More than 1,000 archdiocesan youth and their chaperones will converge on the German city of Cologne Aug. 16-21 for World Youth Day, one of the largest contingents ever making the pilgrimage from Los Angeles for the international youth event.
"I believe the increase is due to so much attention focused on Pope John Paul II's death and the installation of Pope Benedict XVI," said Mike Norman, archdiocesan director of youth ministry. "A lot of people are curious to see how Pope Benedict will relate to young people and whether the crowd of hundreds of thousands will bring out a new energy in him."
Sister of St. Louis Karen Collier, leading 265 youth and young adults from 10 parishes on her sixth World Youth Day pilgrimage, described participants as emissaries of the local church. "We are bringing the spirit and love of God from the U.S. to Cologne," said Sister Collier, a pastoral associate at St. Agatha Church in Los Angeles.
Parishioners from as far away as Our Lady of the Lake Church in Lake Arrowhead are joining Sister Collier's World Youth Day pilgrimage, which she opens to individuals as well as youth ministry groups. "We really stress it's a pilgrimage --- not a vacation," she said. Departing from Los Angeles Aug. 8, participants will attend Mass in several European holy sites, including St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, before making the trek to Cologne.
"We try to talk about what the youth are experiencing during the journey," said Sister Collier. "We share faith on buses. We discuss what they want to do when they return. When they come back, they're on fire --- they become active in their faith."
Members from Sister Collier's group have been collaborating on fundraising projects for three years to defray the $3,600 cost of airfare and lodgings. Participants are encouraged to financially contribute toward expenses by working at after-school or weekend jobs. Several students have earned more than $1,000 to pay for their pilgrimage.
Nancy Longo, youth minister and confirmation coordinator at St. Bernard Church in Bellflower, meets with her group of 40 once a month to spiritually prepare for the event, scheduled internationally nearly every other year since the first World Youth Day was held in Rome in 1985. This year's theme is based on the Three Wise Men's proclamation in Matthew 2:2, "We have come to worship Him." Considered the first Christian pilgrims, the Three Wise Men are the patron saints of travelers as well as the City of Cologne.
"It's an amazing event," said Longo, who has attended the last two World Youth Days in Rome (2000) and Toronto (2002). "It gives participants a sense of the universal church and inspires pride in their faith." Longo said hardships endured --- such as camping conditions or inclement weather --- are all part of the pilgrimage experience. She cited one memorable moment in Toronto when an hours-long rain deluge stopped just as Pope John Paul II's helicopter touched down to deliver him to the papal Mass.
Cynthia Ramirez, 21, who is going with Longo's group, said she is counting the days to their departure. "It's our first encounter with the new pope. That's an experience of a lifetime," said Ramirez, who volunteers for archdiocesan Young Adult events. She's curious to see how other Catholic youth conduct their ministries and worship services as well as learn how other societies impact youth in the practice, and defense, of their faith.
"I'm ecstatic looking at the itinerary," said Ramirez, who will celebrate the Aug. 15 feast day of Our Lady's Assumption in a small parish outside of Munich before heading for World Youth Day festivities in Cologne. "I believe our archdiocese should get more youth to these events for the world to know we are the largest archdiocese in the U.S."
Cardinal Roger Mahony and San Gabriel Auxiliary Bishop Gabino Zavala are scheduled to attend this year's World Youth Day. Cardinal Mahony will lead two of the catechetical sessions focusing on the Eucharist. On Aug. 21, Pope Benedict will preside at a mid-morning Concluding Mass followed by a musical program lasting until 6 p.m.
Altogether, more than 23,000 U.S. pilgrims are expected to join 70 U.S. bishops at World Youth Day in Cologne. By late June, more than 830 groups had signed up to participate, representing nearly all U.S. states and 81 percent of dioceses and eparchies in the United States, according to a news release from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
An additional 300,000 young people from around the world have registered for the event. The German bishops' conference has set a goal of 400,000 registrants and 600 bishops attending World Youth Day. There will also be more than 20,000 volunteers.
Catholic News Service contributed to this story. |