World Youth Day 2002

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

July 22-29, 2002

"You are the salt of the earth....You are the light of the world"

Our World Youth Day Picture Gallery

On Friday, July 19th ten of us, ranging in age from 19-23, set out on the road around noon to what would become the single most memorable experience in our lives. Before leaving we made sure to paint our cars so everyone knew exactly where we were headed!

We arrived at Franciscan University of Steubenville in Ohio for their annual Young Adult Conference. We heard a talk by Raymond Arroyo, host of EWTN's The World Over and their news director, on how to be in the world but not of it. That same night, EWTN's Jeff Cavins, host of Life on the Rock, would give us his inspiring testimony. Saturday was a full schedule with talks from Bishop Sam Aquila (Diocese of Fargo, ND) on transformation and a talk by EWTN personality Fr. Mitch Pacwa, SJ on the New Age movement, those were followed by individual workshops and a Holy Hour to end our evening. On Sunday we listened to the conversion story of Rosalind Moss and heard a talk on the power of virtue by FOCUS founder Curtis Martin.  

The weekend was filled with daily Mass, prayer, adoration and bonding among the ten of us. We had little sleep and little to eat, but that didn't seem to matter. Some of the highlight were getting to meet Jeff Cavins who was very interested in the stories of Tiffany and Mike for an upcoming book he has. The guys also treated the girls to dinner at Bob Evans, but that was overshadowed by a group of Nashville Dominicans who came in and had Katy run after them! Another highlight was on Saturday as we were leaving for dinner, some backed up in Rob's car, leaving little damage but a topic of conversation for days to come! 

On Sunday, July 21st we left Steubenville for Meadville, PA (just south of Erie) where we would wait for the other four people in our group. That night involved more bonding as the girls got the guys back for dinner by putting together skits, notes and gift bags for us. The girls had a lot of fun putting them together and the guys had just as much fun receiving them! 

On Monday, July 22nd the guys got up early to go to the local Wal Mart to do some shopping, Pixy Sticks for Mary and Megan, cowboy hat for Sarah, volleyball for Tiffany and of course starter kits for Katy and Theresa!  Would this ever end!?! We then went to morning Mass at a beautiful church in downtown Meadville before meeting up with the rest of our group and heading off to Toronto about 11 am.

We arrived at the Peace Bridge connecting Buffalo, NY and Fort Erie, ON about 1:30, the questions as to where we were going was pretty easy as our cars had the answered written on them! We would swing up scenic Niagara River Rd. to Niagara Falls for a quick drive through. Which involved people opening doors, and climbing over people for pictures, quite hilarious! On our way out of the Falls and onto the QEW we missed the exit and had to do a U-turn right in front of the border, I'm sure border patrol just loved that!

After a quick stop for dinner we arrived in Toronto around 4:00 pm!  Rob, Mike and Rich would head off to Pearson International Airport to pick up our registration packets while everyone else went grocery shopping. After taking about an hour to move the last one km into the International Centre parking lot, we walked in to find another two hour line for our registration packets. 

Tuesday morning it was time for us to set out on our first World Youth Day. We left our downtown hotel around 11 am to Exhibition Place where everything would be held. We quickly walked into a lot of groups exchanging most of the items we brought to trade within the first few hours (note to self, bring tons of buttons next time). Around 1:00 pm we watched the Holy Father arrive at Pearson International Airport on the large screens by the main stage. Tiffany got interviewed by a Korean newspaper and Annabelle was interview by a Toronto TV station. The crowd continued to build until 5:00 pm for the opening Mass. 250,000 people from over 170 countries were on hand for the opening Mass, which was mostly in English and French, with sprinklings of who knows how many languages, as would be the rest of World Youth Day. Little did anyone know that during the two hour Mass that the Pope was flying overheard in his helicopter before heading off to Strawberry Island just north of Toronto. That night we would go to the Crispin concert before walking back to the hotel.

On Wednesday morning we left our hotel around 8:45 and arrive at the National Trade Centre on Exhibition grounds for our Catechesis session run by NET ministries. This would be the normal morning routine.  The morning sessions were followed by Mass, which concluded around 1:30 each day.

That afternoon we ran around Exhibition Place from one event to another, seeing Tony Melendez and Fr. Stan Fortuna, CFR in concert along with shopping, vocations pavilion and other activities, including eating and resting!  Thursday would be much the same, with the night portion including the premier concert for the Daughters of God.

However, the big story on Thursday was the Papal Welcoming Ceremony at the main stage of Exhibition Place. Over 400,000 people would officially welcome the Pope to Toronto. The Pope challenged the Young Church to become "The People of the Beatitudes." The Holy Father said "Young people listening to me, answer the Lord with strong and generous hearts! He is counting on you. Never forget: Christ needs you to carry out his plan of salvation! Christ needs your youth and your generous enthusiasm to make his proclamation of joy resound in the new millennium. Answer his call by placing your lives at his service in your brothers and sisters! Trust Christ, because he trusts you."

