Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
WYD Saints Named!!!
A recent article on Zenit listed the approved patron Saints for World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid. Guess who was on the list.....St. Isadore! So in short, if you were following this blog you knew a detail about World Youth Day before everyone else! If you want to read the full story please follow the included link: http://www.zenit.org/article-29136?l=english
The other named Patron Saints for WYD are:
St. Isidore the Worker
his wife St. María de la Cabeza (of the head, because her head was separated from her body to put on display);
St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross (check out pictures of Avila here http://www.flickr.com/photos/diener_photography/sets/72157623896146504/)
St. Rose of Lima
St. Francis Xavier; and
St. Rafael Arnáiz (canonized a saint this past October).
Reading the histroy of these saints will give you a rich image of what the Catholic Church was all about in Spain. Some great Saints came out of these same Churches we will be visiting. Who knows the changes Gad has in store for you!
The other named Patron Saints for WYD are:
St. Isidore the Worker
his wife St. María de la Cabeza (of the head, because her head was separated from her body to put on display);
St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross (check out pictures of Avila here http://www.flickr.com/photos/diener_photography/sets/72157623896146504/)
St. Rose of Lima
St. Francis Xavier; and
St. Rafael Arnáiz (canonized a saint this past October).
Reading the histroy of these saints will give you a rich image of what the Catholic Church was all about in Spain. Some great Saints came out of these same Churches we will be visiting. Who knows the changes Gad has in store for you!
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
Day 4 and beyond
Well the past four days have been a blast, but it was time to return home. Amazingly we were in one of the only cities in Europe which still had international flights departing from its terminals, so volcanic activity and all, our trip was to end smoothly. As our van departed from our hotel for the airport, I reflected on how this short trip had changed me.
The first realization I came to was that how often I take for granted our Faith and the ready availability to get into a church to pray. On this trip I tried to get into a total of 14 Churches and I was only able to get into 4. Out of these four I had to pay to get into three of them. From talking to some of the local priests, mass attendance is very low so they are looking forward to having pilgrims from around the world in their city to help rekindle the desire for Christ in the Eucharist. I fell proud to be part of this collective.
The second realization I came to was that as Americans we have greatly lost the capacity for true socialization. Hotels and homes in Europe are quite small compared to our American standard. This is primarily due to space constraints, but at the same time I witnessed this "problem" as we would see it, become a solution to a much greater problem. When a house is small, you do not "live" in your house. You sleep in your house, you get ready in your house, but you "live" in the community. I loved seeing people both young and old gathering in masses in the squares and streets of this old city nightly for the sole purpose of socialization. As Americans we tend to socialize out of our houses with the people we invite to these events. In a sense we loose the potential for meeting new people through the shared experience of a cafe or street show.
The final realization I had was that this trip was not only about how I was changed, but how I changed Spain. I wonder how many security guards had to turn away tourists who were asking to go into a church not to see the art, but to pray? This was our request. I wonder how many hotel guests were surprised to see a group of Americans saying Mass in the breakfast room of the hotel? I wonder if the Government will notice that I spent 26 euros on churches but none on the palaces or art museums? I know I am just one person, but I can't help but think about these events multiplied by 2 million. This will be World Youth Day. How would you like to be a part of this change? I know I am excited to be part of it!
Over the coming months I will continue to update this blog with relevant information for our trip in 2011. I hope you will check back frequently for these updates as well as continue to be in prayer for our trip as well as World Youth Day.
In Christ,
Patrick
The first realization I came to was that how often I take for granted our Faith and the ready availability to get into a church to pray. On this trip I tried to get into a total of 14 Churches and I was only able to get into 4. Out of these four I had to pay to get into three of them. From talking to some of the local priests, mass attendance is very low so they are looking forward to having pilgrims from around the world in their city to help rekindle the desire for Christ in the Eucharist. I fell proud to be part of this collective.
The second realization I came to was that as Americans we have greatly lost the capacity for true socialization. Hotels and homes in Europe are quite small compared to our American standard. This is primarily due to space constraints, but at the same time I witnessed this "problem" as we would see it, become a solution to a much greater problem. When a house is small, you do not "live" in your house. You sleep in your house, you get ready in your house, but you "live" in the community. I loved seeing people both young and old gathering in masses in the squares and streets of this old city nightly for the sole purpose of socialization. As Americans we tend to socialize out of our houses with the people we invite to these events. In a sense we loose the potential for meeting new people through the shared experience of a cafe or street show.
