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A Journey of Faith- Our pilgrimage to WYD is now over and completed but that doesn’t mean the journey itself has ended. Some of us are still fighting off exhaustion and jetlag, I know I am. But we have also had time to relax and reflect a little bit about what this pilgrimage has meant for each one of us. It may take us a little while longer to absorb it all, but I am know there were tremendous moments of grace poured put on us all. I personally have learned many things through this pilgrimage not the least of which is how far one can be stretched mentally, physically and spiritually. We set out on what was to be a pilgrimage of a lifetime for so many young people and all of the young at heart.,89 Pilgrims from across the Diocese. There were three main stops along our pilgrimage. First we would begin in South Korea, then Maitland Newcastle for the Days in the Diocese, Sydney for WYD itself and finally Brisbane, Singapore and San Francisco for a few days of reflection and rest before heading back home to Canada. We began this pilgrimage in South Korea where we were treated like royalty by the Diocese, and host families that opened their hearts and homes to us. It was the perfect start to our pilgrimage. South Korea is a beautiful country with much to do and see. We first arrived at the Airport in Seoul to a warm welcome from a number of our new friends in South Korea. It was a sign of the wonderful hospitality we would receive. Upon arrival our group was split into three busses and we traveled 2.5 hours down the road from Seoul to Jeonju during which we had a chance to pray and get acquainted with our fabulous hosts and tour guides. Our tour leader on our bus (Andrew), along with a number of volunteers was amazing and very an important part of what made our time in South Korea so memorable. I am sure the other two buses experienced the same humor, kindness and hospitality that we did. Our first evening we stayed in a hotel. Looking back on it now it was likely to get rested up for the days in front of us. The next morning we began what for me would be the beginning of a physically exhausting yet beautiful week. South Korea has 90 Official Holy sites and 103 Vatican designated Saints the 4th largest number in the world, most of whom were martyrs. We had the opportunity to visit many of these sites surrounding Jeonju during our stay including Martyrs Mountain, Nabawi Church, Chonami and Cheonho Holy Shrine. I had never really known very much about the faith in South Korea or Korean Martyrs but this aspect of our pilgrimage had a tremendous impact on me and many of our pilgrims. Our first stop was Martyrs Mountain, which by the way looks like a lot easier climb then it actually is. Many Korean Martyrs were executed here in 1801 including Lutgardi Ye. Lutgardi was married to the son of Hang Geom Yu who played an active role in the Catholic Church and who was executed during the Sinyu persecution and buried at Martyrs mountain along with many of his family members. Lutgardi and her husband John remained virgin spouses for four years until their execution. Standing in the places such as Martyrs Mountain and Nabawi where the first ordained priest St. Andrew Kim first arrived, were incredible moments. This part of the pilgrimage for me was a chance to ask myself how far am I willing to go, what am I willing to give up or let go of? It also helped me to realize just how much I take my faith for granted and how little I think about the price that has been paid first by our Lord but also of the countless men and women who suffered, were persecuted and gave up their lives for the faith. Our pilgrimage to Cheonho Holy Shrine and retreat centre marked a wonderful moment as two of our pilgrims, Jonothan Berlingeri and Valentina Kuper, announced their vocation to marriage and celebrated their engagement during an evening concert at the centre. Bishop Vincent Ri celebrated a final Mass with us before our departure for Seoul where we had the opportunity to take in the sites, sounds, and shopping in Seoul as well as stop for notable visit at the DMZ (demilitarized zone between North and South Korea).We also stopped to visit a Korean Folk Village and Jeonju Cultural Centre which gave us the opportunity to learn a little more of the history and culture of Korea. I can only speak of the time Krista and I spent with our host family, but I was overwhelmed by how quickly and lovingly they welcomed us into their family and shared with us the Korean Culture. Our host mom did tell me that I should stick to using a fork. I suppose I need a lot more practice with the chopsticks. The Korean food and sitting cross legged took some getting use to for me, but I came to appreciate it and am thankful for the many dignitaries who provided us with meals during