With all the fanfare and hoo-ha surrounding the Catholic Church´s 265th Pope´s visit, you could be excused for assuming Sydney had found God. And his name was Benedict.
Religion in Australia, a facet of life that has traditionally struggled in the lives of those busy battling harsh environmental and work conditions, has seen its importance further diminish in the last 50 years or so.
But with the arrival of the pontiff on our sunny shores, a reverent mood settled over Sydney and her people.
So do the hundreds of thousands who descended upon the city indicate Australia being on the verge of a renaissance of religious appreciation? I doubt it.
The behaviour displayed by Sydneysiders last week is far from unique. It is not uncommon for the Australian media to tout the imminent arrival of an international visitor as of regal importance.
The hype-sensitive Sydney residents are prone to hopping in their cars and bringing traffic on the Bridge and Cahill expressway to a screaming halt as they gawk in the hope of catching a glimpse of a famed guest.
This gridlock nightmare surrounded the royal rendezvous of cruise liners Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria, the USS Kitty Hawk and of course the American President´s visit for the APEC forum.
We’re too busy to pray to God, but have just enough time to sit in traffic for two hours to catch a glimpse of an ocean liner or foreign country's leader.
With the introduction of television and its rise to the forefront of the marketing and advertising industries, a new type of God has materialized - the celebrity.
The celebrity, or God willing, the Hollywood celebrity power couple, is the envy of all.
They seemingly live the life we should all aspire to, they have the houses, cars, clothes, hair, possessions and wealth we need. Australians, like most westerners, desire more - faster cars, better technology and newer, more stylish clothes.
We use celebrities to justify our desires, purchases and lifestyles and to give us something to aspire to. With the exponential proliferation of digital technology and communication, the everyday Joe is now one step closer to attaining celebrity status through mediums such as reality programs and TV game shows.
Celebrity is king.
So the Pope is God. But not in the way you might think.
