Hundreds of youths and young adults, along with their chaperones, from different parishes in the Los Angeles Archdiocese joined more than 200,000 pilgrims from around the planet at the 23rd World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, July 15-20.

Among them was an African American extended family who attends St. Agatha Church in Los Angeles. The four teens - two brothers and their cousins - all agreed that the weeklong adventure was not only one they'll remember probably for the rest of their lives, but also that it changed their lives in significant ways.

"It was a good trip," said Vaughn Hoskins, 13. "It felt like we were gaining a purpose. I liked how we went to Australia, and we met different people from around the world who shared the same interest in God that we did."

His 16-year-old brother, Michael, was sitting beside him on a couch in their West Covina home. He also enjoyed the 12 1/2-hour flight to New Zealand, where the group stayed for three days with 180-some other Southern California pilgrims before going on to Australia. He thought it was "very good 'cause we got to meet different people who share the same beliefs as us, Catholic-wise. And we got to know their culture, and they got to know ours."

Their cousin, Valencio Watson, 15, of Hacienda Heights, sitting nearby thought the trip was both fun and religious. "The fun part was like touring, meeting other people, although the weather was kind of weird because it was winter there," he reported. "But I've never seen so many Catholics. There was just a lot of young people."

Another cousin who went to World Youth Day, Jasmine Neroes, also of Hacienda Heights, hit it off with two Australian girls. "We just talked and took some pictures," the 14-year-old said. "They asked how did I like it in California. And I met a girl from France who really wanted to travel to California."

All four adolescents were impressed by Pope Benedict XVI. Michael thought the Holy Father was "very happy and joyful" about what he saw happening in Sydney. Younger brother Vaughn came away thinking he was a "very nice man." Valencio didn't know the pope could speak so many languages, including English, Spanish, Italian and French, besides his native German.

"I really liked the last Mass with him," Jasmine put in. "His speech showed me that he was not just this big guy - the pope! - but he really opened up. He talked about relationships with your family and friends."

The adolescent said most likely she'll still be thinking about World Youth Day in five or ten years. "It was really spiritual, too," she pointed out. "You'd look at people and you'd say, 'Wow!' Because you didn't think they were so spiritual and loved God. But once you got to know them, you're like 'wow!'

"It changed me and it affected me," she noted. "I feel more close with the church now. Priests from different places talked, and you got to see different perspectives of how they think. They really, like, hooked me."

Valencio was also moved. "I never thought that church was so important," he said. "I really didn't know too many things about God or Jesus, but I learned more."

Michael said the whole experience affected him in how he looked at ordinary people and their role in the church today. "It showed me that everybody is like equal," he said.

For Vaughn, the experience was even more personal. "Before when I'd be down, I'd really think that God wasn't really helping me out," he confided. "And when I heard how many ways he helped others out, I thought it's just a step I need to take, and God will help me out in the future."

But Regina Holt-Hoskins' sons, Vaughn and Michael, and niece, Jasmine, and nephew, Valencia, weren't the only ones moved by the pope, liturgies, events and fellow pilgrims at World Youth Day 2008. The San Gabriel Valley mom - who with her sister, Lorna Holp, traveled with the youths from St. Agatha's to Australia - was also changed.

"It was good to see how the kids were so open," she said. "By having the kids with me, I felt like I was more grounded. Spiritually, it brought me to a different level. I haven't had much time to thing about it, but it just was an eye-opener about our faith."