our stay and our host families who always kept us well fed and laughed at us when we made funny faces when we tried new food (maybe it was just my host family). We truly were treated better then we ever could have expected and thank all of our new friends for making us feel so welcome. It was a tearful farewell for us as we left our host families, new friends and unbridled hospitality that we experienced behind. South Korea is a beautiful country with breathtaking scenery, but the true beauty lies in the spirit and generosity of the people we met. I was moved beyond words by the kindness and hospitality we experienced in South Korea, I hope that one day many of our new friends will visit and that we will have the opportunity to repay them. World Youth Day 2008 Diocesan Pilgrimage World Youth Day 2008 was held in beautiful Sydney, Australia. Despite the difficult location of this pilgrimage, the Diocese of Peterborough managed to send over a hundred pilgrims to attend this magnificent spiritual experience. This pilgrimage, lasting from July 2nd to the 27th, brought all those involved beyond Australia itself, right into South Korea, Singapore, and San Francisco as well. At about 3:00 a.m. on July 2nd, our diocesan group, still sleepy but excited nonetheless, boarded the buses which eventually took them to Pearson International Airport. But before leaving, His Excellency Bishop Nicholas De Angelis, staying up in the night with the young pilgrims before leaving, gave the group his blessing and words of encouragement. This pilgrimage was headed by two leaders, Fr. Norbert and Fr. Joseph Devereaux, who generously offered to assist Fr. Norbert on this trip. After arriving at the airport and checking with their group leaders, everyone boarded the plane for their first flight. The first stop was San Francisco, a city which the group would stay longer in on the inbound trip. After a short time there, the group boarded another plane to Seoul, South Korea. In South Korea, where we stayed for a week, we were treated with an itinerary full of visits to holy shrines and sites, historical monuments, and even a hope concert. All this was made possible through members of the Korean Martyrs Parish in Brighton, who initiated and facilitated this pre-WYD stop, and those of the Jeonju Diocese in South Korea, who were kind enough to host our group during this visit. Also, we all were given an interesting experience of a culture different from our own during this week long stay, experiencing everything from different food (Kimchi, anyone?) to different social manners and customs (such as bowing to each other as a greeting), to even mundane things such as different styles of toilets! For part of this visit, the entire group was housed with Korean host families, giving each pilgrim a first-hand experience of Korean daily life and its culture. A large portion of the pilgrimage sites focused on the martyrs of Korea, those who gave up their lives in order to bring the Catholic faith to the land of Korea. These visits served as examples to us all to imitate and reflect on what it means to be a faithful follower of Jesus Christ in our daily life. After waving good-by at Incheon Airport, we sadly departed from South Korea, hoping to see our Korean friends again. Eventually we landed in Sydney, Australia. Two things came to mind. One:that it was Australian winter there, meaning that unlike sweltering conditions back home and in Korea, we had to become accustomed to the much cooler condition of Australia, which is quite similar to Canadian fall. And second that Brendan Quigley and Frank Callaghan, two young men from our own diocese, have managed to survive their 50 day long bicycle journey across Australia in which they overcame the rugged and unforgiving Australian desert, physical difficulties, broken tires, and the sight of numerous dead kangaroos, and even was present to greet the pilgrims as they arrived at Sydney Airport. We boarded a bus and made our way to the diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, which served as our home for the Days in the Diocese. For Days in the Diocese, we participated in various events and activities organized by the Maitland-Newcastle Diocese such as tree planting, zoo visits, concerts, etc. During this time, we were also organized into home stays, hosted out of the homes of very generous parishioners. After the five day long event, we sadly waved good-by to our kind Australian parents and took a coach bus to begin our actual WYD pilgrimage to Sydney. Due to insufficient spots for home stays in Sydney, many pilgrims from all over the world had to sleep in other locations such as schools, church halls, stadiums, etc. Our diocesan group secured about six classrooms at Good Samaritan Catholic College, an hour and a half away from our catechesis site in the