G'DAY MATES!!! :)

G-day Mates!!!!

AHHHH! Australia is absolutely INCREDIBLE! I don't have much time. This is the first time that I could get access to a computer with Internet! I will transfer my journal entries to this blog soon, but until then, just read the e-mail that I sent my family! God Bless!



G'day Mom, Dad, & Bros,

I am in Australia and doing GREAT! This country is AWESOME! Sorry I haven't called or e-mailed. This is the first time I could find internet. When I find more time, I will transfer all my experiences from my journal to my blog. I have picked up on the lingo here and have made some great friends from all over. These guys are great! Just a few things that have happened. Traveling here was LONG, but was overshadowed by all the laughing and cutting up that we did in the airports and on the planes! We have 2 Canadians with us, whom I have gotten close to and they have taught me lots of canadian card games (of course, i have taught them many of ours too!). I am staying in downtown Sydney at the University of Notre Dame (home of the Oldest Catholic/church in Australia, St. Benedict's) and was provided (actually given) so much equipment such as a nice sleeping bag, bedroll, backpack, NICE clothes, and a whole lot of WYD pilgrim stuff! For the first two days that we were here, Me and a big group of guys did A LOT of touring and site seeing. We went to the Market and I of course went a little nuts there buying souveniers and such. We walked all over Darling Harbour and even took a boat tour! We got close to the famous Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Bridge, a few celebrity mansions (Nicole Kidman, Russell Crow, and Michael Jackson, where the jokes were flying! hahaha) etc etc etc. Hmmmm....let's see I got to see Kangaroo's and Koala's, but we couldn't pet the koala's because they were asleep when we went to see them. I got some AWESOME pics though! Many more stories to come about the city, nightlife, and culture. I got to M.C. Altar Serve at a HUGE Mass with the Bishop of Las Vegas, today I get to do the same with the Bishop of Lismore, Australia, and tomorrow, I get to Altar serve with another American Bishop!!! I am so blessed to have had these opportunities! Not many are getting to do this! We went to the Opening Mass, which was the first time that ALL the pilgrims got together. This took place in Darling Harbour and was absolutely INCREDIBLE! Over 100,000 pilgrims (look for pictures online!). More stories about that to come! In the midst of all that, us Knights have been working so hard with the Sisters of Life running the Love&Life Site here at Notre Dame. These Sisters are absolutely amazing, we have been getting to know them very well (two of them are Aggies, whom I have already met before)! We have had Concerts with some big names, EWTN talk shows, catechesis talks with Bishops and various well-known speakers, authors, priests, and professors. The Local and Foreign Media has been CRAZY here at our site, we have recieved the most press world-wide!! I have been in charge of all the media stuff, So I have been in charge of recording all the speeches and talks along with another Sister and group of six Knights. We also have been hadling the Media and Press that roll into our site constantly. The Supreme Knight, Karl Anderson, has been with us the whole and is somewhat of a celebrity to many! He is a great, down-to-earth guy and is taking us out to a NICE Aussie dinner tonight, his treat!! Pope Benedict arrived in Australia a day or two ago and will be arriving in Sydney via his Papal yacht (haha)! Here comes the cool part and I am praying and praying that this comes true, but am not getting my hopes up. Pope Benedict is said to come and visit here at Notre Dame/ St. Benedict's on Saturday (because it is the oldest church in Australia! SOOO, there is a VERY strong chance that I will get to see him up close or even meet him!!! AHHH!! We will just see what happens. We are gonna make the hike down to the harbour later today to witness his arrival in Sydney!! That's all I can really say in a nutshell. I can't wait to tell you in more detail all about it. I am witnessing the Power of Christ here and am seeing lives being changed. Mine too will never be the same! This is just re-affirming my call to the Priesthood. Praise God and all that He does! I have to run and get ready to Serve at Mass! Please keep me in your prayers and know that I have been keeping y'all in mine constantly! I will try to call y'all today when I get a spare moment. Feel free to share this e-mail with anyone who might like to know about my journey thus far!! I hope y'all are doing well! I love y'all!

Love,
Jared