Christchurch, New Zealand Day 1 - "Days in the Dioceses"

We arrived in Christchurch and were picked up at the airport by our host families. We went to their houses for a quick "fresh up" and then to one of the local parishes, St. Bernadette, for mass and on to another parish for lunch with our host families and WYD pilgrims from Christchurch as well as visiting pilgrims from Sydney. At the mass we were given candy leis.



After our potluck lunch, we went to meet a sheep. More like meeting a lamb. There were two lambs for us to hold and feed. Very sweet. In the photo is Robert Vallarino, Daniela Riva and Penelope Riva (not related). After the lamb holding, we had afternoon tea at another parish, Templeton Church. We met Edmund le Grelle, the WYD coordinator for Christchurch Diocese and we practice a couple of songs to be sung tomorrow after mass.

Then, we visited the Antarctic Centre where government expeditions from the United States fly from. We experienced a wild ride in the vehicle used in the Antarctic, a wind storm and ice slide and met some blue penguins.

This has been a very full day and I'm ready for bed. Oh, dinner with our host families. Fantastic hospitality.