heart of Sydney. Despite sleeping on the floor, showering in portable showers, catching a few colds, and long traveling distances, we still kept good spirits with plenty of prayers, singing, and a good sense of humour. The opening Mass was celebrated by George Cardinal Pell, Archbishop of Sydney, which was attended by over 300,000 WYD pilgrims from all over the globe. During the next few days, we attended catechesis sessions in the morning, sessions which concluded in the celebration of Holy Mass, followed by lunch, and the rest of the day was free for our group to attend smaller events throughout the city such as lectures, concerts, discussions, movie showings, vocational panels, and plenty more. Of course, Pope Benedict XVI did make his way to Sydney as was expected. He first arrived via a boat cruise and spoke to the pilgrims assembled at Sydney Harbour. On the following Friday, he joined the pilgrims to view a re-enactment of the Stations of the Cross throughout famous sites in Sydney such as the Opera House, St. Mary’s Cathedral, and Sydney Harbour. One great highlight was the evening vigil with the pope, which took place at Randwick Racecourse. After participating in a 12 km hike across the city, pilgrims assembled at the racecourse and prepared for a brief prayer service with Pope Benedict. Soon after, many pilgrims braved the cold temperatures and some, but not all, even managed to sleep under the Southern Cross. The next morning saw the completion of WYD with Sunday Mass celebrated by the Holy Father with over 500,000 pilgrims and members of the general public. Near the conclusion he announced the location of the next World Youth Day (which I will reveal to you later!). The next morning we boarded the bus and made a long and grueling twelve hour bus ride to Brisbane, where we could have a chance to get some much needed rest and recreation and to allow the massive crowds to make their way out of Australia to avoid overcrowding the airports. After this long ride, in which we did stop halfway for a night at cottages, we arrived at All Saints Parish in Albany Creek, where the generous pastor and parishioners welcomed us into their homes for yet another blessed home stay. Throughout this time, the schedule was mostly free for each person and their families. Unfortunately, the time came to come back home. After thanking them for their generous hospitality and kindness, we sadly waved good-by to our Brisbane home stay families and traveled to Brisbane Airport. After an eight hour plane ride we landed in Singapore. Here, we were treated to a three hour bus tour of this beautiful city, being led by a talented, knowledgeable, and very funny tour guide. Shortly after we made our way back to the airport and survived a grueling 17 hour plane flight to San Francisco, where we spent the night and made another bus tour of this spectacular location. After attending Mass there, we boarded another plane and finally arrived back home in Toronto. After waiting a while, our rides to Peterborough came, and after a short drive on the 401 we arrived at the VEYO Centre to be greeted by our lovely families who were very anxious and happy to have us back home. In conclusion, this pilgrimage is one that I know I will never forget. Despite the many challenges and crosses, the light of Christ always shone through in the faith, celebration, and general good cheer of everyone who attended this event. It was very rewarding to see many young people from east to west, north to south, embrace the Catholic faith together. As I promised earlier, for the next World Youth Day in 2011, I hope you have a great time in Madrid, Spain! Adios, amigos!
Postings from During the Event: Day 1&2 Well we departed from Peterborough bright and early at 3:00am on the morning of Wednesday, June 2, 2008, after being sent off by our Bishop, who stayed up till the wee hours of the morning to see us off. After making it to the airport and checking in we all took a short break to nourish ourselves with food, prayer and a quick nap as waited for a plane to be ready. Our 6 hour plane ride from Toronto to San Francisco was rather uneventful. The most exciting moment likely being when Katie McGrath made some new friends on the airplane because they really liked her bright pink traveling pillow. After a 2.5 hour layover in S.F. we boarded our flight with Air Singapore for what would be our 2nd longest flight of the trip...12.5 hours to Seoul, South Korea. This gave us plenty of time to watch movies, play games and pray. Aswell as catch up on some much needed sleep. Upon arrival in Seoul, we were met by some very enthousiastic young Koreans who greeted us with 2 HUGE banners welcoming us to the Diocese of JeonJu. After meeting up with Fr. Norbert and our travel agent Patrick, who had taken earlier flights, we discovered...the