Pope John Paul II Declared "Venerable"

Pope John Paul II, who began the World Youth Days for the youth of the world, on Saturday 19 December 2009 was declared to have a life of heroic virtue by Pope Benedict XVI. This signed decree gives him the title "Venerable" and moves the late Holy Father one step closer to Sainthood.

In order for beatification, which is the next step, the Pope has to sign a second decree recognizing a miracle attributed to his intercession. The miracle being studied involves a French nun who was cured of Parkinson's disease, which is what Pope John Paul II suffered with in his lifetime. Although there is speculation as to when the beatification of JPII will take place, nothing has been officially announced.

The final step towards his Sainthood, would include a second miracle approved by the investigation team and ultimately by Pope Benedict. Normally, the investigation process would not be opened for five years after the death of the individual. However, the Holy Father made an exception for the late Pontiff a month after his death. Since then, the Vatican has processed his case in record time.

WYD Registration to Open June 2010

World Youth Day registration will open online on 1 June 2010. The various options will be announced within a few days before the registration opens.

Blessing of the WYD 2011 Headquarters

Cardinal Archbishop Antonio Maria Rouco Varela conducted a blessing of the units that will now be the headquarters for WYD 2011. The ceremony took place at St. John of the Cross parish in Madrid on Friday, October 23, 2009.

Cardinal Ruoco told the youth gathered there, "Today begins the race towards WYD, an extraordinary event in which we will be able to experience the universality of the Church, in union with the Pope... with more than a thousand bishops from all over the world, thousands of priests, consecrated men and women, parents, boys and girls, and especially many young people from all over the world."

To those present, Cardinal Ruoco encouraged them to carry out their tasks with the dedication of St. Paul and to bear difficulties and crosses with joy in order to achieve the goal.

Source: http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/

WYD Cross starts it's world-wide pilgrimage

Today marked the pilgrimage of the WYD cross around the word in preparation for Madrid 2011. An sms/text message was sent throughout Madrid Spain reading:

"TODAY feast of the Exaltation of the HOLY CROSS.
VIGIL of PRAYER CATHEDRAL of ALMUDENA 20:00. BEGIN the PILGRIMAGE of the CROSS in MADRID and SPAIN...."

It is known as the "Holy Year Cross", the "Jubilee Cross", the "WYD Cross", the "Pilgrim Cross".  Many call it the "Youth Cross" as it was given to young people to take around the world to any place at any time. The Holy Father said this about the cross:

"My dear young people, at the conclusion of the Holy Year, I entrust to you the sign of this Jubilee Year: the Cross of Christ! Carry it throughout the world as a symbol of Christ's love for humanity, and announce to everyone that only in the death and resurrection of Christ can we find salvation and redemption" -- (Rome, 22nd April 1984).

READ HISTORY OF WYD CROSS on VATICAN WEBSITE

The vigil was at the Cathedral of La Almudena in Madrid.  It was standing room only at the Cathedral with an approximate 5,000 youth and families. Madrid's Cardinal Rouco presided over the event and was accompanied by over 30 other clergy.  It was a moving evening that ended with the WYD Cross and Icon being processed thru the streets of Madrid accompanied with a sea of tourches held by local youth. This marks the beginning of what will be a world-wide tour. 

* excerpts taken from Vatican website: click here to visit original source

Director of Communications Chosen

The founder of Rome Reports and professor at the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in Rome, Santiago de la Cierva, has been chosen to be the Director of Communications for WYD 2011.

During an interview with Xt3.com, Mr. Cierva stated that they will be greatly utilizing the internet and social networks for WYD in Madrid. New technologies will also include convenience in registering online, ability to find and communicate with other young people, ability to learn hymns before attending WYD, etc...

Mr. Cierva stated that their main objective for communication is to do "their work so that what is done is a reflection of the identity of the institution." Another aspect that the WYD committee is working on is minimizing the comfort level so that pilgrims can come to seek true happiness from the Gospel without luxury barriers.

Patron Saint of World Youth Day 2011?

Spain will soon have their beloved young "Beato Rafael" canonized a Saint, making him a likely Patron for World Youth Day Madrid 2011.

“God Alone!” was the motto of this 20th century witness to our faith. Bl. Rafael was an amiable, artistic, and intelligent youth born into an aristocratic family of Burgos, Spain, in 1911. After his studies and a time drafted into military service, at age 23, he entered a Cistercian monastery. Only four months later he had to leave for medical reasons. He spent the last four years of his life between the monastery and the homes of family, until at last he passed into eternal life on April 26, 1938, at age 27.

