By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 3/7/02)
They will answer Pope John Paul II’s 17-year-old challenge, which began with his apostolic letter, "To the Youth of the World," and has continued at World Youth Day celebrations from Argentina in 1987 to Toronto this year.
"Dear young people, like the first disciples, follow Jesus! Do not be afraid to draw near to Him, to cross the threshold of His dwelling, to speak to Him face to face, as you talk with a friend," Pope John Paul exhorted the youths gathered at World Youth Day XII.
Arlington diocesan pilgrims will participate in a World Youth Day preparation activity on May 18 at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More in Arlington. Tentative plans are for pilgrims to walk with a banner from St. Ann Church in Arlington to the Cathedral for Mass, said Kevin Bohli, director of the diocesan Youth Office. As many as 500 young people from the diocese may make the pilgrimage to Toronto. Bohli hopes they will come together when Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde celebrates Mass, perhaps on Friday, July 26, in Toronto.
On July 22, pilgrims will attend a prayer service at the Cathedral before departing by bus for Toronto. They will stop at a shrine in New York State on the way to Toronto and will visit a North American Martyrs shrine about three hours north of Toronto during the week, Bohli said. The sleeping accommodations — probably gym floors — will be simple in Toronto, he said.
Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, Archbishop of Toronto, will celebrate the Opening Mass at Exhibition Place near downtown Toronto on July 23.
In the mornings pilgrims will go to catechesis sites, offered by bishops from around the world and in the afternoon they can take part in social service projects. Festivals will be held in the evenings.
On Saturday, July 27, the pilgrims move to Downsview Lands for an Evening Vigil with Pope John Paul. The youths sleep outside at Downsview Lands. The next morning, Pope John Paul will celebrate the Closing Mass for World Youth Day pilgrims.
After visiting Niagara Falls and a shrine on the return trip, the pilgrims will arrive home on July 29.
How are diocesan teens preparing spiritually and raising the approximate $500 per person for World Youth Day?
Fourteen youths from Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Winchester will make the pilgrimage. The teens meet once a month in one of their homes, said volunteer youth minister Vicky Roosa, to pray, read Scripture and hear a talk on a topic such as fasting. To raise funds for the trip, the teens have prepared food and acted as hosts for sit-down parish Lenten dinners. They have also held bake sales. A World Youth Day quilt, which was made in the national colors of the United States and Canada, will be raffled off at the parish picnic on June 2.
The seven pilgrims from Holy Spirit Parish in Annandale "are very encouraged that the bishop is so enthusiastic and that Arlington is doing this as a group," youth minister Christine Najarian said. They meet once a month to pray and discuss the pilgrimage. The teens raised $2,000 by selling Irish cakes they had baked. Najarian said a very supportive parish and the fact that the Youth Office did so much of the coordination for World Youth Day "has made my job easier and allowed me to focus on the kids."
The Knights of Columbus helped to fund the eight pilgrims from St. James Parish in Falls Church. They meet regularly to prepare for the pilgrimage. Father Fred Edlefsen said he puts the life of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati before them as an example. Pier Giorgio, who died at 24, led a secret life of service to the poor and sick.
Donna Stanislaw, youth minister at St. John the Evangelist Parish in Warrenton, said she tries "to pair everything that I do in fundraising with catechesis." The 14 youths who will attend World Youth Day sold Advent calendars in December and will host parish Lenten Suppers held before Stations of the Cross. They will also sell bumper stickers, in the style of the familiar OBX (Outer Banks) stickers, which read RC (Roman Catholic). She said queries about RC bumper stickers, visors and T-shirts provide an opportunity for teens to evangelize. The pilgrims meet once a month to discuss a theme based on Pope John Paul’s addresses at previous World Youth Days.
As of the beginning of March, more than 100,000 people from 115 countries have begun registration for WYD 2002. For information contact the diocesan Youth Office at 703/841-2559 or visit the World Youth Day Web site at www.wyd2002.org.
Copyright ©2002 Arlington Catholic Herald. All rights reserved.
Return to back issues
Return to main
page