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MADRID WYD 2011
Monday, July 30, 2012
Monday, September 5, 2011
Madrid #wyd shortcomings offer lessons for #Rio2013 #madrid11
Madrid World Youth Day's shortcomings offer lessons for Rio
Published on September 01, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Yago de la Cierva, communications director for World Youth Day Madrid.
Madrid, Spain (CNA): It was one of the most remarkable global manifestations of the Catholic faith in recent memory. But since pilgrims have started returning home from World Youth Day, some are talking about the disorganization they experienced and how the event could be improved.
“My sons went to World Youth Day in a group of 29,” wrote one mother from St. Joan of Arc parish in Denver, Colo.
“When they got to the Vigil on the Saturday night they were turned away, and flatly refused admittance despite their WYD credentials and being at the correct section. Basically they were told the section was full. No admittance. As you can imagine, the kids were very upset.”
Their story has been repeated in other personal anecdotes: the pilgrims were on time, at right venue, and had the correct passes but were refused entry. Organizers estimate that around 100,000 of the 1.5 million pilgrims were affected by such problems.
Although pilgrimages usually contain some form of penance, many pilgrims were not expecting the lack of portable toilets at the venue, the condition of those that were available, and the lack of transport to and from downtown Madrid. When it came to redeeming pre-paid food vouchers at the designated outlets, some pilgrims were told after waiting in line three to four hours that all the food was gone.
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Published on September 01, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Yago de la Cierva, communications director for World Youth Day Madrid.
Madrid, Spain (CNA): It was one of the most remarkable global manifestations of the Catholic faith in recent memory. But since pilgrims have started returning home from World Youth Day, some are talking about the disorganization they experienced and how the event could be improved.
“My sons went to World Youth Day in a group of 29,” wrote one mother from St. Joan of Arc parish in Denver, Colo.
“When they got to the Vigil on the Saturday night they were turned away, and flatly refused admittance despite their WYD credentials and being at the correct section. Basically they were told the section was full. No admittance. As you can imagine, the kids were very upset.”
Their story has been repeated in other personal anecdotes: the pilgrims were on time, at right venue, and had the correct passes but were refused entry. Organizers estimate that around 100,000 of the 1.5 million pilgrims were affected by such problems.
Although pilgrimages usually contain some form of penance, many pilgrims were not expecting the lack of portable toilets at the venue, the condition of those that were available, and the lack of transport to and from downtown Madrid. When it came to redeeming pre-paid food vouchers at the designated outlets, some pilgrims were told after waiting in line three to four hours that all the food was gone.
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Top Favourite Questions Regarding My Experience in #Madrid11 #WYD
Since my return from the World Youth Day in Madrid, I have been meeting with my friends and sharing my experiences with them . Here are some of the top frequent questions that has consistently surfaced .
1. Was the WYD a life changing experience ?
I do not feel that I have been tremendously changed from my pilgrimage to Madrid, but I do feel a sense of change slowly taking place. I don't think it was an instant wake up call, but rather one that is taking root in my heart. It was certainly an eye opening experience, that has gotten me burning to change.
I return with a conviction of my faith , enforced that Jesus is our God and Saviour. I am embolden to stand up for my faith and to live my life as a Catholic with Hope, Love , Joy and Charity. I am eager to share my experience with anyone who ask. I am reminded that I have been created to do great things, because I am His beloved creation. I resolve to do my best, so that my Saviour did not die in vain.
2. What was the single most significant event of the WYD ?
Honestly, I cannot say, except that it was the overall experience. I saw millions of Catholic , united in their faith. I saw the joy of being a Catholic, and the open expression of love for Jesus. I was overwhelmed by the open celebration of our faith by the Pilgrims. I was awed that Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament brings millions of people to their knees in silence. I was humbled by the thousands of priest, bishops and religious who gave their life in service to Christ. To me, the most significant event in the WYD, was the whole event in itself. The people I met, my experiences and my own personal spiritual journey in Madrid
3. What was the most memorable event in Madrid ?
Interestingly enough, this was actually not an official program in the WYD. It was on the first day of the Cathechesis Sessions, where I went to the Love and Life Center (Center for English Speaking Pilgrims). I arrived late, and the venue was closed as it was full. As I was waiting outside, I met a few Malaysian Pilgrims in a similar plight, who was tagging along with pilgrims from the Chicago Diocese.
