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DAUGHTERS OF ST. PAUL FACILITATE
As you know, four Daughters of St. Paul--the vocation team: Sr. Carmen Christi, Sr. Margaret Michael, Sr. Rebecca Marie and Sr. Helena Raphael attended World Youth Day 2000 in Rome this August. (Two other Daughters, Sr. Candelaria and Sr. Michelle Paschal accompanied youth groups from Guam and Boston, while Sr. Barbara and Sr. Anne Joan have been in Rome for the whole Jubilee Year, working at St. Mary Major's greeting pilgrims and working on the official Jubilee website!)
We four were assigned to the Basilica Santa Maria degli Angeli, and had over 3 ,000 English-speaking youth from all over the world with us for three days prior to the actual World Youth Day. (We had new groups of youth each day!)
During these three days--along with Sisters from various congregations--we organized praise and worship, catechesis, liturgy, eucharistic adoration, confession, lectio divina, rosary, small group sharing, question-and-answer sessions with various bishops, etc., for the youth. Sr. Margaret Michael was the emcee and animated the catechesis, Sr. Helena Raphael was the music director (we sang some great songs like: Shout to the Lord, Shine Jesus Shine, We Are One Body, Days of Elijah, Awesome God, etc.), Sr. Rebecca Marie and Sr. Carmen Christi were choir members and roving photographers/videographers.
One of their favorite events was their question-and-answer sessions with Cardinal Keeler, Cardinal Law, and the new Archbishop Murphy-O'Connor of Westminster.
The experience was so powerful for the youth and for us. Many went back to confession after many years, and onlookers and tourists to the basilica were amazed at the enthusiasm and devotion of the youth singing and praising God with all their might. They didn't even want to go to lunch! After the three days were finished, young people were still returning to the basilica for more. "Where are the Sisters?" they were asking. When they were told the animation days were over they said: "But this is our basilica and we want to keep praying and singing!" Many youth told us they had never experienced anything like this and wanted to bring the spirit of faith and unity back to their own parishes. What kept coming up was: "I didn't know there were so many other Catholic young people who believe what I believe." One young woman said: "You keep hearing that the Church is universal, but you don't get it until you see this!" It's obvious that our Holy Father is not waiting for the UN to create solidarity among the nations of the world: it is being created by young people coming together sharing their faith! One of the many highpoints of the catechetical sessions was a sharing by Sudanese youth, which gave Cardinal Keeler a chance to speak about those being persecuted for their faith and the martyrdom that Christians experience in every age.
World Youth Day itself was truly amazing. There is so much to say about it that it's hard to know where to begin! Suffice it to say that all of us "adults" were witnessed to by the youth who walked for miles (in 108 degree weather), sang and prayed all night, and wouldn't let the Holy Father leave because they kept chanting at him! You never really understand the rapport that "Giovanni Paolo" has with young people--how they understand him and visa-versa--until you're there in person to feel it! Many people cannot fathom why over 2 million young people would put themselves through the hardships of World Youth Day (veterans of WYD's know what I'm talking about!) to be with an aging pontiff (who some think is ready for retirement!!!). One young woman who was asked why she came put it so simply: "I came because he invited me." (Translate: "He cares.")
When the Pope was asked why he is so fond of young people and addresses them so often, he said very simply: "Because they listen." "Young people of every continent! Do not be afraid to be the saints of the new millennium!" Pope John Paul II --World Youth Day 2000
The all-nun band!
Sr. Barbara has also been in Rome for the whole Jubilee Year, as part of the presence of the Daughters of St. Paul outside of major Roman basilicas, greeting pilgrims and providing them with information, bibles, and assistance. She has been at St. Mary Major's greeting pilgrims.
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