Closing World Youth Day … and waiting for the next

Pilgrims pray before the beginning of Mass.

The morning of the final day of World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid dawned fair. A few clouds at first, but the weather was otherwise perfect. It would warm up significantly, as it did every morning, but so would we.

After the night before, we were ready for this Mass. The night before, the emcee had said that the pope wanted to come through the crowd in his popemobile, to greet all of us. We were excited — another chance to see the pope at close range! So long as we could clear the avenues between sections (a challenge indeed!), the pope would come through.

Quatro Vientos and the four winds

Fr. John Putzer stands behind the makeshift altar at the sports center in Velillas de San Antonio.

Saturday was the day on which hundreds of thousands of pilgrims would begin to gather at Quatro Vientos Aerodrome in the southwest of Madrid, where we would gather with the pope for a prayer service, Adoration, and, the following morning, Mass.

The day began early, with the priests of our group celebrating Mass. We gathered in the courtyard on the side of the sports center, where a temporary altar (a folding table with an altar cloth, crucifix, and world youth day candles) was set up. The pilgrims sat and knelt on the hard bricks as we began the day in prayer and celebration of the sacrifice of our Lord.

Taking the faith home with us

Archbishop Timothy Dolan welcomes pilgrims at the beginning of cathechesis at the Love and Life Center.

Despite arriving home very late the night before, on Friday morning we were up and out the door by 9 a.m. to make our way to the Life and Love Center in Madrid for the morning’s catechesis. We had heard it would be delivered by Archbishop Timothy Dolan, the archbishop of New York and former primate of our neighboring Archdiocese of Milwaukee.

It was an easy bus ride in to Madrid, where we caught the metro. As usual, it was packed with the many pilgrims from around the world, each group going to their own destination.

At the Love and Life Center, we arrived just as Archbishop Dolan was making his way through the crowd at the front entrance, pumping hands and smiling as he was greeted enthusiastically by young Catholics.

To see the pope

Pope Benedict XVI comes past the Madion Diocesan pilgrims in his popemobile.

On Thursday, Aug. 18, Pope benedict XVI arrived in Madrid. He flew into the airport, where he was greeted by officials and a delegation of youth. From there, he was to come into Madrid proper, where he would be welcomed by the youth of World Youth Day and celebrate a short prayer service.

For those of us in the crowd, this was our first opportunity this WYD — for many, the first opportunity in person — to see the pope. The experience was anticipated greatly.

Catechesis at the Palacio De Deportes

The Love and Life Centre in Madrid, a location for English-speaking pilgrims of World Youth Day 2011, is sponsored by the Knights of Columbus and the Sisters of Life.

In the morning on August 17, the pilgrims headed out for catechesis at the Palacio De Deportes, where the Knights of Columbus and the Sisters of Life are hosting the Love and Life Centre.

The vast center can hold 12,000 people — a number that was reached long before the catechesis with Cardinal George Pell began. The cardinal and current archbishop of Sydney, Australia, spoke on the topic of faith and reason.

“We have two alternatives: that the universe was created by chance, or that the universe was created through supreme intelligence,” he said.

The kindness of strangers in Madrid

 

Pilgrims from Hong Kong, China, cheer as they and hundreds of thousands of others walk to the Opening Mass of World Youth Day in the center of Madrid.

I wrote yesterday of the wonderfully warm nature of the volunteers that welcomed us into our home-away-from-home in Velillas de San Antonio, but that story today expanded.

This morning we got a late start, heading out on the bus around 10:30 a.m. following breakfast. When we arrived in Madrid, we headed directly for the Plaza de Cibeles, where the opening Mass was to take place at 8 p.m. this evening. It was a large, open plaza completely cordoned off already from traffic, and as we arrived stands were still being erected and large screens placed.

In a shady spot on the north side of the plaza, we set up camp and dispersed into various groups for the day. Some pilgrims visited the Prado, the large and famous art museum that, during World Youth Day, is hosting an exhibit called “Images of Christ.” Others sought Eucharistic Adoration, and a few went to sightsee and perhaps do a little shopping. Fr. Eric Nielsen stayed behind on our little grassy spot to stake it out in preparation for the Mass.

Days in the Diocese begin

The diocesan group began Days in the Diocese today. They are being welcomed by the Diocese of Zaragoza, located east of Madrid. From there, they will travel on to meet up with the rest of the diocesan pilgrims at World Youth Day on August 15.

Music and speakers featured at the English-speaking WYD site

As World Youth Day draws closer, more information is being released on the many events that will be happening as a part of the six-day event, as well as hosted by other organizations.

The “Love and Life Centre: A Home for English-speaking Pilgrims” today released its schedule of events to be held at the center during the days of WYD. The schedule includes a variety of programs and speakers designed to appeal to pilgrims of all ages and can be accessed at wydenglishsite.org

Highlights include newly appointed archbishop of Philadelphia Archbishop Charles J. Chaput, Knights of Columbus Supreme Knight Carl Anderson, Hollywood actors Matt Marsden and Clarence Gilyard, FOCUS president Curtis Martin, and such musical performers as Alexander Acha, Dana Scallon, Scythian, and LAngelus.

Be a part of our tradition

I’ll be there. Will you?

Thinking about the priesthood or religious life?

World Youth Day will be an excellent time for those attending to experience Catholic life at its most vibrant — hundreds of thousands (maybe millions!) of young adults on fire with the faith. This is a great opportunity to discern where God is calling you to go with your own faith. To that end, the USCCB will host a Vocation Fair at World Youth Day on Wednesday, August 17. The event will be held at St. Francis Borgia Parish (Parroquia San Francisco de Borja), located just across the street from the U.S. Embassy in Madrid.