When a deacon is present at the Celebration of the Eucharist, he has some special duties that he is responsible for. These duties include proclaiming the Gospel (and possibly the homily), praying the General Intercessions, assisting in the distribution of Communion, and carrying out other liturgical duties as necessary. So although at World Youth Day there were tons of priests that could have proclaimed the Gospel, it is the rightful duty of the deacon to do so, if there is a deacon present at the Mass.

From the 1-13 August, London will be hosting a mini 'World Youth Day’ just a 20-minute walk from the main Olympic site. The Joshua Camp will take place during the London Olympic and Paralympic games. This is an opportunity to join in and help to serve on projects of Hospitality, Service and Evangelisation in key churches across the city.

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Dear Brothers and Sisters,

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World Youth Day is an annual event that takes place every year on Palm Sunday at a local level - and every 2-3 years at an international location (such as Sydney, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro). This year, World Youth Day will take place on Sunday 1 April 2012, and thousands of young people will gather at St. Peter's Basilica, to take part in the Holy Father's Palm Sunday Mass. Pope Benedict XVI has released his annual World Youth Day message - here is the full text:

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This year marks the 10th anniversary of the last World Youth Day attended by Pope John Paul II, which happened in Toronto, Canada. The theme of the 2002 event was "You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world", and it brought nearly half a million people to the city.

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Many of us are only familiar with the big international World Youth Days that occur every 2-3 years in different cities around the world. But did you know that Palm Sunday is also World Youth Day? Dioceses around the world are therefore invited to celebrate the next WYD on Palm Sunday 2012 - and Pope Benedict XVi has announced the themes for both the 2012 and 2013 WYDs!

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A group of young Melbournians on their way to World Youth Day in Madrid have become the first contingent of Australian pilgrims to stay at Rome's newly-opened, Domus Australia. And the verdict was a unanimous "thumbs up." Visit this article to read more about Domus Australia, and the journey to WYD Madrid!

Pope Benedict XVI has put his own stamp on the church's celebration of World Youth Day, and it's especially clear in the gathering's moments of prayer.

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An exhibition in honor of World Youth Day, featuring 13 masterpieces of sacred art, opened at Madrid's Prado Museum on July 21, and will run until September 18. Entitled “The Word Made Image,” the show highlights aspects of Jesus' life and character.

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Nine out of ten youth interviewed by a Spanish research institute consider World Youth Day to be an "experience that changes your life." Gabinete de Análisis Demoscópico (Office of Analysis of Public Opinion) surveyed 1,800 youth from around the world that follow news about World Youth Day. Visit this article for a summary of the important statistics from the survey!