Courtney McGrailKillian Barrett explains what makes him continually go to World Youth Day
In just over a year’s time millions of young people, including hundreds from across Ireland, will make the journey to the beautiful city of Krakow, Poland to celebrate the 14th World Youth Day.
For those readers who have not heard of World Youth Day before it is a worldwide encounter with our Pope which is typically celebrated every two or three years in a different country. Many see it as a huge ‘Festival of Faith’ or, in lighter terms, the ‘Catholic Oxegen’! Regardless of names, you are guaranteed to share an amazing experience with young people from around our world who want to deepen their faith and grow closer to Christ.
I have been very lucky to travel to two World Youth Days in Madrid, Spain in 2011 and to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil in 2013. I aim to complete the ‘triple crown’ when I venture off to Krakow next summer.
In preparation for World Youth Day pilgrims spend an optional first week in a chosen adopted diocese and then the second week at the World Youth Day festival itself. The days in our adopted dioceses involve living with host families and immersing ourselves in their way of life. We learn about their culture, communities and work with them on various local projects of faith.
Experience
For example, we had the amazing experience of visiting the deaf community of Madrid to learn how they celebrate Mass in sign language, and in Rio de Janeiro of visiting the harrowing reality of the favelas. We saw first hand how people of true faith and unselfishness are helping the poorest people of our world to rebuild their lives.
The World Youth Day festival itself involves daily catechesis sessions where we learn about different parts of our faith and how we can live it out in today’s world. The main events of the World Youth Day celebrations involve welcoming the Pope to the host city to kick start the week’s activities, the re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross, an overnight vigil with the Pope followed by the closing Mass where the next host country is announced! (Here’s hoping for Ireland someday!)
All of this may seem very formal and structured but it must be remembered that all of these events, along with many more throughout the week, involve plenty of music, dancing, craic, friendships, memories and a ‘buzz’ that you will find nowhere else. If you can imagine the All-Ireland final day at Croke Park multiplied by 60 then you may just get a feeling of the numbers involved and the atmosphere created! It’s HUGE!
So what makes me continually go to World Youth Day? After all it doesn’t come cheap, so why would I put in the time and effort to fundraise over a £1,000 and take two weeks off work to travel to it? Would I not be better off spending my money on a week in Portugal, an inter-railing ticket across Europe or even the cost of a J1 Visa, I hear you thinking.
Different
The answer is quite simply: no. What you get from World Youth Day is something you can’t get from a sun holiday or a working visa. It is something that only people who witness this amazing occasion will understand for themselves. Every World Youth Day is different.
You have a new city to explore, a new culture to experience and a new group to get to know and bond with over the many miles travelled and hours spent together. However, one thing that has remained unchanged for me is the comfort in knowing that I am not alone in sharing my faith.
To celebrate Mass and the Blessed Sacrament with over three million people in Cuatro Vientos air base Madrid and six million people on Copacabana beach provided me with the hope, comfort and courage to be proud of my Catholic identity. We should not hide our faith, but through our youth and exuberance, openly celebrate it, and indeed, enjoy it. It is what makes us strong, what gives us hope, and what we use in our day-to-day lives to make our difficult decisions.
And so, as I participate each Sunday in my local church, filled with a few hundred people, to celebrate Mass and receive our vitally important food for the soul, I wait with anticipation and excitement to once again celebrate our universal faith with millions and millions of others. Perhaps I may see you there too.
*Killian Barrett is from Teemore, Co. Fermanagh, which is situated in the parish of Knockninny, the only Northern parish in the Kilmore diocese. He will be travelling to World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland (July 25-31, 2016) with Clogher Don Oige.