WYD 2008 Already?

I feel like I just got back from Cologne a few months ago, and already the Holy Father is preparing us for Sydney! It is clear that his main point is that we all need to prepare spiritually for this pilgrimage well in advance. The Holy Father is right on....as usual.

From my experiences in Cologne, we must remember that World Youth Day is a pilgrimage and not a Catholic verison of Woodstock! Pilgrimage is an essential element of our Catholic Faith. We are blessed to be living in a time period when we can travel all throughout the world for a relatively small amount of money. For most of the Church's history, people were unable to travel such long distances. Yet through intellect of man, given by God, we are now able to fly to Europe in 8 hours! (Keep in mind the Roman Army could cover maybe 20 miles a day on foot!)

One can also prepare spiritually by visiting local places of pilgrimage here in the US or Mexico. There are various Shrines thoughout the US, including the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in DC and the Shrine of Divine Mercy in Stockbridge, Mass. If you are looking to be a little more adventurous, there is a group going to Guadalupe this summer. (I will be attending too!) Info for that pilgrimage can be found: www.trailblazerswyd.org/

In addition for those who are planning to goto WYD 08: As you prepare spiritually for the trip, prepare financially as well. Begin saving now, so that when 08 rolls around you won't be scrambling from family member to bank looking for cash.

Praise be to Jesus Christ!


VATICAN CITY, FEB. 27, 2006 (Zenit.org).-

Benedict XVI will launch a spiritual pilgrimage of sorts this coming Palm Sunday for World Youth Day 2008 in Australia. The Pope explained this in the message he wrote for this year's World Youth Day, presented by the Vatican press office today. In 2006 and 2007, the Youth Day will be observed at the diocesan level. In the letter, the Holy Father encourages his "dear friends" to set out on April 9 on "an ideal pilgrimage" to Australia, "reflecting together on the theme 'The Holy Spirit and the Mission.'" There are stages in this itinerary. "This year," Benedict XVI writes, "our attention will focus on the Holy Spirit, Spirit of Truth, who reveals Christ to us, the Word made flesh, opening the heart of each one to the Word of salvation that leads to the fullness of Truth." Next step "Next year, 2007, we will meditate on a verse from the Gospel of John: 'Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another' (13:34)," the Pontiff states. "We will discover more about the Holy Spirit, Spirit of Love, who infuses divine charity within us and makes us aware of the material and spiritual needs of our brothers and sisters." The third stage will "reach the world meeting of 2008" in Sydney, the Pope observes. That event will have the theme "'you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses,'" a phrase taken from the Acts of the Apostles (1:8). "From this moment onward," the Holy Father adds, "in a climate of constant listening to the word of God, call on the Holy Spirit, Spirit of fortitude and witness, that you may be able to proclaim the Gospel without fear even to the ends of the earth."