Cuatro Vientos
In just a few hours the Raleigh pilgrims will begin to make their way from the heart of Madrid to the Cuatro Vientos airfield. We will join Pope Benedict XVI in a holy hour this evening and Mass tomorrow morning. These events will be broadcast live and you can access these streams from the WYD 2011 Live Streaming link above.
You can also follow us on twitter @oymraldioc or by searching the hashtag #wydnc. We will be tweeting from the field as we will not have internet to update the virtual pilgrimage site.
Look for us in the crowd! We are wearing Tarheel blue shirts and we will be waving North Carolina flags!
The prayer vigil will be broadcast at 2:00pm eastern time and the Mass will be broadcast (bright and early!) Sunday morning at 4:00am eastern time.
A Note From Bishop Burbidge
Our pilgrimage began with a journey to Lourdes. The pilgrims and I were deeply moved with the faith that was so evident in this sacred place. I had the unique privilege of celebrating Mass with a brother bishop at the grotto at which our Blessed Mother appeared to Saint Bernadette. Our pilgrims and thousands of others from around the world were present. Later that day we celebrated Mass for the Vigil of the Assumption and then participated in a candle light procession. The sight of so many people demonstrating a deep devotion to our Blessed Mother is an experience I will always remember. In addition, seeing the number of seriously ill people at Lourdes touched my heart. Dedicated volunteers brought them to the liturgical services and to the holy water at Lourdes. I am confident that miracles took place right before us as the Lord touched those in need with His healing love and gave them strength, grace and perseverance. It is a reminder of the call we all have to lead others, especially those in need, to Jesus!
We also made a trip to Avila and learned about Saint Theresa, a Doctor of the Church. Her writings, the example of her life and her great commitment to prayer greatly assist us in our call to holiness.
We have been in Madrid since Monday evening. The opening Mass for the pilgrims was on Tuesday evening and it was a joyful and beautiful celebration. Today, we had a diocesan Mass at Saint Michael Basilica followed by a catechesis session. Later in the day, there was a vocation fair that included testimonies, concerts, talks and a Holy Hour. All the pilgrims were reminded that an essential step in discerning one’s vocation is to be still and quiet with the Lord, for he truly speaks to our heart!
There is much excitement in the air as we await the arrival tomorrow of Pope Benedict XVI. One young man said to me, “I am so blessed to be a Catholic and to know how much the Holy Father loves his young people. “ I am sure that all the pilgrims gathered in Madrid will soon echo those same words.
May God bless and protect Pope Benedict XVI and all the pilgrims who have gathered to be with him.
All Is Well
This evening there was some excitement in Madrid as groups of protestors took to the streets protesting the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI. This protest started as most of the nearly 700,000 pilgrims were around the city eating dinner. The Madrid police force was able to quickly separate the protestors from the pilgrims and in the preliminary reports no major incidents were noted. All of our pilgrims from Raleigh are safe and sound.
There is still a strong atmosphere of good will in Madrid and our pilgrims are enjoying the events, the religious experiences, exploring the city and meeting new friends from around the world. Please continue your prayers that the presence of the pilgrims will change the city with our witness of faith and love. All the pilgrims continue to lift up the intentions of the Diocese of Raleigh as we joyfully await the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI tomorrow afternoon! You will be able to watch this event live at 6:30am eastern time by clicking on the live streaming link above.
“The Grotto was My Heaven”
Lourdes deeply moved me. It’s been 3 days since our visit there and my heart, soul, and mind are still processing it. I will be the first to admit that I tend to like the clear cut teachings of the church and keep a certain distance between my faith and anything that might be “unproven” in the eyes of the Church. But Lourdes is different. For one, the Church has declared it to be true. The Blessed Mother truly did visit St. Bernadette 18 times between Feb. 11, 1858 and July 16, 1858. And the Church in her wisdom tells us that we are allowed to disagree with this statement. It is not a necessary tenet of our faith as other doctrines are. And as St. Bernadette stated: ”My job is just to give you the message. It’s up to you whether you believe in it or not.”
