World Youth Day inspires young Catholics
By ROWENA PLETT
Reporter / photographer
Sarah Davidson of Marion, Cecilia Rziha of Tampa, and Raschelle Jirak of Ramona, members of Holy Family Parish, attended World Youth Days July 21-29 at Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were accompanied by sponsor Rose Davidson of Marion.
Ramie Bina, formerly of Lincolnville and Father John Jirak, formerly of Tampa, also attended from the Wichita parish.
Five busloads totaling 220 people from the Wichita Diocese traveled 28 hours to attend the week-long event.
Cecilia said she was overwhelmed with emotion by the sight of so many people from around the world.
"We were from everywhere but we were sharing this together," she said.
According to the youth, they experienced less than plush accommodations, sleeping on hard floors, enduring cold, heat, and rain, and walking long distances.
But they all agreed the hardships were worth it for the experience of seeing Pope John Paul in person.
He welcomed the crowd in an opening ceremony attended by approximately 500,000 people.
Sarah said she was thrilled when the Pope grabbed the microphone and said, "John Paul loves you all."
Later, he conducted a three-hour vigil before a crowd of more than 800,000 camped on a large field. A Sunday morning mass at the same site was attended by at least a million people.
Raschelle said the Pope is seen as weak and fragile when viewed on television news reports, but being there among the thousands of young people seemed to energize him.
"He didn't seem so frail," she said.
Written materials were printed in four languages, and services were conducted in various languages. The Pope himself spoke using different languages. He is versed in at least eight.
WYD organizers provided everyone with specially-made backpacks, program books, maps, water bottles, and bandanas.
The Wichita-area group stayed in bare classrooms in an elementary school. The only showers available were rigged up outdoors, so the girls took sponge baths and washed their hair at the bathroom sink.
Most events took place at a large fairgrounds called Exhibition Place, about a 30-minute drive. Days were long, with the girls boarding the bus at 7:30 a.m. and not returning until 10 p.m. or later.
Upon arrival at the site, everyone entered through the Prince's Gate, where backpacks were searched and they walked through metal detectors.
Various speakers, musicians, and other performers were there to keep everyone busy. Many vendors also were on hand.
In the buildings where speaking and teaching sessions occurred, almost everyone had to sit on the floor.
The young people took along trinkets such as beaded necklaces and ties to trade and to initiate conversation with others. Anything red, white, and blue was especially popular with people from other countries.
"Everyone wanted American things," Rose said.
The last day and a half were spent at Downsview Lands, a large open field where the Pope addressed the crowd from a specially-built large stage.
Getting to their camping spot in the field was an ordeal for the youth, as they joined hundreds of thousands of others who were doing the same.
With sleeping bags laid out, there was barely room to walk. The sun beat down upon them, and it was quite a distance to food and porta-potties.
When the Pope arrived at 6 p.m., the crowd stood shoulder to shoulder to hear him speak.
Traveling in his own Popemobile, he was driven through the crowd to the stage through a secured corridor. After conducting a long vigil, he left the same way.
The crowd, which slept overnight at the site, woke Sunday to a persistent rain. People had to improvise to protect themselves as best they could.
They were rewarded for their discomfort when the Pope returned and conducted Mass in several languages.
The tired and weary, but inspired, group left for home later that day and arrived in Wichita after 24 hours.
Rose said the experience was beneficial for the youth because they saw the international nature of the church.
"It's an eye-opener and makes them appreciate their faith more," she said. "And to see the Pope face to face was truly inspiring."
