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Ignite
Over 100 young people from Salford, Shrewsbury, Liverpool, Birmingham and even the Isle of Man came to a unique event in the Cathedral crypt to celebrate our return from WYD. The theme was “Let us go forward with Christ and let us live our lives as true worshippers of God” the words of the Pope Benedict XVI at the end of WYD. The purpose of ignite was not to let the flame faith lit at WYD to die out but to be rekindled through meeting and sharing together.
During the day there were workshops from Grill the Bishop to Graffiti art, young people witnessed to their faith by speaking of their experiences of being in Cologne. Archbishop Kelly presided at mass, which was followed by food and a disco.
Papal Nuncio
The Pope’s ambassador to Britain met WYD pilgrims at a special mass on the Feast of Christ the King in the Cathedral. The Nuncio, His Excellency Archbishop Faustino Sainz Muñoz, an avid Real Madrid supporter, laughed and joked with everyone at the Archbishop’s house at a reception following the mass. He encouraged everyone to live their faith to the full and follow Christ each day. Everyone was very impressed that we have a Nuncio who can text, we were dying to ask whether he had the Pope’s mobile phone number.
From Bous to Liverpool
In October 2006 we welcomed 42 of our friends from St Peter’s Bous. St Peter’s was the parish we stayed in before we went to Cologne. It was wonderful to return their hospitality. Members of the WYD group helped during the week on the visits to St Helens World of Glass, Blackpool Pleasure Beach, the two Cathedrals and the Beatles experience. There were parties and social time during the week at Lowe House. The week finished with a mass celebrated by Bishop Vincent Malone.
WYD 2005 Diary
Thanks to Claire Beatty and to Maria Bajowski for there input into the diary. Maria represented England in the International Liturgy Group. She was on the boat with Pope Benedict which took the Pope to Cologne Cathedral. Maria also read at Morning Prayer at the Marienfeld, she shares with us different highlights of her week. |
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WEEK 1
Tuesday 9th August
With and air of excitement and a little bit of trepidation we gathered for our departure mass at 11 pm. What would this WYD bring? What would await us in the parishes we were due to go to? How could I learn German in 16 hours? These and other questions arose in the minutes before starting our departure mass. Fr Mike led us in the mass to think about the fourth Magi, the one who gave all he had away on his search to find Christ. Then we were off, Trier here we come.
Fr Stephen |
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Wednesday 10th August
After catching the earlier ferry, we arrived in the Saarland at 3 pm and split into two groups. I stayed at St Peter's in Bous. We met our host families, fortunately for me and Anna they both spoke English. (Claire) |
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Thursday 11th August
In the morning we had icebreakers to get to know people in our group better and to get to know some of the young people in the parish. In the afternoon we visited Saarlouis, where we completed a quiz to discover more about the history of the town and visited the World Youth Day Café. (Claire) |
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Friday 12th August
What a sight, seeing people from Taiwan, Mexico, Korea, Poland, Lebanon, France, Italy and Spain all waving flags and singing as we entered Trier Cathedral. Looking our from the altar was incredibly moving and the enthusiasm of all those young people gathered together was truly infectious. Young people from the group also took part in "underconstruction" and were delegates at a conference looking at 3rd World Issues. Later there was the unforgettable Rachel musical truly unique!
(Fr Stephen) |
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Sat 13th August
Maria joined a group of 160 people from 71 countries who read, served and animated the liturgy at all the major WYD celebrations.
Our chaplain reminded us of the story the rich young man in the Bible. He said 'This is the only time a 'young man' approaches Jesus, and he is looking for what more he can do for God. He has done everything he has been told but asks what more he can do.' I thought, we have all been pushed forward to live in the fullness of God because we were all seeking eternal life. |
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Sunday 14th August
We celebrated mass in the parish. It began in silence as and act of commemoration for the ending of War War II. At the offertory all the congregation wrote down prayers and hopes for the future. A 'Peace Pole' was blessed and after the mass 'planted' by Fr Heinz the Parish Priest, Fr Stephen and the Major of Bous.