The first words Mary spoke to St. Bernadette were: ”Would you be so kind as to come here?” And the messages that continued were all a calling into a deeper relationship with Christ and a call to pray. It was and is a call to Love and a pointing towards Christ. This is the message of Lourdes. Within several hours of arriving in Lourdes, my thoughts of it were that it was almost as I imagined Heaven would look like– except that of course all the sick would be perfectly healed! There is such a peace and beauty to the place. For one, Lourdes is nestled in the Pyrenees Mountains- one of the most exquisite mountain ranges I have seen. Then there is the river cutting through the town, and the picturesque bridges arching across the waterways. And there are so many beautiful Churches! But, its the people and the spirit that most speak to the place. I can’t begin to describe what its like to see hundreds of people sick and dying being wheeled around in carts. And they have all made this pilgrimage to seek healing– be it physical and/or spiritual. They come in faith. They come to the waters. They heed Mary’s request that she made to Bernadette. ”Won’t you come to the waters?” But, the truth is that we are all in wheelchairs, whether they are visible or not. We are all sinners. We are all seeking a peace and comfort that the world cannot offer. We come in faith– trusting that Mary will cover us with her mantle, dry our tears, and gently point us to Christ– who provides a peace and security that this world will never offer. And I guess in the one precious day that I spent in Lourdes, I truly understood what it means to go on pilgrimage– to come to a place where the soul can rest in Christ… and know that while the body will pass away, our souls will live forever… and the peace that we are experiencing in Lourdes is only a tiny glimmer of the peace that will captivate our whole beings in Heaven. And I realized that the millions of prayers that are offered up for ourselves and others in this place help sustain the world. No wonder God chooses to consecrate sacred places as a respite and sanctuary in the world! The human person longs to make the physical act of travelling to a place, leaving one’s troubles behind, bathing in healing waters, lighting candles that are symbols of one’s prayers lifting up to heaven, and to join with the thousands of others in faith, prayer, and supplication to our very Maker and Creator. I am at a loss for words to describe the peace in my soul from experiencing one day in Lourdes. Have my prayers for healing been answered for myself and loved ones? I don’t know. They very well might be. But, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that my heart grew in love for my Lord and Savior and a new peace entered my soul. I was able, even if for a moment, to surrender and abandon my life and heart to God. And I want to go back. And I understand how whether one is living or dying, coming to the waters is a good thing. As St. Bernadette said: ”The Grotto was my heaven”… her heaven on Earth.
- Kathryn Diener
Watch the Opening Mass Live!
Our pilgrims are now at the opening mass!
You can watch the mass live HERE
Sacred Heart Novena for the Pilgrims of World Youth Day
Image via Wikipedia
On Saturday August 20, 2011 Pope Benedict XVI will consecrate the pilgrims of World Youth Day to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. With this act it is intended to accomplish the aim of every World Youth Day: that young people be brought closer to Christ. As we prepare for this consecration through catechesis, prayer, and pilgrimage we ask that you pray this novena with us for a continued outpouring of grace upon the Diocese of Raleigh. We will begin praying the novena below on August 11, 2011 and end on August 19, 2011, the day of the consecration.
Thank you in advance for your continued prayers for our group!
Novena to the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Download a copy of the prayer here: http://www.xt3.com/library/view.php?id=493&categoryId=42
1) O my Jesus, you have said:
“Truly I say to you, ask and you will receive, seek and you will find, knock and it will be opened to you.”
Behold I knock, I seek and ask for the grace of…… (here name your request)
Our Father….Hail Mary….Glory be to the Father….
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
2) O my Jesus, you have said:
“Truly I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father in my name, he will give it to you.”
Behold, in your name, I ask the Father for the grace of…….(here name your request)
Our Father…Hail Mary….Glory be To the Father….
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
3) O my Jesus, you have said:
“Truly I say to you, heaven and earth will pass away but my words will not pass away.”
Encouraged by your infallible words I now ask for the grace of…..(here name your request)
Our Father….Hail Mary….Glory be to the Father…
Sacred Heart of Jesus, I place all my trust in you.
O Sacred Heart of Jesus, for whom it is impossible not to have compassion on the afflicted, have pity on us miserable sinners and grant us the grace which we ask of you, through the Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary, your tender Mother and ours.
Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy; hail, our life, our sweetness & our hope. To thee do we cry, poor banished children of Eve; to thee do we send up our sighs, mourning & weeping in this vale of tears. Turn then, most gracious advocate, thine eyes of mercy towards us; & after this our exile, show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus. O clement, O loving, O sweet Virgin Mary.
V./ Pray for us, O holy Mother of God,
R./ That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
St. Joseph, foster father of Jesus, pray for us.
