PALMERSTON NORTH Seven young people from Palmerston North diocese have started their preparations to lead catechesis sessions at World Youth Day in Sydney. Jonny Boon, a member of that group and co-ordinator of youth leadership in Palmerston North diocese, said New Zealand is expected to provide about 10 catechesis animation teams for WYD08.

His team includes young people from throughout the diocese: Mr Boon, Lizzy Borkin, Tim Darybshire and Dione Joseph from Palmerston North; Rebekah Hornblow, Sarah Simmons and Ben Schaare from Waipukurau, New Plymouth and Opunake, respectively.

That group recently attended their first catechesis animation workshop in Wellington. Teams from most dioceses have been undertaking similar training.

The catechesis will take place on the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of World Youth Day week. The teams will help lead the programme for large groups of pilgrims from all over the English-speaking world, Mr Boon said.

They will use music, drama, dance and testimony to relay their message and one of the bishops on the episcopal team will give a reflection on the theme of the day.

Mr Boon said it is a huge responsibility to lead the catechesis for the tens of thousands of pilgrims who are coming to Australia for WYD. It is also a logistical challenge; there will be 297 teams leading these teaching sessions in different languages at as many different venues across Sydney.

The Palmerston North diocesan team, unlike many others, has been drawn from a number of pilgrim groups. As a result, the team members will convene for a couple of sessions to prepare their drama and music and to practise their public speaking.

Their first presentation will be to 300 pilgrims at a preparatory retreat in early May at Hato Paora College, near Feilding.

Mr Boon said leading catechesis at WYD will prove a great opportunity for those pilgrims to lead other pilgrims in understanding God, faith and the Church.