Following the mass there was a parish party which lasted well into the night. The parishioners organised a game of "It's a Knockout"-who could forget the sight of Fr Stephen dressed as a washerwoman? (Claire) |
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Monday 15th August-The Assumption
Today, we said farewell to our host families and what a sad moment that was. We had been treated like one of their own family for our time in Bous and Neuforweiler. Fr Heinz celebrated mass for all the youth pilgrims in the deanery. He gave a memorable reflection on the three magi and what a great send off we had for the next stage on our pilgrimage. (Fr Stephen) |
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WEEK 2
Tuesday 16th August
We got up at 5.30 am to take part in the Opening Mass in Bonn. Pilgrims were arriving in their thousands and for the first time we really felt the World Youth Day atmosphere. I thin one of the most memorable moments for me was seeing people from the Liturgy Group on stage doing the actions to Jesus Christ you are my life.
What an amazing opportunity we were receiving in our time in Cologne. (Maria) |
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Wednesday 17th August
Liverpool had been asked to run a catechesis session and today was the day! We had English speaking people from all over the world in the church, over 1000 of them. We taught people songs, actions and led the prayers about gold, frankincense and myrrh. In the evening it was out for a night with young people from other diocese in England. |
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Thursday 18th August
Today was a big day for the Liturgy Group! We set off for the Papal boat about 9 am. On the way we had flashing lights on the bus and a police escort. Up and down the bank there were crowds and crowds of people screaming and shouting and people were waist high in the river to get as close to the boat as possible. I kept thinking, 'I can't believe I am actually here, I can't believe how privileged I am, this is amazing!' The Pope arrived on the boat and my friends were meeting him, they had the biggest smiles on their faces, it was very moving. I thought back to the parable of the 'rich young man' and Jesus telling him that there is more that he can do. The Church is always calling young people forward. Looking out at the crowds of people from the boat I could see that the young people were following their desires and were reaching out and the Pope was responding to them by opening his arms and welcoming them in. (Maria) |
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Friday 19th August
We completed a walking pilgrimage to the Cathedral to the shrine of the Magi. We started by the river, pausing for reflection and prayer three times on our journey. We then joined the crowds to enter the Cathedral and process around the shrine. We then crossed the river to collect lunch, after which we celebrated the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a group.
For one lucky seminarian, Dominic Curran there was an expected encounter with Pope Benedict. At a gathering with seminarians the Pope came to where Dominic was standing and he took this amazing picture. |
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Sat 20th August
Armed with sleeping bags, spare clothes and food we set off the Marienfeld where the Vigil and Mass with Pope Benedict were to be held. We had a 5 km walk from the train station. It's hard to describe what it felt like to be in the presence of one million other young Catholics. (Claire) |
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Sun 21st August
After a 5.30 am start, a bite of a cereal bar and half a bruised banana Matthew, Mike and I left to register for mass! We managed to see Maria read at morning prayer and then the Papal Mass started. This was the reason we came to Cologne to be together in a unique way as a church family, and looking around, what a family we were. The unforgettable moment after the mass was the appearance of Cliff Richard. No where else but WYD would we have stand in a field which be now resembled a refugee site and sing Millennium Prayer. Well, now that really pleased Anna any way.
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A final thought from Maria
There were people from our Liturgy Group who at home were at war with one another. People who had very nearly not been allowed into the group because of their political status at home. And yet there had not been any disagreements between us or any angry words. We had learned that seventy-one countries can work together and live peacefully and happily in the name of Christ's love….I feel extremely privileged to have been able to represent my country at WYD and to have shared this experience with such amazing people from all over the world. In order to spread the Word you have to live the Word and this week I have lived more than I could ever have hoped to.
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To have a look at the WYD Photo Gallery... Click Here |
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