It was then, that the Priest - Fr Mani, sought his Bishop's permission, and they decided to hold an impromptu cathechesis session right at the doors of the Love and Life center. Fr Mani, called those within earshot, to gather round, make themselves comfortable. He asked us to introduce where we were all from (Washington, Malaysia, Chicago, New York etc) .
We started with the daily scripture reading. Then Fr Mani brought up the topic "The Challenges of our Faith". He asked us what are the challenges that we face when practicing our faith, and he called upon the Malaysians first. We openly shared with the group, the challenges we Malaysians had in practicing our faith, including the confiscation of bibles, obstruction in building places of worship, prohibition on using the word Allah, prohibition in the open worship, desecration of the Eucharist and etc.
He further asked us how it made us feel , and why we felt this way. As I shared, I realized that I was choking and tearing. I did not realise that these pent up issues had built an emotional burden within me.
One question that we could not answer was " With all these challenges, How do we practice our faith? ". I guess by then, we were caught up with emotions.
After the session & the sharing with all, a number of pilgrims from US came up to us Malaysians. They thanked us for our open sharing which touched them. Some of them asked us further questions, and offered their prayers for us.
Well Fr Mani, I've reflected on your question , and here is my answer. I will stand firmly in my right to practice my faith and to share my faith openly with Love , Joy , Hope and Charity (As Archbishop Dolan said in his cathechesis session)
Btw , Fr Mani is a newly ordained priest, and it was so inspiring to see his enthusiasm, energy and initiative.
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1. Was the WYD a life changing experience ?
I do not feel that I have been tremendously changed from my pilgrimage to Madrid, but I do feel a sense of change slowly taking place. I don't think it was an instant wake up call, but rather one that is taking root in my heart. It was certainly an eye opening experience, that has gotten me burning to change.
I return with a conviction of my faith , enforced that Jesus is our God and Saviour. I am embolden to stand up for my faith and to live my life as a Catholic with Hope, Love , Joy and Charity. I am eager to share my experience with anyone who ask. I am reminded that I have been created to do great things, because I am His beloved creation. I resolve to do my best, so that my Saviour did not die in vain.
2. What was the single most significant event of the WYD ?
Honestly, I cannot say, except that it was the overall experience. I saw millions of Catholic , united in their faith. I saw the joy of being a Catholic, and the open expression of love for Jesus. I was overwhelmed by the open celebration of our faith by the Pilgrims. I was awed that Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament brings millions of people to their knees in silence. I was humbled by the thousands of priest, bishops and religious who gave their life in service to Christ. To me, the most significant event in the WYD, was the whole event in itself. The people I met, my experiences and my own personal spiritual journey in Madrid
3. What was the most memorable event in Madrid ?
Interestingly enough, this was actually not an official program in the WYD. It was on the first day of the Cathechesis Sessions, where I went to the Love and Life Center (Center for English Speaking Pilgrims). I arrived late, and the venue was closed as it was full. As I was waiting outside, I met a few Malaysian Pilgrims in a similar plight, who was tagging along with pilgrims from the Chicago Diocese.
It was then, that the Priest - Fr Mani, sought his Bishop's permission, and they decided to hold an impromptu cathechesis session right at the doors of the Love and Life center. Fr Mani, called those within earshot, to gather round, make themselves comfortable. He asked us to introduce where we were all from (Washington, Malaysia, Chicago, New York etc) .
We started with the daily scripture reading. Then Fr Mani brought up the topic "The Challenges of our Faith". He asked us what are the challenges that we face when practicing our faith, and he called upon the Malaysians first. We openly shared with the group, the challenges we Malaysians had in practicing our faith, including the confiscation of bibles, obstruction in building places of worship, prohibition on using the word Allah, prohibition in the open worship, desecration of the Eucharist and etc.
He further asked us how it made us feel , and why we felt this way. As I shared, I realized that I was choking and tearing. I did not realise that these pent up issues had built an emotional burden within me.
One question that we could not answer was " With all these challenges, How do we practice our faith? ". I guess by then, we were caught up with emotions.
After the session & the sharing with all, a number of pilgrims from US came up to us Malaysians. They thanked us for our open sharing which touched them. Some of them asked us further questions, and offered their prayers for us.
