From Fr. John:

For a number of days, things were upside down coming back from the land of down under. It was a great pilgrimage with many blessings. It was a pilgrimage and not a vacation, because you don’t sleep on concrete during a vacation. But to celebrate Mass with the Pope and 500,000 others was a big moment. Being an instrument of mercy for hours at a time for people traveling around the world seeking Christ was a privilege. Yet there were a number of hours standing in line, going nowhere fast and buses and trains that quickly took me where I didn’t want to go. Getting to know youth from around the diocese and priests from around the world was a great experience. I hope in the coming weeks to bore you with bits and pieces of World Youth Day 2008. Like any big trip, it is also good to be home!!