Over 500 Indians travel to Sydney for World Youth Day; 30 missing enroute

Over 500 Indians have travelled to Sydney, Australia, to participate in the World Youth Day festival, beginning today, July 15–20.

The event, which unites youths from all over the world, had nearly 250,000 people register, according to its website. More than half of the registered are from overseas, who will stay in churches and schoolhouses, during their stay in the country.

The six–day celebration by the Roman Catholic Church is aimed at helping the youths to learn and share their experiences in the big event, which will also contain cultural programs, guided tours and prayers.

Pope Benedict XVI who arrived in Australia on Sunday will not formally join the celebrations until Thursday. The closing programs will however be presided by the pope.

“Many young people today lack hope,” the pope said. “They are perplexed by the questions that present themselves ever more urgently in a confusing world, and they are often uncertain which way to turn for answers.”

The pope believes that the World Youth Day can be a point of renewal for millions of youths, from all over the world.

“It is my firm belief that young people are called to be instruments of that renewal, communicating to their peers the joy they have experienced through knowing and following Christ,” added the pope.

The Catholic Church in India last month formally announced that it would sponsor over 500 classified youths from several dioceses in the country, for the event.

Rakesh Singh, WYD program coordinator in India, told UCA News this "is the first time" the bishops' Youth Commission "is taking such a big number of participants."

Meanwhile, last week, sources confirmed that 30 Indian youths have disappeared in New Zealand where they were in transit to go to Sydney.

The disappearance has caused embarrassment and disappointment to the Catholic community in the country. New Zealand’s immigration officials are now investigating the incident.

"We are shocked to hear the news of pilgrims absconding. It is a matter of great embarrassment for the Church," Father Babu Joseph, spokesperson for Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) said.

The 510–member delegation from the country, left in different batches on July 5, 6 and 7 from Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi.

Representatives of national and international youth groups in India such as Jesus Youth and International Movement of Catholic Agricultural and Rural Youth are also part of the delegation to Sydney.