The final realization I had was that this trip was not only about how I was changed, but how I changed Spain. I wonder how many security guards had to turn away tourists who were asking to go into a church not to see the art, but to pray? This was our request. I wonder how many hotel guests were surprised to see a group of Americans saying Mass in the breakfast room of the hotel? I wonder if the Government will notice that I spent 26 euros on churches but none on the palaces or art museums? I know I am just one person, but I can't help but think about these events multiplied by 2 million. This will be World Youth Day. How would you like to be a part of this change? I know I am excited to be part of it!
Over the coming months I will continue to update this blog with relevant information for our trip in 2011. I hope you will check back frequently for these updates as well as continue to be in prayer for our trip as well as World Youth Day.
In Christ,
Patrick
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Day 3 AKA the quest begins
After the jet lag begins to fade, and the mystery of a new city becomes more understood, the pilgrimage can then begin. For our group this way day 3. It is a special thing being a part of a group of group leaders who are all here to set their sights on the events of our future pilgrimages with you. There is the informative side of the trip by which we are able to swap ideas on how to increase our participant count, as well as the bond formed through experience.
Your trip to World Youth Day will share these two sides. You will meet new people and swap information about your different cultures, churches, youth groups, young adult groups, etc. The more important side will be the shared bond formed through the experience of the pilgrimage. As part of World Youth Day all the pilgrims make their pilgrimage not to the closing mass, but the Cathedral in the town World Youth Day is being held. To go on pilgrimage is to travel to a sacred place with the intent of being changed and finding something of great spiritual significance. I was hoping that I could experience this change in a small way on this trip.
Our day started off by taking the metro to Cuando Viajes which is the metro stop at the site for the closing mass. At this point it is still a functioning airfield so we were not able to get a very good look at it. I would recommend that you start taking daily walks, because for World Youth Day we will not have the luxury of taking the metro, and this site is about 7 miles out from the city center. One of the notable things about this airfield is that it is where John Paul II visited Madrid before his death.
Our day continued by making our rounds of the city looking at the other major gathering points and churches where the events will be held. (On a side note, we will be talking a tour of the city when we arrive in Madrid, and this tour is wonderful for helping you get your bearings in this expansive city.) This is where our pilgrimage truly began.
Spain is a Country deeply rooted in faith, but is flavored strongly by secularism today. For instance, you will see many beautiful and awe inspiring Churches during your stay, but for our experience of the city most of the churches were closed or charging a fee to enter the "museum". When we asked if we could enter the basilica of St. Francis we were told by the guard that we would need to pay 3 euro to enter. We told him we just wanted to pray and he said "well you need to come back for mass then, it is a museum right now." This made my heart ache. This was our experience throughout the city. Our journey was not in vain though.
Upon entering the Cathedral (after paying 1 euro for this privilege), we saw a sight that took our breath away. The soaring ceilings with their intricate patterns, beautiful statues, vibrant murals and numerous side chapels. One sight that almost was lost in the dark (literally, because you had to pay 1 euro to turn the lights on) was a decorated casket. We were not sure who was in this casket, or why it was located right behind the main alter. The mental picture of this relic was tucked away in the back of our minds until we stumbled upon another hidden treasure.
After visiting 2 more churches (which were locked) we found a little museum of San Isidro. This name sounded familiar so we went in. We came to find out that this was the museum of St. Isadore, who was the patron Saint of Madrid. He is also one of the few Married saints (both he and his wife are saints). It was in one of these rooms that we saw a picture of a decorated casket on the wall. The same one we saw in the Cathedral behind the alter! Could it be?? Yes, this was the casket of Saint Isadore! This was exciting because Saint Isadore is also incorrupt (dead, but the body does not decay). We found out from the security guard that his body is not in the casket though, it is on display at another church. The pieces of the puzzle started to come together! We found the Casket, we found the explanation of who's casket this was, but we still couldn't find the body. We made it our mission to find this Church before the end of the day.
