With the completion of World Youth Day 2008 in Australia last month, we thought that this edition of the Beacon would be dedicated to those who have made the pilgrimage to attend this once in a lifetime event. Pilgrims came by foot, by car, plane, and even by ship, as you will read about further on.

You will find throughout the pages of this issue some stories, interviews and pictures reflecting this sense of inspiration and celebration as typified by:- Sr Mary Leahy‘s efforts in assisting seafarers attending the Vigil and Mass with the Pope; Stella Maris Melbourne offering a warm welcome to pilgrims from East Timor or for those who represented AOS by committing themselves in the long days of WYD at the stall explaining the role and ministry of the Apostolate. We hope you will find them inspiring.

John Kewa & Scott Cook

For many pilgrims around the globe, World Youth Day 2008 was a great way of meeting other fellow pilgrims and coming together for prayer. For the youth of East Timor, closer to Australia than most countries, the World Youth Day experience was something that they could only dream about. However, due to the help and co-ordination of Bishop Hilton Deakon in Melbourne, this dream became a reality.

East Timor, or by its proper name, Timor Leste became colonized by the Portuguese during the 16th Century. Here it remained as a poor and forgotten colony until 1974 when restlessness in Angola and Mozambique, and a change of government in Portugal, led to East Timor being abandoned. East Timor declared itself independent on Nov 28, 1975. Nine days later, Indonesia invaded and took control before international recognition had occurred.