Month: August 2011

I’ve been home from my journey for almost a week, and I still cannot escape the profundity of the experience. While there were many and varied challenges at various points along the journey, I feel particularly blessed to have been part of the experience and the journey – for a whole variety of reasons. First… Continue reading My WYD Experience – Some Final Reflections

This last day of the formal celebrations of World Youth Day started very very early for this pilgrim. The alarm sounded at 0430 and it felt like I had only just drifted off to sleep. But I was up much easier on this day than I would be on any other occasion when my alarm… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 12

Today, the Saturday of the World Youth Day weekend, was a day of preparation in the main part that culminates in the all-night Vigil tonight in the place where tomorrow the Holy Father will preside at the World Youth Day Mass to conclude the formal celebrations. Many pilgrims are making their way to that place… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 11

The tenth day of our pilgrimage coincided with the last day of the immediate preparations for the celebration of World Youth Day, which we will observe with the Holy Father this coming Saturday night/Sunday morning. There was an increasing level of anticipation and excitement in the city today as we draw closer and closer to… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 10

After yesterday’s experience of catechesis, we decided to go somewhere different today, and after much map searching (and reference to Google Maps) we found what we hoped would be a smaller and more intimate venue. The bonus was that it was also closer…which meant we got there in time to ensure ourselves good seating. Unfortunately,… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 9

Today was the first day of World Youth Day proper, with the normal round of catechesis beginning together with the full range of cultural and youth events swinging into place. This is at the very heart of the World Youth Day programme, and the number of pilgrims arriving in Madrid has dramatically increased. Walking through… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 8

Okay, so I’m a week into the whole World Youth Day experience, and while I have been regularly writing about what I have seen and experienced, those entries are more about events and happenings, and not the more important (and possibly introspective) personal reflection on what I have seen and heard and experienced to date.… Continue reading My WYD Experience – The First Week

Well dear readers, when last we spoke I was still making my way towards Madrid from Navalmoral de la Mata on board a bus. You’ll be pleased to know that we (eventually) arrived at our Madrid residences a little after midnight. After a short briefing from the Harvest representative/translator (much of which I must admit… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 7

Our last day in Bejar coincided with the Feast Day of the Assumption, a national feast day (and public holiday) here in Spain. It was in some fashion a perfect day on which to finish our Days in the Diocese experience in Bejar and the Diocese of Plasencia. The day started easily with Morning Prayer… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 6

Today was a very relaxed day. There was little in the way of scheduled events, and there was much time given over to time spent with our host families. After Morning Prayer at the third parish church, there was a couple of hours of free time before Mass. I took the opportunity to sit in… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 5

After a very long day yesterday, complicated as it was by the afternoon’s thunder, lightning and torrential rain, I slept long and well last night, and awoke – dare I say it – even more refreshed! The day itself was beautiful, warm but not hot, and with a very pleasant breeze blowing through the town… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 4

Sleep is a wonderful thing, and there was plenty to be had last night. Nine hours, albeit interrupted several times, when added to the couple of hours I had yesterday afternoon during siesta time has seen me awake refreshed and ready to face the day. Little did I know… Breakfast was an interesting experience, consisting… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 3

Our second day of our journey to Madrid for World Youth Day started aboard our Thai Airways 747-400 flying somewhere over Eastern Europe…or possibly the Middle East…I can’t be sure! After some very good sleep, and a nice breakfast, we landed in Madrid at about 8:15am local time, and made our way through both border… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 2

As I compose this entry we are aboard our Thai Airways 747-400 aircraft about three hours from our arrival into Madrid. So much has happened in the time since we departed Sydney some twenty six hours later…let me fill you in. After some initial stress caused by some later arriving pilgrims (you guys know who… Continue reading The WYD Journey – Day 1