British-Filipino wins World Youth Day song contest

A British-Filipino singer and songwriter, Cherrie Anderson, was one of the winners of the World Youth Day (WYD) 2011 global song contest. Anderson's song "Faith In You" received the highest number of plays (400,405) on the competition’s website. Anderson said, "I am happy and humbled that my songs have been chosen from out of the 270 entries. When I submitted them earlier this year there were only around 20 entries." "There are some really good songs included in the other submissions so my expectations were not that high. It is incredible that both songs 'Faith in You' and 'Unshakeable' were actually listened to by young people all over the world more than half a million times!" she added. Anderson is the front person for the electro-pop band ooberfuse. The band, made up of Cherie, Hal, Alex and Michel, sang the youth anthem for Pope Benedict’s visit to the UK in 2010. The global contest, "Tuned into Madrid," drew 270 submissions from 40 countries. Through the contest, the Catholic Church searched for songs all over the world that reflect the Church's youthfulness. A jury of five music and song composition specialists, together with WYD organizers, selected the winning songs. World Youth Day WYD 2011 is a Catholic event that will be held from August 16 – 21, 2011 in Madrid, Spain. According to the WYD 2011 website, "World Youth Day is a great meeting of young people from all over the world gathered to celebrate and learn about their faith. It is one of the primary means by which the Church proclaims the message of Christ to and expresses its concern for young people." The website said the pope is the one who calls for and organizes the WYD. "The Holy Father chooses the theme, delivers a message explaining its significance, and calls together youth from all over the world," the website said. "WYD is then organized by the Pontifical Council for the Laity, which is the department of the Vatican to which the Holy Father has entrusted the planning of World Youth Day. In addition, there is a local Planning Committee, which works in close collaboration with the Pontifical Council for the Laity," it added. Pope Benedict XVI revealed the location of the event at the final Mass in Australia at Sydney's Royal Randwick Racecourse during World Youth Day 2008.[3] It will be the second time that Spain will host the event. World Youth Day 1989 was held from August 15 – 20 1989 at Santiago de Compostela. Saint Rafael Arnáiz Barón, Saint Francis Xavier, Saint Isidore of Seville, Saint Maria de la Cabeza, Saint Teresa of Avila, Saint Ignatius of Loyola, Saint John of Avila, Saint Rose of Lima, Saint John of the Cross, and Blessed Pope John Paul II were all designated as co-patrons of World Youth Day 2011. The event will cost around €50 million, half paid through taxes and half by private entities, mainly Santander Bank, Telefónica and El Corte Inglés. - VVP, GMA News I