Upon finding the old Cathedral, the place where St. Isadore is displayed, we found out that it was now an elementary and middle school. Strange, but not surprising due to the other encounters of the day. Upon inquiring about entering the church to pray, we were told that it was......Closed. This disheartened our group, but upon reflecting, we came to the communal conclusion that we were not here to complete our pilgrimage.
Much like a trailer for a movie, or a teaser for a tv show, this experience gave me the desire to come back to finish what I started as well as share this experience with you. Please continue to pray and discern if the trip to World Youth Day is for you. I have only been here 4 days so far and I am changed. I can't imagine what it will be like sharing this experience with two million other catholics!
Please follow the link below to see pictures of some of the areas of Madrid. I will post some more tomorrow!
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Day 2
We are now in Madrid, but due to the delay in our flight we missed both the city tour and our meeting with the World Youth Day committee. Chris and Paul Dube are working hard to reschedule these events. I will be posting some pictures and video later today (it will probably be around 4:00 eastern time).
On another note, our hotel is CUTE!!!! yes, I did use the word cute. If you have never traveled to Europe before, you will need to prepare yourself for living in a smaller space. The room is a moderate size and the bathroom is efficient (you have to find the shower behind the bathroom door). On the plus side, there is an exercise bike in the bathroom and two toilets! The lobby is small, and would be about the size of the entrance to the Catholic Center. One of the neat features of this hotel is the modern living space within the room, and the old world charm still located in the main stairwell.
Our Hotel is located one block off Gran Via which is the main Street through Madrid, and to put it into perspective, it would compare to Broadway in New York. It is situated in the middle of one of the many pedestrian streets located throughout the city. This is an ideal location for food, ATM's, shopping and access to the WYD events. We are located a brief 5 blocks from the main Cathedral in Madrid! Because the Cathedral will be central to World Youth Day, this location is amazing.
We will be regrouping soon for an update on our meeting as well as the tour. I will post an update as soon as I get some more information, pictures and video!
Oh, and by the way, Good Morning to all of you!
On another note, our hotel is CUTE!!!! yes, I did use the word cute. If you have never traveled to Europe before, you will need to prepare yourself for living in a smaller space. The room is a moderate size and the bathroom is efficient (you have to find the shower behind the bathroom door). On the plus side, there is an exercise bike in the bathroom and two toilets! The lobby is small, and would be about the size of the entrance to the Catholic Center. One of the neat features of this hotel is the modern living space within the room, and the old world charm still located in the main stairwell.
Our Hotel is located one block off Gran Via which is the main Street through Madrid, and to put it into perspective, it would compare to Broadway in New York. It is situated in the middle of one of the many pedestrian streets located throughout the city. This is an ideal location for food, ATM's, shopping and access to the WYD events. We are located a brief 5 blocks from the main Cathedral in Madrid! Because the Cathedral will be central to World Youth Day, this location is amazing.
We will be regrouping soon for an update on our meeting as well as the tour. I will post an update as soon as I get some more information, pictures and video!
Oh, and by the way, Good Morning to all of you!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Day 1
12:22 pm. - so I have confirmed that there is no free Wi-fi in terminal 2 at RDU :) . I will be boarding shortly for my flight to JFK which takes about 2 hours. It will be fun if we can work to get a larger group so we can take over the plane from RDU to JFK. It is a small plane! I am updating this post on my blackberry, so I am going to give my fingers a rest. I will update again from New York!
3:00pm - I arrived in New York to find that there was no free internet in this airport as well. This provided an opportunity to reflect and to have a moment to "just be." Make sure you pack light if you are planning on having a cary-on with you for the trip. It is a trek from the terminal we flew into to where we departed from.
6:00pm - We were delayed in our departure due to a generator failing on the right engine. I was happy to let them take their time fixing this problem :)
6:30pm - We finally depart and get into the air. One of the nice features on the plane we will be on is the on-demand touchscreen monitors on the back of each seat. I enjoyed the selection of movies and tv shows. Before you get too excited to spend the 8 hours in the air catching up on the latest blockbusters, remember that you will be loosing six hours during the flight. furthermore, due to the time you depart, it is smart if you sleep because you will be arriving in Paris (Madrid for me, remember we are going to Lourdes first!) the next morning. I am saying this because I only slept a total of 30 min. Not smart, but I can't sleep on planes.