bathrooms! Oh what a magical place. Their was a garden right in the middle and if a magical self-wrapping toilet seat, of which we are most definately not a customed to in Canada. We then boarded our coach buses, complete with Korean tourguides and disco lighting, Katie says it looks like it might be something out of WillyWonkas Chocolate Factory, perhaps we can re-decorate the VEYO bus to include such dynamic lighting and decor. We prayed the Rosary together just before driving across the singing highway and yes it really did sing. In fact it sang "Mary had a little lamb", not quite the song we were expecting but it was joyous non-the-less. I believe is worked as a result of some markings in the roads which made different noises as you drove over it. We are now safetly at our hotel where we spent the night. Today we will travel to Martyrs Mountain and many other religious shrines before meeting up with our Korean Host Families later tonight. Please continue to keep us in your prayers! God Bless, Well we have obviously been away from the computer for a while but here is our next update for WYD. Day 11 G'Day from the Land Down Under! We arrived safetly at the Sydney Airport early Thursday morning, however since we have yet to update you about South Korea we will do that first. During our week in the Dicoese of JeongJu, South Korea, we travelled to so many religious shrines and churches. We climbed Martyrs Mountain, where several of the first Korean martyrs are buried. We also ate several traditional Korean meals where we would sit cross-legged on the floor at low tables and eat with our chop sticks. The food consisted of sticky rice and then several side dishes, often pork or chicken, fish, seaweed, squid, and several other unidentifiable items. At one of these meals I came back from the washroom to find an entire fish -head and all, staring back at me on the table. The weather in South Korea was hot! Very very hot and humid. Also during the week, we visted a tradional Korean Village and learned about Korean music and culture. Overall we had an amazing experience in South Korea and look forward to repaying their hospitality when they can come and visit us in Peterborough. Before heading to the airport on Wednesday morning we travelled by bus to the DMZ (Demilitarized Zone). This is the border between North and South Korea. We had a tour and learned about the Korean war and the efforts to mend unity between the two Koreas. Now on to Australia. First off the weather is much cooler. About 15-20*C. We are currently in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle, in of all places, Toronto, NSW. It's a beautiful place right on the water. In the 2 days that we have been here so far we have seen whales, large ships, and kangaroos in the wild. Several of the Peterborough pilgrims have also ate Kangaroo...not something I think I'd like to try but you never know. We are staying with families yet again and are located in a parish with a large group of pilgrims from Norway. The trip thus far has been wonderful. We have met many amazing people and experienced many new things. We look forward to sharing more of our adventure with you later. Untill then we will keep praying for you all and ask you to do the same for us. Katie McGrath's Quite of the Day: "Strangest thing I've ever seen..." God Bless Krista Day 12 Hello again! It's a quite and cool day here in Toronto, Australia so we though we'd drop you all a line andtell you a bit more about our adventures in Australia. Today we had a parish picnic in Blackbutt Park, it is from what we gather a protected provincial park. Within the park is a wildlife exhibition where they have kangaroos, snakes,, wombats and koalas. Now these ones were enclosed in special areas but we were told that you can actually go in at a certain time and hold a koala! I'm going to try and do this when we go to the Sydney Zoo later next week. Yesterday however, Katie and I got the chance to see many many kangaroos in the wild. We drove about 20 minutes from where we were staying to this bush area near the lake and sure enough right by the road there was nearly 30 kangaroos. When we got out of the car they all came jumping over to us. They were pretty young ones, still smaller than Katie, and many had joey's in their pouches. As we drove on later we found some that were easily 6 ft tall. We didn't get to close cause we reckon' they could kick quite hard. Tomorrow is our last day here in the Lake Maquarie area before we leave for our 2 hour bus ride back to Sydney. Everyone is doing well and having loads of fun. FYI- for those who don't yet know, Brendan and Frank did arrive safetly in Sydney and are with us now...they just haven't had time to update the website yet! God Bless, Katie, Krista & the Kangaroos |
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