Greetings everyone! Whether you are a fellow young adult, a supporter of our world youth day trip, family, friends, or just a curios observer, thank you! Thank you for reading our World Youth Day blog and for all your prayers. All of us look forward to telling you about our pilgrimage as its happening. Here’s the basics:
Who:
Seven young adults from Rochester, MN are traveling. Some of us have been to a World Youth Day before (Dana Petricka, Jen Winkler, Beau Gazely, and Zach Rawson). Half of us work at Mayo (Jenny Helms, Jen Winkler, Suzanne Rawson). Two are youth ministers at Pax Christi (Dana Petricka, Zach Rawson). Two are nurses (Jenny Helms, Suzanne Rawson). Two are married (Zach and Suzanne Rawson), and have the two most adorable girls. One is a teacher in St. Charles (Eric Klein). Together, we volunteer as St. James Coffee House baristas and board members, Confirmation catechists, faith formation teachers, Extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion at church and the hospital, and so much more. We are a part of a larger group of 27 people from the diocese of Winona.
What:
World Youth Day was started by Pope St. John Paul II in 1986. Since then it has been held every 2-3 years at various locations around the World. It is a gathering of young people around the world to come witness to the universal church.
Where:
Krakow, Poland is best know as the place that St. Pope John Paul II was bishop. Not only will we be attending World Youth Day in Krakow but we have a pre-trip where we will go such sites as the Shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima, JPII’s childhood home, and Auschwitz.
When:
We leave July 20th and will return August 2nd. World Youth Day is July 26th-July 31st.
Why:
Everyone one of us is going for a different reason. Of course the opportunity to see the place where JPII was born and lived will be great. But this is a pilgrimage which means journey. I am looking forward to taking all of you with me in my heart during this pilgrimage. I have my own prayer intentions but I am I praying for you as well. I know God has something to reveal to me on this pilgrimage as I know he does for everyone of us. We look forward to sharing it all with you.