During the Pope's inspiring message he was interrupted many times by cheers from the crowd and chants of "John Paul II, we love you" or similar phrases in various languages. As he rode by in the Pope mobile no one could miss the impact that the Holy Father has on the young. People cheered for the Vicar of Christ, people began to cheer and cry uncontrollably, this had to touch the hardest of hearts. And no, the joy was not because of an 82 year old man. The joy was because this man showed the love of Christ himself. In everything the Holy Father does he points us to Christ, we see the immense suffering he is going through so that he can point us to our Savior, Jesus Christ.

Friday morning saw our last Catechesis session in which some of us were asked to go up on the stage with candles. Afterwards we went out for the last part of the Youth Festival put a torrential downpour ended that plan and we headed back to the hotel to rest before the next two days with the Holy Father at Downsview.

Friday night some of us stayed at the hotel to sleep, others went to do some site seeing at the Eaton Centre and Hard Rock, while another group took in the Way of the Cross ceremony on University Ave. in downtown Toronto. There will be many stories from all three of our groups!

Saturday morning went left our hotel around 7:00 am and would not return again until 4:00 pm on Sunday. We took the metro to the Downsview stop, of course upon arriving we realized we should have gotten off one stop earlier. After backtracking for a mile we reached the entrance to Downsview Park. Once passing through heavy security we sat in purple section 114, which was very close to the stage. 

Downsview kept getting more packed at the day went on. And it was a scorcher in Toronto, 35 degrees with the sun beating down and a humidex reading of 42 (yes, that's Celsius). With plenty of sun tan lotion, plenty of water and umbrellas for shade, we survived. We endured a mile walk to bathrooms and the nearest water stations, although we were blocked off from accessing it for most of the time there due to security.

Saturday night at 7:00 pm the Holy Father arrived at Downsview lands, 500,000 people were on hand to welcome him. The Pope asked us on what we will build our life, on the foundation of technology and money or on Christ, because "Christ alone is the cornerstone on which it is possible solidly to build one's existence. Only Christ — known, contemplated and loved — is the faithful friend who never lets us down, who becomes our traveling companion, and whose words warm our hearts."

The Holy Father challenged us to be a "new generation of builders," to "build, brick by brick, the city of God within the city of man." It was a strong message the Pope conveyed that night, and it seems by the response that 500,000 young people are ready to answer his call.

The Pope then left Downsview lands to go rest for the closing Mass on Sunday. We all slept outside at a giant slumber party! Although there wasn't must sleeping to be done. With over 170 countries and even more cultures, we were able to experience song and dance from many of these countries as it broke out spontaneously and lasted throughout the night. Also, on stage we heard talks, skits and concerts that lasted until 4:00 am. That finally allowed us to get an hour of sleep until the Holy Alarm Clock woke us up at 5:45 am with a downpour that lasted until about 9:00 am.

The Holy Father would arrive to close the 17th World Youth Day at 9:00 am. The rain let up and then ended just in time for Mass, people from Toronto said the same thing happened in 1984 when the Pope also celebrated Mass at Downsview. It was a beautiful three hour liturgy to close World Youth Day. The Holy Father celebrated the entire Mass, even standing throughout the consecration. Although you will hear many new reports and see pictures of him looking terrible on TV, you could see the joy in his as he celebrated Mass. There was clearly no where he would rather be then at Downsview land celebrating Mass with the crowd that had now reached over 800,000.

The Pope told us on Sunday that he is and will always be with us, "You are young and the Pope is old and a bit tired. But he still fully identifies with your hopes and aspirations. Although I have lived through much darkness, under harsh totalitarian regimes, I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of the young. Do not let that hope die! Stake your lives on it! We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father's love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his son."

At the end of the Eucharist Liturgy the Pope echoed the words of St. Augustine, "We have been happy together in the light we have shared. We have really enjoyed being together. We have really rejoiced, but as we leave one another, let us not leave Him."

With that, the Holy Father announced that the next World Youth Day will take place in Cologne, Germany in 2005. 

With the closing words, the soggy trek back to downtown Toronto began, luckily we were able to catch the subway, although that in itself took a few hours. Upon arriving back at the hotel it was time for much needed showers, a nice warm pizza and sleep!  The next morning (Monday, July 29th) a few of us got up early to do our final bit of site seeing at the CN Tower (tallest freestanding building in the world) before leaving Toronto around 11:00 am. 

Around 1:30 we crossed the border back into the United States, as much as we didn't want to leave Toronto, it felt great being back in the USA! After many stops for food, gas and pit stops, we finally arrived back in Baltimore around midnight! 

We said our goodbyes, and finally went our own separate ways. But, we made some great friendships that will hopefully last forever. And as much as we've seen each other since I think they will!

Now, its time we go off and be the salt and light to the world, time for us to be the people of the beatitudes and build the city of God brick-by-brick within the city of man! Thank you Holy Father for this life changing experience that brought us all closer to Christ! 

John Paul II, We Love You!!!