"Confession is such an important part of my faith... It takes on a slightly different edge when its in the middle of all of this [WYD]," says Catriona O'Rourke from Dundee, Scotland after this morning's 'Catechesis' session in Annandale.

As part of WYD, there are three Catechesis sessions that pilgrims attend during WYD. Bishops and Cardinals give a half hour catechesis as part of the three hour session, which is followed by Mass at 11am.

At this morning's first catechesis session of WYD in the parish of St Brendan's Annandale, Catriona O'Rourke went to the sacrament of confession. 

She hadn't been in two years.

"Because WYD is such a hugely spiritual thing, and after yesterday's Mass I felt an extreme need to go to confession - I don't normally get that just from a [normal] Mass," she says.

The singing also had a powerful impact, "I get loads out of singing and praise. All at once - thousands of people singing the WYD song... [it] was pretty uplifting."

Although she couldn't comment on the impact Bishop Jaime Soto's catechesis had on her, (as she was in confession), the question and answer opportunity afterwards was "thought provoking." 

"One question was 'How can you tell if the Spirit's prompting you and [it's] not your own self wanting to go into it?'" she recounts.

"And he [Bishop Jaime Soto] answered - there's three things to remember: 1) Reading of scriptures and literature and understanding them and thinking on them; 2) prayer - praying for guidance in things and listening; 3) having faith in your own beliefs," she says. 

Catriona is here with a group of 19 from the Diocese of Dunkeld, which is accompanied by two priests. 

She is really looking forward to the Vigil with the Pope.