Today Rio de Janeiro Brazil is overrun with young people. World Youth Day is in full swing and hundreds of thousands of young people from around the globe have gathered to celebrate their Catholic faith and our Holy Father Pope Francis.
I have watched the broadcast with emotion and a tinge of jealousy. It brings back so many happy memories from my time in Madrid. The crowds and inability to move half the time, the joy that surrounded you on every street corner. It is like a big family reunion with every stranger as your brother and sister in Christ. It is hard to believe that there are actually some people out there who don’t get excited about WYD, but instead spend their time making comments like this one:
“Since Vatican II Bishops and priests gather young people together in bars “to talk about religion” and participate in the debauchery celebrated there, why should we have any doubt what will happen when many thousands of unchaperoned adolescent girls and boys meet in one of the most perverted cities on earth? We will find out what Vatican II is all about. Is it sane? Is it charitable? Is it clear-thinking? Is it sober? Is it straight? Is it moral? Is it even Christian? One wonders. I do know one thing: we will never hear the whole truth. And neither will their parents.”
Really?! When one reads stuff like that, I am best if I can charitably assume they are struggling with a terrible mental illness. Poor lady!
But seriously, when you hear about WYD Rio, may your hear the stories that often get ignored. The stories of hope and conversion – those of young people enduring storms, waiting for hours and kneeling in the mud for our Lord Jesus Christ. The reverent faith filled young people who participate and set a beautiful example to their peers. Reporting that makes you focus on these facts:
1. Universal: WYD is an occasion to see first hand the meaning of the word Catholic. Something that stuck with me from Madrid was the point at WYD when I was stuck between a group of pilgrims from China and Iraq. These groups had traveled from their home countries, where being a Catholic could cost them their life, and yet there they were – praising God and filling the streets with their joy. I was so encouraged by them, and so put to shame!
2. Pope Francis: The Holy Spirit rocks. He brings us one cool, solid, unique Holy Father after the other. Listen to our Holy Father’s words from WYD today at Copacabana and be convicted “Dear young people: “Put on Christ” in your lives. In these days, Christ awaits you in his word; listen carefully to him and your heart will be warmed by his presence; “Put on Christ”: he awaits you in the sacrament of Penance, to heal by his mercy the wounds caused by sin. Do not be afraid to ask God’s forgiveness! He never tires of forgiving us, like a father who loves us. God is pure mercy! “Put on Christ”: he is waiting for you in his flesh in the Eucharist, the sacrament of his presence and his sacrifice of love, and in the humanity of the many young people who will enrich you with their friendship, encourage you by their witness to the faith, and teach you the language of charity, goodness and service. You too, dear young people, can be joyful witnesses of his love, courageous witnesses of his Gospel, carrying to this world a ray of his light.”
3. Confession: Yes, this:
If you aren’t following WYD, There is still plenty of time to catch the events live though . You can also check out the daily blogs from Register correspondents at WYD Witness. Most of all though: pray. Pray for Pope Francis, conversions of the heart, good weather, and safety for all traveling. May they return to their homelands with a renewed zeal for their Holy Catholic Faith.
4 thoughts on “WYD Whiners…”
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I love those confessionals- so efficient and private enough to give the penitent enough privacy to encourage them to confess and public enough to set an example to other who might be scared to go to confession.
As an older person I do enjoy watching WYD. But I heard that while Brazil is a very Catholic country over 20% of religious has left the Church for protestantism. Then you look at some of ‘celebrations’ and they look very protestant to me. And no Crucifixes, just plain crosses. Like I said I enjoy watching and it is good to see our Blessed Mother so honored and the young people so happy (and those confessionals were a great idea!). But I want those young people to stay in the one true Church of Christ.
I too was at Madrid. It was an awesome experience. God Bless Pope Francis!! His Final Mass 3 Million People are Expected to attend! Maybe some of these whiners should attend a world youth day they might be less critical.