A Map to Help get the Most out of WYD
Image via Wikipedia
Locate cultural activities, catechesis, and restaurants nearest you
Madrid, August 4, 2011.- Over the course of the next several days, the famous saying “All roads lead to Rome” could be replaced by “All roads lead to Madrid”, as it will be the city hosting World Youth Day this upcoming August 16 to 21.
In order for all young pilgrims from every corner of the planet to get the most out of this World Youth Day, a map has been designed that marks the locations that will host cultural activities and catechesis sessions. This map will also help young people locate the nearest restaurant where those with WYD registration covering meals can use their meal tickets.
There will also be a language option to help them find the catechesis and cultural activities being held in their own language.
More information, such as the locations of various information points and where the main events with the Pope are being held, will soon be available.
The interactive map is available HERE
Want to Walk with the Pope?
Special contest launched for pilgrims and would-be pilgrims…
Madrid,July 29 2011.- With less than 20 days to go until the start of WYD pilgrims, and those who will be pilgrims in spirit, have a chance to win some very special prizes.
Five lucky young people could win a chance to be part of the group of pilgrims who walk with the Holy Father through Madrid’s Puerta de Alcalá during the official welcome ceremony on Thursday August 18. Puerta de Alcalá is an 18th centry gate that used to be one of the main access points to the city. It is today one of the symbols of Madrid and it is where the Holy Father will be officially received and welcomed to the city.
Another 50 young pilgrims could win VIP seats on the altar at the Vigil at Cuatro Vientos on Saturday August 20.
Even those young people who can’t make it to Madrid have a chance to participate in this contest. Ten youth from around the world will win an official WYD 2011 Madrid Pilgrim Backpack and other items from official WYD store.
To participate youth must fill in the on-line application form on the official WYD Facebook page and then try to accumulate the most points possible. Points can be accumulated by connecting one’s twitter profile to the official WYD twitter profile, or by “liking” the WYD app on the Facebook page.
Happy Feast Day, St Ignatius (July 31st)! Saints of WYD 2011
“That we may be altogether of the same mind and in conformity with the Church herself, if she shall have defined anything to be black which appears to our eyes to be white, we ought in like manner to pronounce it to be black. For we must undoubtingly believe, that the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Spirit of the Orthodox Church His Spouse, by which Spirit we are governed and directed to Salvation, is the same.”~ St. Ignatius of Loyola
St. Ignatius of Loyola is the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) and author of the “Spiritual Exercises“. He was born in Spain to a noble family, and was raised and trained to be a Knight. After being seriously wounded in battle, he experienced a conversion during his convalescence. Ignatius was inspired to forego his military career and devote himself entirely to God. Not long after the Virgin Mary and Infant Jesus appeared to him. He began fervently praying, around 7 hours everyday, and often in a nearby cave. It was during this time that Ignatius began to write the “Spiritual Exercises”, which continue to guide and lead people in prayer even six centuries later. Ignatius later went on to receive an education in theology, but it is his spirituality that he is known for and is the reason he continues to inspire and lead people closer to Christ. Ignatius was faithfully obedient to the authority of the Church and spoke often of the respect and obedience she deserved. May we experience that same fervor and devotion that Ignatius possessed for Christ and His Church.
