Menu


How WYD changed my life
Denver, Madrid, Manila, Paris, Rome and other cities of the five continents have hosted one of the most crowded catholic event in the world, the World Youth Day.






Denver, Madrid, Manila, Paris, Rome... and so on until other twenty-five cities of the five continents that, in his day, hosted one of the most crowded of world events: the World Youth Day (WYD). It is now the turn of the Polish city of Krakow, where lived san John Paul II. Thanks to this meeting, many have taken a turn to his life. The WYD marked a before and after that some of its protagonists do not hesitate to remember for Mission.

Madrid 2011
"To me led me deceived," says blunt but with a smile Elena, a young woman of 21 years and a law student. Elena thus recalls its passage by the WYD in Madrid in August 2011, thanks to which ended "doing the catechesis of confirmation and of the Neocatechumenal Way". "I will never forget the night of the Saturday Vigil at the Four Winds aerodrome, where took place the meeting with Benedict XVI," says. Elena remembers: "I was a person who passed all; had lost the faith years before, but a friend of mine of the Militia of Santa Maria invited me to the WYD with the argument that it was a meeting of young people that was very well". Thus, only a month before, Elena decided to attend.
"The Night of Four Winds went to the bathroom and then did not know how to return to the site. Suddenly, began to fall the 'universal flood' and I regarded next to a nun", tells the young man. "While we waited to complete raining, told me how he had discovered their vocation, how the called the Lord". And, in this way, while I listened to the history of the religious, Elena wondered "why, in spite of the rain that fell, nobody moved…, all wanted to keep there. And thanks to all this, I started to reform my faith," says. "It was a before and after in my life. I started to go to Mass on Sundays with my friend of the Militia and I talked with one of the priests to make the confirmation catechesis for adults", Elena says.


Cologne 2005
The history of Gema and Joseph, Madrid, is different: decided to marry on the way to Spain, after participating in the WYD in Cologne in 2005. "At the turn of the mass of the Pope, we passed by the French city of Orleans and there, I decided to ask marriage", remember him in a recent pilgrimage to Rome. "I bought the ring a few days before the start of the pilgrimage in bus and, in the end, I asked you about this in the most unsuspected, and perhaps less suitable, but was 'now or never': under a bridge," recalls between laughs.
"I do not i imagined nothing; I went on pilgrimage and not i hoped that they would change the lives", confesses Gem Mission. "It was in an industrial zone, with a goods train from fund, while we a walk," explained José laughing. "When I asked, she said to me: ' Don't you are going to get down on our knees?'"; then, I got down on his knees and she told me that yes. "I was very surprised. I went to meet with the Pope and I met my future husband", aims Gem, who, along with Jose, has already had three daughters.

Rome 2000
WYD in Rome, in 2000, brought to Juan Ignacio, 31 years old, who has just been ordained a priest, just a few weeks ago, in the cathedral of Madrid. "My vocation was born of small with eight years, but the 'tape' in adolescence. However, with thirteen years, I feel listening to the Holy Father say that he had no fear", reveals the young man. "He felt, in these days of pilgrimage, that God called me to be for him…," explains
Juan Ignacio continued with its normal life and participated in other WYD, as in Toronto or Cologne. "was already in the university, and did not want to feel again the call because it changed my plans and thought that being a priest would not be happy". "Always returned to Madrid with sadness because I felt the Lord called me, but could not respond," says. "Two years after the WYD in Cologne, I asked the Lord what he wanted me and I was a time discerning. I felt empty despite having girlfriend, studies, work, money, friends... Was not happy, something did not fit".
And finally, decided to respond to the call of God. Now ensures that it is "fully happy", and no doubt in saying that "these meetings are a propitious time to make a stop in dry, keep silent and to listen to what you want God to one".
"Observe the beauty of the human vocation by marriage, for the priesthood or the religious life. Leave everything, pilgrimage, live with young Christians, listen to the Pope… are aid which make you feel called to the radicalness of the call of Christ to follow, and that are defined after, in one way or another. In my case, these signals have resulted from a great help to see the faithfulness of God", concludes the newly ordained a priest.

This year WYD 2016 will take place at Krakow from July 25th to July 31st. You can sign up at www.deleju.org



 

Translated by catholic.net








Share on Google+
Maybe you are interested





Inappropriate ads? |

Another one window

Hello!