Well Fr Mani, I've reflected on your question , and here is my answer. I will stand firmly in my right to practice my faith and to share my faith openly with Love , Joy , Hope and Charity (As Archbishop Dolan said in his cathechesis session)
Btw , Fr Mani is a newly ordained priest, and it was so inspiring to see his enthusiasm, energy and initiative.
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Sharing the Experience of #wyd #madrid11
It has been more then 2 weeks since my return from Madrid. In the 2 weeks, I have met many of my friends and family - catholic and non catholic alike, who enquired about my experiences in Madrid.
One interesting experience was over the last weekend, where I was wearing my Madrid WYD T-shirt out in the Mall. In one of the outlets where I decided to stop by, the sales person who was assisting me enquired if I was wearing the WYD T-Shirt.
He then proceeded to ask me about my experience. I was able to share with him my journey in WYD, and had the further opportunity to encourage him to attend the next world youth day in Rio.
This goes to show, that our experience in Madrid did not end in Spain, but will continue on in our lives. We have already been "instructed" by the Pope to go and share our experience with everyone. I just didn't expect the Holy Spirit to send strangers my way as well :D
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One interesting experience was over the last weekend, where I was wearing my Madrid WYD T-shirt out in the Mall. In one of the outlets where I decided to stop by, the sales person who was assisting me enquired if I was wearing the WYD T-Shirt.
He then proceeded to ask me about my experience. I was able to share with him my journey in WYD, and had the further opportunity to encourage him to attend the next world youth day in Rio.
This goes to show, that our experience in Madrid did not end in Spain, but will continue on in our lives. We have already been "instructed" by the Pope to go and share our experience with everyone. I just didn't expect the Holy Spirit to send strangers my way as well :D
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Thursday, August 25, 2011
Ugly anti-papal protests are harming the so-called secularist cause Protesting about the Pope coming to your city is appalling bad manners #wyd #madrid11
Ugly anti-papal protests are harming the so-called secularist cause
Protesting about the Pope coming to your city is appalling bad manners
By FR ALEXANDER LUCIE-SMITH on Wednesday, 24 August 2011
A World Youth Day pilgrim walks past protesters in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
I had dinner last night with an enthusiastic returnee from World Youth Day, which has received ample coverage from many media outlets, with a few all too predictable exceptions. I asked whether he had seen any of the anti-Pope protesters, and he said he had not – which is hardly suprising, given that the people at World Youth Day outnumbered the protesters by about a thousand to one.
And what were they protesting about? It seems the cost. But, as this article from the New York Times shows, WYD will actually benefit the Spanish economy. Besides which, since when did protesters actually protest anywhere about government spending? Forgive me if I doubt their sincerity.
It seems we must get used to the idea that wherever the Holy Father goes the usual suspects will round themselves up and stage a protest, indulging their love for synthetic rage. First London, now Madrid…
But just think about it for a minute. These people do not like the Pope and they do not agree with his teachings. Well, I feel no real empathy with Buddhism, and I strongly disagree with Buddhist teaching on reincarnation. So, whenever the Dalai Lama rolls into town, should I organise a protest? Of course not! And why not? Because I believe in freedom of conscience, and I fully respect the absolute right of the Dalai Lama to believe what he chooses and to teach what he believes. End of. And I also believe that people who want to hang out with the Dalai Lama have an absolute right to do so, part of their basic human right to freedom of association.
It is this freedom of association, and the freedom of expression that goes with it, that contemporary secularists simply do not “get”. Dr Evan Harris’s secular manifesto makes no mention of these rights, but seemingly sees religion as something relegated to the private sphere alone, as it was in the Soviet Union: “None of it [the manifesto] engages with what families get up to in their home, or religious leaders within their own families.” And yet, ironically, freedom of association and freedom of expression are secular values.
And herein lies the problem: our modern secularists are not really secular enough; they are simply people who dislike religion and want it out of the way. A true secularist would welcome the Pope to Madrid, acknowledging his right and the right of his fellow Catholics to do as they please in conscience and within the bounds of the law, a right they share with everyone else.