Visit the Cistercian Monastery Website

His few writings express the depth of his relationship with the Lord, and his countenance showed those around him his great surrender to God’s will through all the trials, frustrations, and would be disappointments of his life’s journey. He knew God as a companion and “his one desire was to love: love Jesus, love Mary, love the cross, love his trappist monastery.”

Pope John Paul II named Brother Rafael as a model of Christian life for the youth at World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela in 1989. He was beatified in 1992, and now with a second miracle attributed to his intercession he is set to be canonized this October!

In Bl. Rafael’s own words:

“God, for me, is everything; he is in everything and I see him in everything. How useless it is to busy oneself with that which is not God. … Lord, my God! What but you could hold any interest for me? What am I that I should be looking at myself so much? You alone should occupy my life; you alone should fill my heart; you alone should concern me.

God is the reason for living, the reason for existing. God should impregnate even the air we breathe, the light that illumines us. God is the beginning, the centre, and the end of all things… God is in everything: in choir, in the fields, in work, when we eat and when we sleep. It is all one, for all is a reminder of why we came to the monastery, which is to seek him in austerity, in silence, in the church, in the garden, inside as well as outside of ourselves.

We should be persuaded that God is with us at every moment. Let us put aside impressions that deceive our senses, cast away from ourselves the self-centredness that does us so much harm, and let us throw ourselves into the arms of God as we are, with our weaknesses and virtues, sins and miseries. Let us entrust our souls to him, in joy or in sadness. If we truly do this and succeed in giving our lives totally to him and make him the All of our lives, we shall have achieved true peace of heart, and we shall be closer to heaven than to earth.”

Visit the Monastery Website

Blessed Rafael, pray for us!

Sources
http://www.ocso.org/HTM/net/straf-en.htm
http://cistercianvocation.wordpress.com/2008/04/26/blessed-rafael-god-alone/

Start of Pilgrimage for WYD Cross and Icon

September 14, 2009, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, the pilgrimage of the WYD cross and icon in the Archdiocese of Madrid will begin.

The prayer vigil will be held in the Almudena Cathedral at 8:00pm. From then, until March 2010, the Cross and Icon will journey to the parishes in the Archdiocese of Madrid, in preparation for WYD.

The pilgrimage will continue with visits to Soto del Real Prison, the "Juvenalia" Youth Fair, and Javier in Navarre, the birthplace of St. Francis Xavier. The Diocese of Alcala de Henares, Diocese of Getafe, the Military Archdiocese of Spain, and dioceses along the way of the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) will also be participating.

from Agenzia Fides, http://www.fides.org/

WYD 2011 Logo chosen!

It's official. The logo has been chosen for WYD Madrid 2011.

"It depicts the youth of the world coming together to celebrate their faith with the Pope, at the foot of the Cross and forming a crown of the Virgin of Almudena (patroness of Madrid).

After reviewing all the submitted possibilities, the official WYD 2011 logo has been chosen. Jose Gil-Nogues, a graphic designe working in Madrid and Oviedo Spain, created the logo according to the stipulations presented by the committee.

The crown shows an M for Mary, and also Madrid. The Cross, the sign of the Christian, presides at this meeting of the Pope with the youth."

Red, orange and yellow were used to show the warmth of Madrid and the Spanish culture. The colors were also chosen to reflect the warmth of God's love.

* Excepts from Ci News, http://www.cinews.ie/

Preliminary Sites for WYD 2011

In a press conference held at the Archdiocese of Madrid offices, some preliminary venue sites were announced by WYD Director of Communications, Santiago de la Cierva, and Auxiliary Bishop Cesar Franco.

Sites that will host a large number of WYD events include Alcala, Gran Via, Puerta del Sol, Almudena Cathedral and Paseo de la Castellana.

Plaza de Cibeles will be the location of the opening mass, celebrated by Cardinal Antonio Maria Rouco Varela.

Seminarians will also have a special encounter opportunity that will take place at the Seminary of Madrid.

The height of WYD, the final Mass, will be hosted at Cuatro Vientos Air Base at 9:30am on August 21, 2011. This will all be the location for the Vigil with the Holy Father.

from Agenzia Fides, http://www.fides.org/

Australia hands-off the WYD Cross and Icon to Madrid youth

Pope Benedict XVI addresses the Spanish pilgrims as they gather to receive the WYD cross from the Australians. He reminds them that World Youth Day is an opportunity to experience our belonging in the Church. He encouraged the youth to fully live the World Youth Day, doing all that is possible that they may feel a part of the Church, praying together and opening the doors of parishes, associations, and movements so that everyone may feel at home and to attract many young people that seek the meaning of life!

Hope in the WYD themes

A new youth director has been appointed for the PCL. He references the importance of hope in the World Youth Day themes.