Bulletin Article 8/14
About 11 years ago, when I was only 13 years old, I embarked on my first pilgrimage. I was an active member of my home parish’s youth group, which focused mostly on community service, and the opportunity came for a group of us to go to World Youth Day in Rome. It was the year 2000, a Jubilee Year for the Church, and Pope John Paul II called for all the young people in the world to come “home” to Rome to celebrate their Catholic faith. I can trace my involvement in the Church back to this experience. Although I was still a kid, the trip to the Holy City had an enormous impact on me and my life. It was during the pilgrimage that I first heard God’s calling in my life.
The way in which World Youth Day is set up allows for young people to participate in different catechetical workshops, concerts, sightseeing, and interaction with groups from all over the world. World Youth Day (which is actually a week in length) culminates with a pilgrimage or walk to a predetermined area where the pilgrims celebrate a vigil prayer service led by the Pope, then they camp outside and celebrate a final Mass in the morning. The final night is, by far, the climax of the WYD experience.
After walking for several miles in the summer heat, you finally arrive at the huge, open field—your home for the night. As a 13 year old walking for miles, sweating, and carrying my next 3 meals in a box, that rolling field was the most beautiful site I had ever seen. As the pilgrims flood in, music is playing, people are worshipping, talking, greeting you in other languages—it is truly a wonderful experience. Flags from all different nations are flying, people are trading knickknacks and prayer cards to remember each other by, all while you try and set up your small camp (no tents are allowed, just tarps and sleeping bags on the ground). Then as the sun sets the prayer vigil begins. You pull out a candle (which was given to you at the start of your journey), which you light along with the million other young people after the sun is down during prayer. I have seen some beautiful things in my life, but nothing compares to this. The combination of spiritual awareness, community, faith, and love of God along with darkness illuminated by hundreds of thousands, if not millions of candles simply takes your breath away.
Since that experience, I have participated in two other World Youth Days, once in Toronto (2002) and once in Germany (2005). Although I was given the opportunity to attend WYD Australia in 2008 and once again this year in Spain, I declined and stayed home. However, I am finding that more and more young adults are making the pilgrimage to World Youth Day. Each time I went I was blown away by the number of young people who gathered together simply to grow in love with the Lord. These pilgrimages helped me to fall in love and stay in love with the Lord at extremely pivotal times in my life.
This week (August 15-21) young people from all over the world will gather in Madrid, Spain, along with countless priests, bishops, religious, and the Pope himself, to celebrate their Catholic faith. I have several family members and friends who will be there. My prayer is that those participating in whatever shape or form will arrive at a deeper appreciation and love for God and His Church. Our local news stations might say a few passing words about WYD, but if you want to capture the real experience, you will have to register for the next one in 2014! If you want to keep up with how it is going, simply log on to the United States Catholic Bishops website (usccb.org) and click on the links for WYD or go to the WYD website (www.madrid11.com) for videos, articles, and podcasts (who ever said the Church needs to get with the times?! – we are very well up to date)! You could even sign up for a virtual pilgrimage on Facebook—follow along! May the Lord bless the Holy Father and all of our young pilgrims.
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