If none of this cuts any ice, perhaps I could introduce another idea. Protesting about the Pope coming to your city (if indeed these protesters were Madrileños) is simply rude, a case of appalling bad manners. It is against all the rules of hospitality. Last year we had the King of Saudi Arabia here in London as a guest of the Queen. I can’t honestly say I warm to King Abdullah, or that I approve of his government and its policies, but if I had met him I would have been polite, greeted him as protocol demands, and wished him well. That is what civility demands. Civility: another great secular value. The expressions of infantile rage that we saw when the Pope came here were in fact very damaging to the so-called secular movement, and revealed the forces of anti-religion for what they were. We need to reclaim the word “secular” for proper use, and we need to stop using it to mask the ugly face of anti-religious prejudice.
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Protesting about the Pope coming to your city is appalling bad manners
By FR ALEXANDER LUCIE-SMITH on Wednesday, 24 August 2011
A World Youth Day pilgrim walks past protesters in Madrid's Puerta del Sol square (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)
I had dinner last night with an enthusiastic returnee from World Youth Day, which has received ample coverage from many media outlets, with a few all too predictable exceptions. I asked whether he had seen any of the anti-Pope protesters, and he said he had not – which is hardly suprising, given that the people at World Youth Day outnumbered the protesters by about a thousand to one.
And what were they protesting about? It seems the cost. But, as this article from the New York Times shows, WYD will actually benefit the Spanish economy. Besides which, since when did protesters actually protest anywhere about government spending? Forgive me if I doubt their sincerity.
It seems we must get used to the idea that wherever the Holy Father goes the usual suspects will round themselves up and stage a protest, indulging their love for synthetic rage. First London, now Madrid…
But just think about it for a minute. These people do not like the Pope and they do not agree with his teachings. Well, I feel no real empathy with Buddhism, and I strongly disagree with Buddhist teaching on reincarnation. So, whenever the Dalai Lama rolls into town, should I organise a protest? Of course not! And why not? Because I believe in freedom of conscience, and I fully respect the absolute right of the Dalai Lama to believe what he chooses and to teach what he believes. End of. And I also believe that people who want to hang out with the Dalai Lama have an absolute right to do so, part of their basic human right to freedom of association.
It is this freedom of association, and the freedom of expression that goes with it, that contemporary secularists simply do not “get”. Dr Evan Harris’s secular manifesto makes no mention of these rights, but seemingly sees religion as something relegated to the private sphere alone, as it was in the Soviet Union: “None of it [the manifesto] engages with what families get up to in their home, or religious leaders within their own families.” And yet, ironically, freedom of association and freedom of expression are secular values.
And herein lies the problem: our modern secularists are not really secular enough; they are simply people who dislike religion and want it out of the way. A true secularist would welcome the Pope to Madrid, acknowledging his right and the right of his fellow Catholics to do as they please in conscience and within the bounds of the law, a right they share with everyone else.
If none of this cuts any ice, perhaps I could introduce another idea. Protesting about the Pope coming to your city (if indeed these protesters were Madrileños) is simply rude, a case of appalling bad manners. It is against all the rules of hospitality. Last year we had the King of Saudi Arabia here in London as a guest of the Queen. I can’t honestly say I warm to King Abdullah, or that I approve of his government and its policies, but if I had met him I would have been polite, greeted him as protocol demands, and wished him well. That is what civility demands. Civility: another great secular value. The expressions of infantile rage that we saw when the Pope came here were in fact very damaging to the so-called secular movement, and revealed the forces of anti-religion for what they were. We need to reclaim the word “secular” for proper use, and we need to stop using it to mask the ugly face of anti-religious prejudice.
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Pilgrims vs Protestors #wyd #madrid11
A protester (R) shows a pilgrim a condom who in turn shows him a cross during a demonstration against what they claim is the expensive cost of the papal visit in central Madrid coinciding with the second day of the World Youth Day meeting August 17, 2011. Pope Benedict arrives in Spain on Thursday for a four-day visit to a traditionally Catholic country that has become highly secular.
Photograph by: SUSANA VERA, REUTERS
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Photograph by: SUSANA VERA, REUTERS
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'Spiritual Communion': Youths learn a traditional concept the hard way #wyd #madrid11
VATICAN LETTER Aug-24-2011 (880 words) Backgrounder. With photo posted Aug. 22. xxxi
'Spiritual Communion': Youths learn a traditional concept the hard way
A priest distributes Communion to pilgrims during the closing Mass of World Youth Day celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Cuatro Vientos airfield in Madrid Aug. 21. Because of logistical problems, only 100,000 of the more than a million pilgrims at the Mass were able to receive Communion. (CNS/Paul Haring)
By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- More than a million young Catholics learned the hard way about a venerable Catholic tradition: "spiritual Communion" or the "Communion of desire."
