dozens of events, including a camp
under the stars July 19 to 20, even though it is winter in Australia
where July temperatures typically range from 46 degrees at night to 61
degrees during the day.

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The Pope is expected to land at Richmond RAAF Base at 3pm. He will
shake hands with dignitaries, including NSW Premier Morris Iemma,
Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Transport Minister John Watkins.

The Pope will then proceed to a VIP lounge to freshen up, where he is
expected to stay for fifteen minutes. Then the motorcade will depart
for a rural retreat at Kenthurst where he is expected to arrive at
4pm.

“In the past few days our TV screens and our newspapers have
been filled with beautiful images of youthful pilgrims full of joy
arriving here in Sydney and Australia,” he said.

Bishop Fisher also said the church expected the Pope to speak out
against sexual abuse in the Catholic Church during his visit to
Australia.

“We welcome the Holy Father’s words of compassion and of
leadership for us with respect to the victims of sexual abuse,”
he said.

“But when people see those hundreds of thousands of happy,
idealistic young people who just want to show their faith, show their
ideals, everyone is swept away by it.

“The church has always said that it supports the right of
peaceful protest and we continue to do so.

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