Events archive
World Youth Day is the largest youth event in the world and this year was held in Sydney (between 15 - 20th July). Over 500,000 young people shared the pilgrim experience with the Holy Father, Pope Benedict XVI. Around 2,000 young pilgrims and 20 bishops traveled from England and Wales to Australia for an event that is a mixture of a pilgrimage, a cultural youth festival and a prayer rally.
In size and scale WYD08 was a major international youth event and, for the final vigil and Mass, crowd numbers far exceeded the Sydney Olympic Games.
WYD attracted pilgrims from over 170 nations (along with thousands of international journalists). WYD08 also marked the first visit to Australia by Pope Benedict XVI. It was actually a week of events, culminating in the final Mass celebrated by the Holy Father.
Visit our WYD section for press resources, info for pilgrims, quotes from Pope Benedict XVI and more.
Keep the Promise - End Child Poverty event
On Saturday 4 October the End Child Poverty coalition organised what was billed as the UK's biggest ever event to end child poverty. It aims to remind the government of its pledge to halve child poverty by 2010 and end it by 2020.
Bishop John Hine, Auxiliary Bishop of Southwark and the Catholic Church's Bishop for Marriage and Family Life in England and Wales will attend the Keep in Promise event.
General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops
5 October to 26 October 2008, Vatican City
Sunday 5 October marked the start of the Twelfth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.
The Synod will begin with a Mass, celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI, in the basilica of St. Paul's Outside-the-Walls - the first time a Synod of Bishops will be open in a basilica other than St. Peter's.
The Synod's theme is "The Word of God in the Life and the Mission of the Church".
Archbishop Patrick Kelly, Archbishop of Liverpool and Bishop David McGough, Auxiliary Bishop of Birmingham will represent the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales.