Go to World Youth Day 2008 in Australia

we’ve done a huge chunk of the payments…currently working with our travel agent to work in a trip to New Zealand also…PUMPED to say the least.

I made a large savings deposit!

I’m going with a group from Atlanta.

I’ve already paid my down payment – now I just gotta figure out how to get the other $4,000

now I’m ready for the great newsletters and info and preparations!

YAY!

http://www.wyd2008.org/

Last year my parish priest and I led a pilgrimage of 52 youths to WYD with Pope Benedict to Cologne Germany. It was great!. The most wonderful part was that there were over 1 million people who gathered in Cologne , with the same purpouse We sang, danced, and had an amazing time just getting to know people who came to Cologne from all over the world! One of my newest best friends who I met there is from Kenya! Teenagers ( and us older folk) made friends there who will remain friends throughout our lifetime.

There are many wonderful moments that I experienced while in Cologne, but one sticks out – and I will share with all.

While waiting for The Holy Father to arrive at the Cologne Cathedral to give his welcoming speech, my group and about 100, 000 other people who got in and passed security were waiting in 102 degree heat for over 8 hours! space was limited, so we had to stand!!! now that’s alot of standing. THe fire department had to drive by and hose everyone down becasue people were falling from heat exhaustion. now, so what do you do for 8 hours?

Well, some wonderful people who were standing next to me and I decided to pray – What else :) that is what we were there for right? , so I got out my rosary, they got there’s out and we recited the rosary together-what was unique about our prayer cirlce, was that each of us was from a different country around the world – there was I ( USA) a person from Argentina, Italy, France and Poland – and each one of us led a decade of the rosary in our native tongue, while the rest replied in their native language. What we all learned : It doesnt’ matter where you live, who you are, what color your skin is….we are here to love one another, understand each other …and be grateful for what we have – no matter what.We love the same God ( maybe just show it differently) :) The beautiful part was that even though we didn’t speak each others language….we kind of did :)

Here’s to Sydney!