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Reflection after WYD

A Year Later...


   It's been exactly a year since the 17th World Youth Day in Toronto. I still enjoy reminiscing that week when thousands of Catholic youths gathered here in Toronto, my home! It was definitely an experience of a lifetime!

   The first four days (Tuesday-Friday) were filled with many events at Exhibition place. The most memorable was definitely the Asian Festival with performances by people from different parts of Asia. It was definitely cool meeting all the pretty girls from Japan and Korea! ;) Then on Friday, we had a concert of different Chinese groups at Mel Lastman square. I was part of a singing group representing the Toronto Chinese church. At night, there was the stations of the cross. It was definitely a sight watching tens of thousands of people crowding on University Avenue in the downtown core of Toronto.


   Saturday was the hike from Finch Station to Downsview Park. It was a challenge to remain cool on that hot and humid day. When we got there, it was then that we realized just how many people are here in Toronto! Everyone waited patiently under the sun. At sunset, the buzz from his helicopter was heard. The Pope was here! His Popemobile slowly drove by the section where we were staying. I was ecstatic to see the Vicar of Christ...so close! He was literally within a few meters from where I was standing.

   We then had a beautiful vigil with the Pope. It was to be continued on the following day when the WYD event came to its climax: the Papal mass. That night, we stayed up until around 2:00pm, walking around, meeting people from different parts of the world. It was as if we were one big family. And it is true, we are one big family in Christ! Finally, we went to sleep, alongside 600,000 others, underneath the stars...


   At 5:45am, God gave us a morning call by sending down droplets of rain. These droplets became bigger and soon after, we were all awake. Fortunately, it stopped after a while and I went back to sleep, although a little wet and a bit cold. Then the rain came again, more this time. It got heavier and heavier and continued to pour down on us as the Papal mass began. It was sort of a disappointment to me at the time, to receive such bad weather. Two girls from our group decided it was too much for them and left early for home. As I thought to myself that things couldn't get any worse, it appeared that it could. Wind started blowing fiercely as the rain pounded on our cold bodies. The nearest TV screen got blown out and one of the floating lights was ripped from its stand. It ascended to the heavens like a helium balloon. And then I realized, as I noticed a small patch of blue in the sky. I asked the two girls who were leaving to stay for another 20 minutes. Ten o'clock, I said, if it was still raining by that time, they can leave. Unfortunately, they didn't stay to see the awesome miracle unfold. Bit by bit, the clouds moved away and before the mass was over, not a single cloud was to be seen.

   With the warmth of the sun beating down on us, drying our clothes, we listened to the homily of the Pope. His speech was unusually clear that day. His words of encouragement and affirmation brought tears to my eyes as I listened attentively. The 800,000 present at the mass then received the greatest gift from God: the Eucharist. After the mass had ended, the participants slowly trickled out of the park.

   On Monday morning, I returned to my normal lifestyle, waking up in the morning and taking the TTC subway to school. There were still many people who wore the WYD backpacks and TTC passes. I was already missing the experience of singing in the subway cars, talking to people I have never met before, loudly proclaiming my faith with others.

   Without a doubt, I knew I was going to be in Cologne, Germany in 2005.

At the Time...

The following was an email I wrote briefly after WYD. Enjoy!

   For those of you who were at Downsview today and on friday at the SNS concert, you will probably agree with me that there's no doubt God is on our side with the weather. On friday, the SNS concert was scheduled to start at 3:00pm. At 2:45, rain was still pouring down. However, shortly after, the skies cleared up and the sun even came out to shine brightly on the packed Mel Lastman square. Shortly before the program ended at 5:45, rain started again. It was as if God paused the rain for 3 hours so that the concert could take place!

   Again, at 5:45am today while still sleeping among 500,000 others, I was awakened by a sudden downpouring! The rain stopped at around 6:30 and I managed to get another hour or so of sleep. Then, as the mass drew closer, rain started again and had only gotten worse just before mass started. Suddenly, there was a great wind which blew out the TV screen closest to me. Even the wires of one of the light "balloons" snapped and most of us saw the balloon float up towards the heavens. The wind continued to be blow fiercely and then to the west I saw clear skies. At that moment, I knew the wind was there for a reason; it was there to blow away the clouds. And soon after, at around 9:55, the rain had stopped completely. By 10:30, no rain clouds were to be seen!


   To me, God used the rain to tell us two things. First, He showed the world the courage and dedication of the world youths. We were there whether it was rain or shine. 800,000 of us were there to profess our faith, to tell the world that the Catholic Church is far from asleep! Second, God used it to demonstrate His oneness with the Catholic Church and His omnipotence. I think most people would have expected the rain to last all day at 9:30. Who would have guessed that the skies would be completely clear by 10:30?! But as Matthew says (19:26), "with God all things are possible!"

   The following was what I thought to be the highlight of the pope's homily today at the papal mass. There was no way to hold back my tears as the pope spoke these words, and I thank the Holy Spirit for touching my heart! His call for love of the Church reminds me of the many dissents in it. If you love Jesus, embrace His church's teachings. Embrace chastity, respect life, and understand these teachings! Do not doubt the pope or the Church, for God has given it infallibility, the inability to err in her teachings!

Venisa took this picture of the Pope

   "Even a tiny flame lifts the heavy lid of night. How much more light will you make, all together, if you bond as one in the communion of the church! If you love Jesus, love the church! Do not be discouraged by the sins and fallings of some of her members. The harm done by some priests and religious to the young and vulnerable fills us all with a deep sense of sadness and shame. But think of the vast majority of dedicated and generous priests and religious whose only wish is to serve and do good! There are many priests, seminarians and consecrated persons here today; be close to them and support them! And if, in the depths of your hearts, you feel the same call to the priesthood or consecrated life, do not be afraid to follow Christ on the royal road of the cross! At difficult moments in the church's life, the pursuit of holiness becomes even more urgent. And holiness is not a question of age: It is a matter of living in the Holy Spirit, just as Kateri Tekakwitha and so many other young people have done.

   You are young and the Pope is old and a bit tired. But he still fully identifies with your hopes and aspirations. Although I have lived through much darkness, under harsh totalitarian regimes, I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of the young."

My Thoughts

   The biggest enlightenment of the WYD experience for me was seeing the liveliness of the Catholic faith. In the secular society that we live in, we are often afraid of speaking about religion. Religion is a part of our lives that we often hide from others. But it was totally different this time.


   I took four days off from school to participate in this event. I wore my wooden cross and carried my red backpack with pride. I sang with enthusiasm in the subway. This was the way I wanted to live out my faith. And it is the only way you can evangelize others. Who would ever want to be part of a faith that is boring and dull. It was our turn to show the world that Catholicism is more than just following the Ten Commandments. The faith brings us joy! It is exciting to be a Catholic!

   Just as importantly, I realized the solidarity in the Church. As St. Paul said, we are the body of Christ. We are in fellowship with God as his Church. At the awesome sight of 800,000 other people, I was convinced!

   If we continue to live out the spirit of WYD in our daily lives, who wouldn't want to be a Catholic?

Posted: July 26, 2003

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