Today, we returned to the small town of Pulheim for our second catechetical session. This morning’s catechist was Cardinal Francis Arinze from the Vatican, by way of Nigeria. Scott Miller from the Archdiocese of Baltimore served as the animator. Cardinal Arinze spoke about objective and moral relativism in today’s culture.

This evening we concluded with the Way of the Cross. We started in a small church with a choir chanting a refrain through each station. When we came to the twelfth station when Jesus dies, we processed out of the church with a cross through the streets of Cologne to another church. It was a simple beautiful evening.

There were a few truly inspiring moments that our pilgrims shared in which they felt they saw God during this 7th day of the World Youth Pilgrimage.

• One of our pilgrims was reunited with a college friend which was much like finding a needle in a haystack. She was reunited because “someone saw someone” from Baltimore and passed on the information.
• The experience of having priests from various countries all con-celebrating Mass at the Catechetical session, was identified by one pilgrim as a true vision of the Holy Spirit.
• Two of our pilgrims, Sammy and Drew, shared their experience of feeling supported as they shared their musical talent before hundreds of youth.
• Two of our pilgrims identified God’s grace in the music played at the Mother Theresa exhibit – songs that they have sung at Masses at home, and were energized by this taste of home.
• This World Youth Day experience has provided various opportunities to understand our church in a new way. Today was no different as pilgrims continue to challenge their understanding of boundaries and the universal church.

Tonight, we pack for our vigil hike to Marienfeld, and tomorrow we start early for our hike. We are looking forward to the experience and the bonding time that the vigil will allow, and ask for you to continue to pray for our pilgrims.

Lauren Presti

Five years ago, I journeyed to my first World Youth Day in Rome. I was taken back and the overall beauty ad intensity of the entire celebration of faith. Just as that first experience, Germany has been unforgettable thus far and my general impression is one of awe. I am once again in awe of the complexity and organization of this huge event. I am in awe of the citizens of Germany who have allowed at least a million pilgrims to invade their home. Most of all, I am in awe of the number of youth and young adults who have given themselves so freely to God and who will travel tomorrow in Pilgrimage together.

As I travel through the streets of Germany tomorrow, I will carry this faith shown to me by youth from around the globe. I will carry the faces of my new friends from Italy, Ghana, the Czech Republic etc. I will carry the courage and faith praised in mass and practiced in our day to day interactions. I will walk in awe and continue to share in love with peers from all over the world.

Mauricio Gomez Parra

La catequesis de hoy fue a las 10 a.m. en la iglesia de San. Jose en el pueblo de Rodenkirchen a veinticinco minutos al sur de Colonia. Estuvimos con gente de Colombia, Espana, Mexico y Paraguay. La misa fue en espanol y fue celebrada por el arzobispo Agustin Garcia Vasco de Valencia, Espana. El Arzobispo hablo sobre la juventud en latinoamerica que vino a adorar a Dios.

Todos los jovenes cantaban con mucho fervor a la hora de la misa y el altar fue adornado con banderas de los paises presentes. Despues de la misa visitamos el pueblo de Inmender con el parroco de la Iglesia de San. Juan y luego regresamos a Colonia para el viacrusis.

English translation of above:

[Today we went to the Catechetical Session in Spanish at St. Joseph’s Church in a small town called Rodenkirchen which is about 25 minutes south of Cologne. We met people from Colombia, Spain, Mexico and Paraguay. Agustin Garcia Vasco, bishop of Valencia, Spain celebrated mass and talked about the Latin American pilgrims that came to Germany to worship God.

Everybody was singing with lots of joy at the mass and the altar was adorned with the flags of the countries that were present. After mass we got a tour of Inmender, a town by St. Joseph’s. When we got back to Cologne we got ready for the stations of the cross.]

Becca Purnell

We began today with a beautiful catechetical session with Cardinal Arinze. It was truly amazing. Today was also the Pope’s first full day in Cologne. His presence here is felt everywhere. It seemed that everywhere I went I heard people chanting “Benedicto” or Bene-D.” With the arrival of Benedict XIV the spiritual journey now seems to be in full force for everyone!

Caitlin Katrinic

What a wonderful opportunity these catechetical sessions have been for all us pilgrims. Yesterdays in depth look at the Eucharist and today’s general overlook of the entire Catholic faith were a good contrast and I feel my understanding is much better. I feel stronger! Just like how the celebration of Mass is in two parts, our lives consist of two parts: one is a close personal relationship with God, one of receiving and worshiping him. The other is between ourselves and other people who we are serve and help. It is only by God’s willingness to fill the God-shaped void in our hearts through the Eucharist that we can be true pilgrims and make our lives worth living.

Brian Bauer

Today Cardinal Arinze spoke at our Catechetical session and celebrated Mass with us. His words were really powerful and left what I think will be an everlasting impression in my mind. He spoke to us, the youth present, about living a Catholic life, experiencing what the power of Jesus in our daily lives can be, and what young Catholics looking to start a family should think about. He seems to have this way about him that reminds me of Pope John Paul II in regards to the young Catholic Church, and the world. He also echoes JPII in his vision of justice. He told us today that he feels that in order to achieve peace, we as a society need to examine the morality and justice of war, genocide and murder, and work to find ways to eradicate these problems in society! Cardinal Arinze said that we need to focus more on the justice of feeding starving children from around the world. In all I think that he is a man of peace, justice and most importantly youth – the future of the Church and the world!

Meghan Fahey

Today a portion of the Archdiocesan delegation had a particularly unique experience of praying the Way of the Cross. While pilgrims all over Cologne gathered in Churches to pray the Stations, a group of about 20 of us gathered in the ballroom in the Dorint Congress Hotel to pray with Fr. Chuck. We followed the same simple readings in the program book that all other pilgrims were using, and it was inspiring as I looked around and noticed that not only was I sharing my book with Brandon, but almost every other person in our group was also sharing.

The sight of this group in peaceful harmony made me think of those small groups of Christians who don’t have enough materials like Bibles. The thought of how those people managed to literally keep the faith alive in groups like ours made me realize just how lucky we are to able to have prayer and religion freely. I felt connected to our group in a sense of harmony that was a blessing within so much chaos!! It was a great experience which allowed us to pause in prayer with God.

Richard Zak

For the last few days I have been wearing a Romanian flag that was given to me by a group of Romanians. Many have been curious about it, but so far only three have and correctly identified it. It has been a great conversation starter. With these two pilgrims I have been able to articulate what flag it is by saying “Verbose reomaneste” and communicating hello by saying “Buna dimineata”. It was a great way to practice the two languages, and make two new friends – Fey and Josef. It is amazing that people with such different experiences and cultural realities can have a sense to togetherness, which has been my overall experience here at Witjungentag (World Youth Day in German!)