A Pilgrim's Passage

Sharing faith, fun and friendship at World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne

By Shawna Fernandes
February 2006

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In 2002 I took part in World Youth Day as a volunteer. During that week, youth from all corners of the globe were here in Toronto. It was an incredible experience to be among hundreds of thousands of young people who were unafraid to show their love for God. I was overcome with a desire to be part of the next World Youth Day taking place in Germany.

Without hesitation I stepped forward when my parish priest asked if the youth in our church would like to participate in the pilgrimage to Cologne. When I told others that I was planning to be part of this pilgrimage they were very excited and supportive. My parish, friends and family gave their financial support. I am grateful not only for their generosity, but also because they stood behind me and showed interest. It seemed as though they all wished they were going on this pilgrimage.

I attended several meetings hosted by the Archdiocese of Toronto informing us of what to expect, how and what to pack, and giving us spiritual preparation to help us open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit. Since I was the only one going from my parish, I was glad to meet other youth and get to know them a little. There were 300 going from the Archdiocesan Office of Catholic Youth, and 21 pilgrims in my group.

On August 12, I set foot on German soil. We arrived five days before the official World Youth day activities were to begin. Even though we had travelled all night and were tired, we were anxious to see what Cologne had to offer in all of its wet and shining glory. The rains that fell in drizzles and downpours throughout much of our trip did not dampen our spirits.

Our first sightseeing tour was a five-minute walk to the heart of the city, to the Dom, a cathedral that holds the relics of the Magi. I found it hard to imagine the hard and long labour that went into creating this grand piece of history and worship, massive in size, with spectacular architecture and works of art. After a quick tour, we were off to see more sights such as the main train station and the shopping district.

When all the pilgrims finally arrived from other countries, the city reminded me of what I saw and felt at World Youth Day in Toronto – an anthill in chaos with masses of people going here, there and everywhere. With the energy and excitement coming from both the pilgrims and the local people, you were taken away with the spirit of good times and joy shared by everyone.

During the week we went to catechesis for teachings about the Eucharist (one of the main themes of World Youth Day 2005). We saw the German President and the Bishop and Archbishop of Cologne at an opening mass. And we visited the Chocolate Museum and the city of Aachen, which borders on three countries, to experience a little more of the German culture.

On Saturday we made our pilgrimage to the vigil in Marienfeld, a former mining area southwest of Cologne. The crowd was quiet and yet brimming with energy and hope in anticipation of what the new Pope would tell us. As dusk approached, we lit candles from a flame that came from the Holy Land. Soon the Holy Father addressed the pilgrims. He told us to follow in the footsteps of the Magi and find the King, and to serve others for the sake of serving them and not for the sake of ourselves. He asked us to help him change the world.

The Saturday night vigil was cold, but Sunday morning was sunny and full of hope. In his homily at the closing mass, Pope Benedict continued to talk of change and the need for love to triumph over evil. He told us the Hebrew word for Eucharist: "beracha", which means "thanksgiving, praise, blessing, and a transformation worked by the Lord." The Pope asked us to make the Eucharist the centre of our lives for it will release the joy that we need in order to live and to be mindful of God. He explained that adoration of the Eucharist can liberate us deep within. He also added "that the young people have great aspiration, that you should pledge yourselves to build a better world...through your love above all, and the world will be able to discover the star that we follow as believers."

After the mass and the powerful message that the Holy Father left with us, we made our way back to the hostel. It was a difficult journey. I walked with three friends to our transportation spot – a 12 kilometre walk through the forest near Cologne. We had no map and relied on the help of others, sometimes thinking that we were going the wrong way, however we made it back safely.

The few days following the final mass, the city was quiet and we used the time to slow down and prepare for our trip home. For me, this World Youth Day was a time of blessing and peace. And it was a time to experience the excitement of my faith. The Holy Spirit had graced me with hope and confirmation: hope that I will be able to take part in the next World Youth Day and confirmation that I am following in the footsteps of Jesus.

Shawna Fernandes is completing her second year at George Brown College in Toronto where she is taking Culinary Management Studies. She plans to return next year to take additional courses in this field. She is also planning to attend the next World Youth Day in Australia and will be assisting her parish priest, Fr. Michael Hughes at St. Dunstan's parish in Toronto, in efforts to get more participants from the parish to attend.

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