World Youth Day Sydney 2008 (WYD08) organisers have released a parish version of the official Mass Setting commissioned by George Palmer. The official Mass Setting will be performed during the major WYD08 Masses.

The Parish Setting is available on the WYD08 website: ( www.wyd2008.org/wydmass ) for parishes to learn and perform in the lead-up to WYD08.

The Parish Setting will help parishes become familiar with the official Mass Setting when it is performed for His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI and the hundreds and thousands of youth in July.

"There is a great sense of excitement about World Youth Day, with many people eager to find out how their local parishes can prepare for and celebrate the arrival of the Pope," said Father Peter Williams, Director Liturgy, WYD08.

"We hope the Parish Setting will be learnt and used widely in parishes across Australia in the lead up to World Youth Day," he said.

The score and recording of the Parish Setting is available to download from the WYD08 website. Parishes are able to reproduce the score for teaching purposes and performance within a parish.

A separate version of each movement is also available for inclusion in parish service sheets.

The recording is by the choirs of St Ignatius' College, Riverview and Loreto Kirribilli with organist Christine Moriarty and conductor Noel Debien. The recording includes the Kyrie, Gloria, Sanctus, Acclamation, Amen and Agnus Dei and was engineered by Jonathan Palmer.

The spirit of the Mass is Rejoicing, with the congregational parts in the Parish Setting identical to those that will be performed by the cantor, choir and organ at the Opening and Final Masses of WYD08.

Sydney will host the 23rd World Youth Day from 15 - 20 July this year. The event - hosted by the Catholic Church, but open to all - is expected to draw up to 500,000 people to its largest event, the Final Mass at Randwick Racecourse and Centennial Park. It will also mark the first visit to Australia by the Pope.