English-Language Site at World Youth Day to Offer Robust Speaking & Musical Program
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Love and Life Centre in Central Madrid will feature internationally acclaimed religious figures, speakers, and singers from around the world Contact: Andrew Walther, Knights of Columbus, 203-752-4253 MADRID, July 28, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ — The Love and Life Centre: A Home for English-speaking Pilgrims released its schedule of events to be held during World Youth Day in Madrid. The schedule includes a variety of programs and speakers designed to appeal to pilgrims of all ages and can be accessed atwydenglishsite.org. The site will be open Tuesday, Aug. 16, from 2 p.m. to midnight; Wednesday, Aug. 17 and Friday Aug. 19 from 9 a.m. to midnight. The site will be open Thursday, Aug. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. In general, the site will feature catechesis in the morning, a speaking program in the afternoon, and prayer and music in the evenings. Those speaking at the site include Most Reverend Charles J. Chaput, O.F.M., Cap., Archbishop-designate of Philadelphia, Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus, Father Antonio Lopez, F.S.C.B., Dean of the Pontifical John Paul II Institute for Studies on Marriage and Family in Washington, D.C.; Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, Superior General of the Sisters of Life; Father Thomas Rosica, C.S.B., CEO of Salt and Light Television in Canada; Father John Phalen, C.S.C., President of Holy Cross Family Ministries; Prof. Helen Alvaré; Vicki Thorn, founder of Project Rachel; and many others. Also scheduled to appear are: Hollywood actors Matt Marsden (Transformers, Black Hawk Down), and Clarence Gilyard (Walker, Texas Ranger); Curtis Martin, President of the Fellowship for Catholic University Students (FOCUS); speaker and author Chris Stefanick; renowned theology of the body speakers and authors Jason and Crystalina Evert; and Father Jose Granados, Assistant Professor of Patrology and Systematic Theology at the Pontifical John Paul II Institute. Musical Performers will include Latin Grammy winner Alexander Acha, Eurovision winner Dana Scallon, “Best Local Band” in Washington D.C. winner (2009), Scythian; as well as Cajun performers L’Angelus, and a traditional Spanish concert performed by a group of Spanish folk musicians titled Suspiros de España. One of the Centre’s most anticipated events will be held on Wednesday at 9 p.m. MarianFest, a celebration of the Blessed Mother, will feature award winning singers Alexander Acha and Dana Scallon; Msgr. Eduardo Chavez, Postulator for the Cause for Canonization of St. Juan Diego; as well as American recording artist Danielle Rose; Spanish recording artist Luis Alfredo Diaz; and the Mexican singing group Adoremus Knight. The schedule is designed to allow pilgrims to attend all official World Youth Day events, including catechesis, the Opening Mass, the Welcoming of the Holy Father, the Via Crucis, and the vigil at Cuatro Vientos. The Love and Life Centre will be located in the Palacio de Deportes, Madrid’s premier 11,000 seat concert and sports arena, conveniently located in the heart of the city. To learn more and to see the schedules, visitwww.wydenglishsite.org. |
Saints of WYD 2011: St. Teresa of Avila
Kathryn Diener
“Let nothing trouble you, let nothing make you afraid. All things pass away. God never changes. Patience obtains everything. God alone is enough.”
“Lord, save me from gloomy saints.”
I really love Teresa of Avila. She is one of my all time favorites, not only because her life and writings are so inspiring, but also because I almost feel like I am talking to one of my favorite friends. She’s wise, witty, and everything she writes about seems so relatable, even though its been some 400+ years since her death. And oh, did I mention that Teresa was also one spunky, vivacious, beautiful, charming, and popular girl? Not words one usually associates when one thinks of a nun who is a Saint! And actually, the whole reason she entered the convent was because her Dad wanted to “straighten” her out. I kid you not. I guess all of Teresa’s flirting and dalliances with young men in her town had given her Dad cause for alarm. Teresa was a girl who liked to be liked. And given her good looks and great personality she got a whole lot of positive response and enjoyed it. But, her Dad’s “punishment” kind of backfired on all involved. Teresa enjoyed her time at the Convent and experienced something deeper and more fulfilling than in her world of parties and socials. Unknowingly, she had gone straight to the source of Love, and found the ultimate lover of her soul in Christ. She ended up making her vows to Christ as a Carmelite nun, eventually becoming the Mother Superior and reforming the whole order. Far from being perfect, Teresa struggled with many sins and the always present desire to woo people with her charm. She learned humility, the power of prayer, perseverance, and a heck of a lot of wisdom along the way. If you get the chance check out her book “The Interior Castle” where she divulges some Saintly wisdom and shares the beauty and richness of her love for Christ.
Saints of WYD 2011: Blessed John Paul II
“It is Jesus that you seek when you dream of happiness; He is waiting for you when nothing else you find satisfies you; He is the beauty to which you are so attracted; it is He who provoked you with that thirst for fullness that will not let you settle for compromise; it is He who urges you to shed the masks of a false life; it is He who reads in your heart your most genuine choices, the choices that others try to stifle. It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to do something great with your lives, the will to follow an ideal, the refusal to allow yourselves to be ground down by mediocrity, the courage to commit yourselves humbly and patiently to improving yourselves and society, making the world more human and more fraternal.”
