CMU St. Mary's sent 54 pilgrims to World Youth Day (WYD) Madrid this August.  The pilgrimage, which is a religious journey of faith, began in Avila, Spain the birthplace of St. Theresa of Avila, Doctor and reformer of the Carmelite Order in the 16th century.  St. Theresa is known for her reform of the Carmelite Order of Nuns as contemplatives, whose reforms are still in place today.  She also published several famous spiritual writings including The Interior Castle and Way of Perfection.  She was friends with St. John of the Cross, another Doctor of the Church who reformed the male Carmelite Order. 

The pilgrims then visited Javier Castle, the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier, also a 16th century saint.  He is known as one of the greatest missionaries in Church history, baptizing hundreds of thousands of souls in Asia and the Far East.  After Javier, the pilgrims gathered at Loyola, the birthplace of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  Three thousand other pilgrims gathered there from various Jesuit institutions around the world.  After Mass with Father General of the Jesuits the pilgrims were divided into groups of twenty-five.  Five different countries were represented in each small group, called "MAGIS Groups," and were sent out all over Spain and Portugal for various service experiences. prayer and reflection. 

After eight days of service and reflection, the pilgrims made their way to Madrid for the five "World Youth Day" events.  Those events included an opening Mass, Papal Welcome, Stations of the Cross, daily Mass and catechesis sessions in language groups, spiritual talks, music and cultural events, vocation discernment opportunities, Eucharistic Adoration, and pilgrimage to the Papal Mass site.  Pope Benedict XVI officiated over Evening Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration at a Vigil with 1.9 million pilgrims; the next morning he returned to the site to celebrate the concluding Mass. 

The theme of WYD 2011, "Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith," comes from St. Paul's letter to the Colossians.  Rooting and building our lives on Christ makes us happy and fulfills us as human beings.  WYD provided a taste of making Christ the center of one's life, in the context of the Christian community.  Pilgrims experienced the sufferings of huge crowds, injuries, crowded and loud sleeping areas, overused bathrooms,  105+degree heat, and other inconveniences only to experience the joy of being together with Jesus Christ, 2 million pilgrims, and His personal representative on earth, the Pope.  The experience of the visible unity of the Church in the midst of difficult circumstances brought incredible joy.  Pilgrims learned how fun the Christian life can be when all are together learning and growing in faith.

CMU St. Mary's sent 54 pilgrims to World Youth Day (WYD) Madrid this August.  The pilgrimage, which is a religious journey of faith, began in Avila, Spain the birthplace of St. Theresa of Avila, Doctor and reformer of the Carmelite Order in the 16th century.  St. Theresa is known for her reform of the Carmelite Order of Nuns as contemplatives, whose reforms are still in place today.  She also published several famous spiritual writings including The Interior Castle and Way of Perfection.  She was friends with St. John of the Cross, another Doctor of the Church who reformed the male Carmelite Order. 

The pilgrims then visited Javier Castle, the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier, also a 16th century saint.  He is known as one of the greatest missionaries in Church history, baptizing hundreds of thousands of souls in Asia and the Far East.  After Javier, the pilgrims gathered at Loyola, the birthplace of St. Ignatius Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits).  Three thousand other pilgrims gathered there from various Jesuit institutions around the world.  After Mass with Father General of the Jesuits the pilgrims were divided into groups of twenty-five.  Five different countries were represented in each small group, called "MAGIS Groups," and were sent out all over Spain and Portugal for various service experiences. prayer and reflection. 

After eight days of service and reflection, the pilgrims made their way to Madrid for the five "World Youth Day" events.  Those events included an opening Mass, Papal Welcome, Stations of the Cross, daily Mass and catechesis sessions in language groups, spiritual talks, music and cultural events, vocation discernment opportunities, Eucharistic Adoration, and pilgrimage to the Papal Mass site.  Pope Benedict XVI officiated over Evening Prayer and Eucharistic Adoration at a Vigil with 1.9 million pilgrims; the next morning he returned to the site to celebrate the concluding Mass. 

The theme of WYD 2011, "Rooted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith," comes from St. Paul's letter to the Colossians.  Rooting and building our lives on Christ makes us happy and fulfills us as human beings.  WYD provided a taste of making Christ the center of one's life, in the context of the Christian community.  Pilgrims experienced the sufferings of huge crowds, injuries, crowded and loud sleeping areas, overused bathrooms,  105+degree heat, and other inconveniences only to experience the joy of being together with Jesus Christ, 2 million pilgrims, and His personal representative on earth, the Pope.  The experience of the visible unity of the Church in the midst of difficult circumstances brought incredible joy.  Pilgrims learned how fun the Christian life can be when all are together learning and growing in faith.