3:00pm - I arrived in New York to find that there was no free internet in this airport as well. This provided an opportunity to reflect and to have a moment to "just be." Make sure you pack light if you are planning on having a cary-on with you for the trip. It is a trek from the terminal we flew into to where we departed from.
6:00pm - We were delayed in our departure due to a generator failing on the right engine. I was happy to let them take their time fixing this problem :)
6:30pm - We finally depart and get into the air. One of the nice features on the plane we will be on is the on-demand touchscreen monitors on the back of each seat. I enjoyed the selection of movies and tv shows. Before you get too excited to spend the 8 hours in the air catching up on the latest blockbusters, remember that you will be loosing six hours during the flight. furthermore, due to the time you depart, it is smart if you sleep because you will be arriving in Paris (Madrid for me, remember we are going to Lourdes first!) the next morning. I am saying this because I only slept a total of 30 min. Not smart, but I can't sleep on planes.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
What is this thing called World Youth Day???
So it is the day before I hop on the plane to head eight hours over the Atlantic Ocean, and I started to think about how World Youth Day got started. Well here is a brief history...
World Youth Day started way back in the year 1986 (who feels old now?) by out then Pope John Paul II. This event was celebrated every two and now every three years as a global event. A little known fact is that World Youth Day takes place every year, just at the diocesan level. These large global gatherings served to bring together Catholic youth from all over the world united by their faith, to worship as one and to experience the many facets of how our Faith is lived out in different cultures. World Youth Day has been held on every continent (minus Antarctica, brrrrrr.) and has drawn crowds upwards of 5 million, which was seen in Manila. a neat graph is available online at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Youth_Day which breaks down the themes each year, the number of participants as well as where it was held.
Our Current Pope, Benidict XVI picked up where John Paul II left off with world youth day in 2005 after the death of John Paul II. The common theme which is echoed in one way or another at each World Youth Day is that the youth are the church of today, not the church of tomorrow. Both John Paul II and Benedict XVI have repeatedly called for the youth to answer the call of evangelization, and World Youth Day continues to provide a background to illustrate that we are not alone in our mission.
Another interesting piece of World Youth Day is that this event brings together many cultures who otherwise do not come in contact with each other. how many times have you encountered a Catholic youth from China who had to sneak out of the country to practice their faith, or a teen from Poland who still remembers practicing their faith under a communist rule? Meeting individuals like this has the ability to impact our lives and faith in a profound way.
Ok, enough for today, tomorrow we travel! I hope you all get a good night's sleep tonight, because we have a full plate tomorrow:
- travel from RDU to NY
- travel from NY to MAD (Madrid, but mad is more fun!)
World Youth Day started way back in the year 1986 (who feels old now?) by out then Pope John Paul II. This event was celebrated every two and now every three years as a global event. A little known fact is that World Youth Day takes place every year, just at the diocesan level. These large global gatherings served to bring together Catholic youth from all over the world united by their faith, to worship as one and to experience the many facets of how our Faith is lived out in different cultures. World Youth Day has been held on every continent (minus Antarctica, brrrrrr.) and has drawn crowds upwards of 5 million, which was seen in Manila. a neat graph is available online at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Youth_Day which breaks down the themes each year, the number of participants as well as where it was held.
Our Current Pope, Benidict XVI picked up where John Paul II left off with world youth day in 2005 after the death of John Paul II. The common theme which is echoed in one way or another at each World Youth Day is that the youth are the church of today, not the church of tomorrow. Both John Paul II and Benedict XVI have repeatedly called for the youth to answer the call of evangelization, and World Youth Day continues to provide a background to illustrate that we are not alone in our mission.
Another interesting piece of World Youth Day is that this event brings together many cultures who otherwise do not come in contact with each other. how many times have you encountered a Catholic youth from China who had to sneak out of the country to practice their faith, or a teen from Poland who still remembers practicing their faith under a communist rule? Meeting individuals like this has the ability to impact our lives and faith in a profound way.
Ok, enough for today, tomorrow we travel! I hope you all get a good night's sleep tonight, because we have a full plate tomorrow:
- travel from RDU to NY
- travel from NY to MAD (Madrid, but mad is more fun!)
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