“There is no evil to be faced that Christ does not face with us. There is no enemy that Christ has not already conquered. There is no cross to bear that Christ has not already borne for us, and does not now bear with us.”
or the fact that he was truly a man who spoke truth to our day and age, addressing such a myriad of issues as marriage, abortion, homosexuality, the elderly, contraception, and the meaning of suffering. And yet Pope John Paul II was not just offering intellectual responses to these issues of our day. He deeply desired to know what God intended for the human person… what did it mean to be truly made in the image and likeness of God? What does that mean as a person, as a man, as a woman, as a child, as a priest, as a laborer… and so on. And the answer he found was that we are made to love as our Creator loves– to give and receive love in a way that is attentive to the truth and dignity of the human person. Simply put, we are called to be gift, just as we ourselves are gift– made in total love by the Father. If this piques your interest, check out his beautiful and brilliant book “Theology of the Body“– a compilation of his addresses on these issues.
l II visibly suffered on the world stage, putting a face, hope, and meaning to human suffering. Pope John Paul II truly gave the world the gift of Himself, just as he taught us to do in his life and writings.There is an app for that…including World Youth Day
VATICAN CITY, 28 JUL 2011 (VIS) – At 12.30 p.m. tomorrow in the Holy See Press Office a press conference will be held to present the new “iGPII” application for World Youth Day (WYD), which will be held next month in the Spanish capital Madrid. The application works on iPhones, iPods, iPads and devices which run the iOS operating system.
The new application, an initiative of the John Paul II Youth Foundation, has been developed by Futurtech & Adv Production and is available in five languages (Italian, French, English, Spanish and Portuguese). A communique released today explains that it will provide WYD participants with documents relating to the history of previous World Youth Days, an events programme and timetable, GPS positioning, and information on accommodation, food and drink, etc. Although it is principally aimed at participants in WYD, it will also be very useful for journalists.
Tomorrow’s presentation will be presided by Marcello Bedeschi, president of the John Paul II Youth Foundation, and by Iacopo Barberini and Giovanni Leone of Futurtech. A number of iPads and iPhones will be available for journalists to consult, and those who wish to do so may download the new application onto their own devices.
Saints of WYD 2011: St. Rose of Lima
Did you know that St. Rose of Lima was not a nun, rather she was a lay tertiary? This means that she lived out vows similar to a nun but lived a lay life outside the convent. She spent most of her life at her family home and she worked hard to help support the family. Unlike most of the other saints for World Youth Day this year, St. Rose is not from Spain. In fact, she was born in Lima, Peru and she is the patron saint of the Americas!
“Apart from the cross, there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven.”
~St. Rose of Lima
St. Rose, by her life and suffering, showed us that we must embrace suffering as part of Christ’s redemptive plan for our lives. St. Rose of Lima is also the patron saint of people persecuted for their piety.
St. Rose is a young saint, dying at the age of 31.
Eight U.S. Bishops Chosen As Catechists for World Youth Day
http://www.usccb.org/comm/archives/2011/11-146.shtml
Number of U.S. pilgrims to Madrid approaches 29,000
August 20 Mass will gather, send forth U.S. pilgrims
WASHINGTON—Eight U.S. prelates have been chosen as English-language catechists by the Pontifical Council for Laity, the Vatican’s official organism that convenes World Youth Day (WYD). The group includes:
- Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
- Cardinal Francis George, Archbishop of Chicago
- Cardinal Seán O’Malley, Archbishop of Boston
- Archbishop Charles Chaput, newly appointed as archbishop of Philadelphia
- Samuel Aquila of Fargo, North Dakota
- Edward Burns of Juneau, Alaska
- William Murphy of Rockville Centre, New York
- Frank Caggiano, auxiliary bishop of Brooklyn
The group will be among 250 bishop-catechists from all over the world representing many different countries and languages.
The catechetical sessions will be held Wednesday, August 17 through Friday, August 19, in multiple sites around the Spanish capital metropolitan area. Each bishop has been asked to prepare three catechetical sessions, one for each day, based on the theme for WYD Madrid 2011: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (Col 2:7).
Wednesday’s theme, Firm in the Faith, will invite young people to come closer and examine the gift of faith “which illumines and transforms the lives of the believers because we are made for God,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church (153-155). Thursday’s theme, Established in Jesus Christ, will invite young people to build a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and to build their lives with Him on solid foundations. While Friday’s catechesis, Witnesses to Christ in the World, will remind the young pilgrims that every baptized person is called to mission and that young people must be active participants in this new era of missionary activity, particularly among their peers.