After a wild storm Aug. 20 at World Youth Day in Madrid left six people injured -- including two with broken legs -- Spanish police collapsed the tents where most of the unconsecrated hosts for the next morning's Mass were being kept.
Without the hosts in the tents, organizers had 5,000 ciboriums holding 200 hosts each; they were consecrated by the pope at Mass Aug. 21 and distributed to pilgrims in the section closest to the altar.
Distributing Communion to just 100,000 people wasn't a decision anyone took lightly, and apparently there were long discussions with World Youth Day organizers and Vatican officials trying to find a solution. In the end, it just wasn't possible logistically to locate another 1.5 million hosts.
A couple of hours before the Mass, organizers announced that most of the people present would not be able to receive; they asked the pilgrims to offer up that sacrifice for the pope's intentions and told them they could receive Communion later in the day at any church in Madrid.
The decision to cancel Communion for most Mass participants was reached "with the greatest pain," Yago de la Cierva, director of World Youth Day Madrid, told reporters Aug. 21.
Whenever there is a huge crowd for a Mass, whether in St. Peter's Square or at a World Youth Day, there always are some people unable to get to the Communion distribution point in time to receive. But in Madrid, de la Cierva said, "almost everyone" was among those not receiving.
Obviously, receiving Communion is the way to participate most fully in the Mass, but it's not always possible for everyone to receive at every Mass, nor do many Catholics in the world even have regular access to Mass.
The idea of "spiritual Communion" -- inviting Jesus into one's heart and soul when receiving the actual sacrament isn't possible -- is part of Catholic tradition.
In the 1700s, St. Alphonsus Liguori wrote a special prayer for spiritual communion: "My Jesus, I believe you are really here in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you more than anything in the world, and I hunger to receive you. But since I cannot receive Communion at this moment, feed my soul at least spiritually. I unite myself to you now as I do when I actually receive you."
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said it would be a huge mistake to believe the Mass had no value for those who were unable to receive Communion.
"Communion is always an extraordinary gift, and one must be in awe of being able to receive it," he told Catholic News Service Aug. 24.
"It is not something one can presume to have an absolute right to as if he'd bought a ticket for it by going to Mass. Someone who thinks that hasn't understood who is in the consecrated host and what the Mass is," the spokesman said.
The eucharistic adoration and benediction at the vigil in Madrid underlined that point, he said. Jesus is present in the Eucharist, which is why it is adored and why Catholics spend time in its presence, even outside of Mass.
The "eucharistic fasting" many of the young pilgrims in Madrid were forced to endure could also help them be in spiritual solidarity with other people who find themselves desiring the Eucharist, but unable to receive it, he said.
"I'm thinking of Catholics deprived of priests in many parts of the world for many reasons," he said, but there also are those "who would like to celebrate the Lord's Supper with other Christians, but don't have intercommunion out of respect for the norms of the church. Isn't it meaningful in these situations to know we can unite ourselves with Christ through love and desire?"
In an era when people are encouraged to receive the sacrament frequently, they don't hear the term "spiritual Communion" very often, but it is still mentioned in church documents.
The Vatican's preparatory document for the 2012 International Eucharistic Congress in Dublin said those who cannot receive the Eucharist can have spiritual Communion, declaring their desire to receiving the Eucharist and uniting "their suffering of that moment with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ."
The working document for the Synod of Bishops on the Eucharist in 2005 addressed the idea of offering up the sacrifice of being unable to receive Communion. It said: "Spiritual Communion, for example, is always possible for elderly persons and the sick who cannot go to church. In manifesting their love for the Eucharist, they participate in the communion of saints with great spiritual benefit for themselves and the church. By offering their sufferings to God, the church is enriched."
In "Sacramentum Caritatis," the document he issued in 2007 reflecting on the synod, Pope Benedict cautioned people against thinking they had "a right or even an obligation" to receive the Eucharist every time they went to Mass.
"Even in cases where it is not possible to receive sacramental Communion, participation at Mass remains necessary, important, meaningful and fruitful. In such circumstances it is beneficial to cultivate a desire for full union with Christ through the practice of spiritual communion," Pope Benedict wrote.
END
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