Dear Brothers and Sisters in the United States of America,

The grace and peace of God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ be with all of you! In just a few days from now, I shall begin my apostolic visit to your beloved country. Before setting off, I would like to offer you a heartfelt greeting and an invitation to prayer. As you know, I shall only be able to visit two cities: Washington and New York. The intention behind my visit, though, is to reach out spiritually to all Catholics in the United States. At the same time, I earnestly hope that my presence among you will be seen as a fraternal gesture towards every ecclesial community, and a sign of friendship for members of other religious traditions and all men and women of good will. The risen Lord entrusted the Apostles and the Church with his Gospel of love and peace, and his intention in doing so was that the message should be passed on to all peoples.

At this point I should like to add some words of thanks, because I am conscious that many people have been working hard for a long time, both in Church circles and in the public services, to prepare for my journey. I am especially grateful to all who have been praying for the success of the visit, since prayer is the most important element of all. Dear friends, I say this because I am convinced that without the power of prayer, without that intimate union with the Lord, our human endeavours would achieve very little. Indeed this is what our faith teaches us. It is God who saves us, he saves the world, and all of history. He is the Shepherd of his people. I am coming, sent by Jesus Christ, to bring you his word of life.

Have you ever wanted to...

• See the Pope in person?
• Share past experiences and grow in faith with other young adults from around the globe?
• Travel to Australia?
• Take a week or more away from the daily routine for spiritual renewal?

In a year's time, you could experience all of the above -- and more -- during the 2008 World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia!

World Youth Day (WYD) is a triennial pilgrimage of Catholic young adults from across the world. It is a time for growth in faith through catechesis by Church leaders, sharing with fellow pilgrims, service to the host country, and participation in the Sacraments of the Church. The 2008 WYD will be held July 15th-20th with preparatory Days in the Dioceses held July 10th-14th. The theme is taken from Acts 1:8: "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses." -- a verse which encapsulates the WYD experience of renewal and mission. Most importantly, WYD is not a vacation, but a deep experience of the true universality of our Catholic faith and calling.