On Saturday, a morning Mass at Madrid’s Palacio de los Deportes will gather U.S. pilgrims and bishops and give them a respite at the air-conditioned facility, before sending them out to the Cuatro Vientos Airport for the Vigil Prayer that night and Closing Mass the next day with Pope Benedict XVI. Cardinal George will be the main celebrant at Saturday’s Mass, and Archbishop Dolan will provide the homily. At the end of Mass, in a made-for-the-occasion ceremony, the U.S. bishops will send forth the youth to the remaining WYD events and ask them to return home as missionaries. After Mass there will also be some time for participants to gather by diocese or region with their bishops.
Oregon Catholic Press and World Library Publications are donating the music for the Mass and will offer a concert at the facility before Mass, starting at 9:00 a.m. The American Bible Society has donated the programs.
Meanwhile, the number of U.S. pilgrims scheduled to attend this world gathering of youth continues to grow. So far, 28,720 U.S. pilgrims and 62 bishops have registered to participate at WYD 2011 in Madrid. Catechetical and spiritual preparation materials for participation at WYD are available at www.wydusa.org.
Related articles
- Us Bishops to Sponsor Youth Day Programming (onecatholicnews.wordpress.com)
WYD 2011: The Pilgrimage Route
WYD 2011 Madrid – Official Site – A journey of faith.
If you are familiar with World Youth Day, you know that part of this experience is the walking pilgrimage. On the Saturday of World Youth Day the pilgrims venture out of the city and process to the location of the closing mass with the Pope. The link above and the video below will let you know a little more about the pilgrimage route our pilgrims will be traveling on while in Madrid.
Picture of the Pilgrim’s Backpack!
Just to get everyone excited…I have found a picture showing the contents of the pilgrim backpack! Check out the items we will receive to keep us cool and informed for our time in Madrid! Note to all…bring your own rosary 
Saints of WYD 2011: St. Mary (or Maria) of the Head!
Kathryn Diener
Yeah, a married Saint! Who was also married to a Saint (St. Isidore)… Talk about intimidating and inspiring! St. Mary and St. Isidore help us understand the sanctity and beauty of the vocation of marriage. They illustrate the concept of “The Domestic Church“– that the home is the smallest form of Church and a true path to holiness. Its easy to see the vocation to the consecrated life (priests, monks, and nuns) as a higher calling. But Holy Mother Church, in Her wisdom, has given us plenty of married saints to help illustrate that both vocations– consecrated and marriage– are paths to holiness. They just each take different forms. 
St. Mary and St. Isidore had one son– Illan. You may have heard the story of Illan falling into a well at a young age. The prayers of Mary and Isidore are said to have made the waters of the well rise and bring their son back into their arms. St. Mary did not have an easy life. Being a wife and mother during the Middle Ages was no easy task. There were rigorous chores and many hardships– be they illness or farming for one’s very livelyhood. And the threat of poverty and death was never far away.
But, St. Mary confronted these challenges with strength, hard work, holiness, grace, and love. She and St. Isidore experienced a blessed and loving marriage, and had a deep devotion to the Eucharist and Our Blessed Mother. The Holy Family was their model, and they achieved sanctity in and through their relationships– with each other, and with Christ.
Related articles
- Saints of WYD 2011: St. John of the Cross (virtualpilgrimage.wordpress.com)
- Saints of WYD 2011: St. Rafael Arnaiz “World Youth Day’s Youngest Saint” (virtualpilgrimage.wordpress.com)
- Saints of WYD 2011: St. Francis Xavier (virtualpilgrimage.wordpress.com)
Saints of WYD 2011: St. Francis Xavier
“Many, many people hereabouts are not becoming Christians for one reason only: there is nobody to make them Christians. I wish the University students would work as hard at converting these people as they do at their books…this thought would certainly stir most of them to meditate on spiritual realities, to listen actively to what God is saying to them. They would forget their own desires, their human affairs, and give themselves over entirely to God’s will and his choice. They would cry out with all their heart: “Lord I am here! What do you want me to do?”
Lesson learned: Don’t let your studies take priority over your spiritual life. Prioritize God, and everything else will fall into place. St. Francis Xavier lived in the 16th century and was a giant of a missionary– evangelizing in places from Asia and Africa, to the East Indies and Italy. His moment of conversion took place when he was a student at the University of Paris studying under St. Ignatius of Loyola. St. Ignatius spoke these words to Francis from the Gospel and changed his life forever: “What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?” (Mark 8:26) Ponder away.
