World Youth Day

World Youth Day (WYD), the highlight of evrey third year, is highly anticipated and carefully prepared for by the Catholic Church. In 1984, the first World Youth day was declared by Pope John Paul II in recognition of the growing youth in the church. Every three years, youth from about 200 different countries around the world, embark on a pilgrimage which usually lasts about two weeks, and later meet in the host country to see the Pope. A pilgrimage is a long religious journey to a sacred place and missions such as these have been around since the beginning of Christianity. Each pilgrimage has a different theme, and the Pope, in this case Pope Benedict XVI (upper right), speaks to the Youth with a new message that hopefully we apply ourselves to daily and to our lives as a whole. Having attended the 2005 and 2008 pilgrimages, helps to know what to expect of  myself, the meet, and to prepare for it wisely. You can either make this trip the most miserable time of your life or the best moment in time.

“…and the next World Youth Day 2008 will be in…Sydney, Australia.” As the actual event with the Pope comes to a close and the youth’s great excitement of being together at a new place calms, the location of the next WYD is announced. These were the words I heard in Koln, Germany in 2005 (on right). For three years after I worked hard to prepare for WYD 2008 in Sydney.

To pay the cost of the trip is not always easy. Not everybody could pull $3,000 out of their bank account overnight. Therefore, it is crucial to begin fundraising, leaving enough time to raise money without completely stressing over it because after all, it is God who provides. Food Sales, Car washes, selling candy at school, are some ways I collected the money needed to travel to Australia for two weeks. With a four day stop in Hawaii in the middle of the summer before my senior year in highschool, I truly felt it was God's little graduation gift to me.

In July 2008 I was not eighteen yet, but I was close and there is definitely an advantage to being older on the pilgrimage. Although the number cannot be changed, a person's mentality and actions can. More privileges are granted to those that reflect responsibility, and a sense of freedom is given.   However, if chaperones do not keep such a close watch or tight grip, it is easy to take advantage and screw up. I can say that making wrong decisions on the trip happen, but fortunately, this is the kind of event that teaches us to accept that we will make mistakes because we are human, but also know that God loves us and forgives us either way and will help us do the right thing next time if we just depend on him.
Going with the right attitude helps one truly enter into the celebration and participate. Without submissiveness, it is easy to rebel and disobey authority. A major mistake younger teen’s, and sadly some older individuals, make is having an immature view, thinking they are too “cool” to join prayer, obedience, or other things there are to participate in. No one is forced to go on the trip, and there are always the few that feel that way, but the realization as to why God has them there has always resulted in returning home with such joy and thanks.

Around 300,000 attended in WYD 2008 in Sydney (on left), and all the youth share pride for their own countries. However little by little we are reminded that we are all the same under God and we learn to share. We truly learn to get out of  our comfort zone without actually being uncomfortable. And all open up to share life experiences, space and other needs a neighbor might have. 
But no matter how much you prepare for the trip, don't make your own plans or set high expectations because things may not go as you wish. I have realized that when things did not go my way is when I began to murmur and isolate myself. But because planning is in my nature, I plan to do the will of God and trust things will go great.

So whether it is four days without showering, waking up to a soaking wet sleeping bag, or losing your suitcase, don't worry you wont die, I know I haven't, and no it's not the end of the world, it's World Youth Day. It never fails to transmit exactly what is needed in the precise moment. They only get better as they go.