For cardinal, World Youth Day preparation means spiritual readiness

Published: 2007-09-28

SYDNEY, Australia (CNS) -- As planning for the world's largest youthfest gathers momentum, Sydney's cardinal said his main concern was the spiritual preparation of young Australians. Logistical difficulties will be involved in hosting up to a half-million people for World Youth Day 2008, admitted Sydney Cardinal George Pell, but he said he is confident that the July 15-20 celebration will be well organized. "The most important challenge is the spiritual and religious preparation," he said. Both young people and clergy told a group of visiting journalists in late September that they feel religion slipping away in their culture. Nineteen percent of Australians did not claim a religion in a 2006 census, up 2 percent from the previous count. "An increasing minority of young Australians and other Australians are tempted to believe that you can live a good life without God," said Cardinal Pell. "There's an erosion of faith and practice."

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