Saints of WYD 2011: St. Rafael Arnaiz “World Youth Day’s Youngest Saint”
Kathryn Diener
St. Rafael Arnaiz was only recently canonized in 2009 by Pope Benedict. St. Rafael was a Trappist Monk and died young, at the age of 27. After reading several accounts of his life, one realizes how truly modern and relatable of a saint he is. St. Rafael struggled with diabetes and spent much of his youth sick. And yet, one does not get the sense that his sickness dragged him down. He faced each bout of hospitalization and bed rest with humor and an unfailing faith in God’s presence and love. In his words: “All things proceed from the love of God.” Before dying, his last words were: “Take me, and give Yourself to the world.”
St. Rafael teaches us that a life of sanctity does not consist in perfectionism. A life of sanctity is surrendering one’s will and weaknesses, and uniting oneself with the Father in love as best as one can– often in the midst of persecution and suffering. It is embracing one’s cross, not merely accepting it. It is continually getting up, no matter how much one falls. St. Rafael truly understood this… 
physically struggling to make it through the little tasks each day while those around him, even in the monastery, seemed to accomplish great things. Here is a passage from St. Rafael’s personal writings that reveal more:
“There once was a clown that fell every time he entered the ring…, he went to and fro, dragging his enormous shoes, and only after a great effort managed to sort everything out with the floor. Just when he thought everything was in order, he would trip over it.. the mat would crumple up again, and he would fall to the ground sweating.
I know a Trappist in the monastery who is the same as this clown. Everything he does comes down to “making do”– just dragging his feet and drying up his sweat. This poor man gives the angels, watching the spectacle of the world from heaven, something to laugh at. Although he isn’t doing risky work like the rest of the performers, neither deadly jumps nor flips on the trapeze… who cares? If he doesn’t know anything else, let him unfold the mats and with that, win the applause of the angels!”
Its in the little things, people. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta spoke of this as well… doing little thing with great love.
Madrid Slideshow
Here are some of the sites that our pilgrims will see within a couple of blocks of our hotel. This slideshow will be updated when we arrive in Madrid and have a chance to take some more pictures.
Lourdes slideshow
I had the privilege of being in Lourdes last November. While I was there I took some pictures. These pictures will give you a little taste of what our pilgrims will see when they are there. We will update this slideshow with our actual trip photos after we arrive in Lourdes and have a chance to take some photos.
Saints of WYD 2011: St. John of the Cross
Kathryn Diener
“When there is no love, pour love in and you will draw love out.”
“O you souls who wish to go on with so much safety and consolation, if you knew how pleasing to God is suffering, and how much it helps in acquiring other good things, you would never seek consolation in anything; but you would rather look upon it as a great happiness to bear the Cross of the Lord.”
With what procrastinations do you wait, since from this very moment you can love God in your heart?”
“Well and good if all things change, O Lord God, provided I am rooted in You.”
The list of amazing quotes from St. John of the Cross could go on and on. St. John of the Cross is a giant of a saint, and also one of the most diminutive ones. Standing at a little under 5ft, he helped found and reform the male branch of the Carmelites and was a spiritual director of St. Teresa of Avila. He is also considered one of the master’s of mystical theology. Much of our modern understanding of prayer and spirituality was influenced by St. John. He lived out his life seeking and meditating upon God’s great love, writing about it, and guiding many souls into a deeper relationship with Christ. And, St. John got suffering. I mean, he really understood it in a mystical sense that only comes with great wisdom and nearness to God. The phrase “dark night of the soul” comes from St. John of the Cross’s period of intense suffering and the lack of feeling and emotion towards God’s presence… to say this more clearly, He lived out Jesus’s cry from the cross: “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?” Now, God did not abandon Jesus, but in Jesus’ deepest moment of suffering He truly did not FEEL God’s presence. Remember, simply because one does not FEEL God’s presence, does not mean that God isn’t present. John understood that as one strives for unity with Christ, often God will remove the wonderful feeling of His presence so as to be strengthened and fortified… to believe without feeling so to speak. And John saw this as a blessing, for in it He learned to rely more deeply on Christ for everything, and was willing to sacrifice everything out of love for Christ. That is how deeply in love John was with Christ, and he knew God’s love for him was even deeper. John truly saw God as the great lover of His soul.
