After commuting ourselves around Madrid and arriving in the town of Cuatro Vientos, we were immediately blown away as we could see over 1.5 million pilgrims from around the world waving their flags in excitement for the Pope’s vigil that night. At first we experienced a bit of a shock and feared walking any closer to the massive number of people but then we remembered that we were just as excited to represent our own state and country and to see the Pope give his final blessing.

At first it was slightly foggy and you could see hazes of dust above all of the flags and people chanting. Our paper credentials said that we were supposed to sit in section E7, but it was so packed with people who had already set up their tents and sleeping bags out that we ended up having to go all the way to section F6 for the night. Some groups were able to have representatives of each individual group go up to the front section, A6, to see the vigil up close. Myself, and two other students from our Brophy delegation had that opportunity and it was simply amazing to be right up front by Pope Benedict XVI, himself.

As soon as the vigil began, it began to get very cloudy and windy. Ironically enough, as the Pope began to mention how hot it was and how proud he was of all the pilgrims for being so enthusiastic, it began to pour rain. As hectic as it was to see everyone run around looking for an umbrella or something to cover them with, it was also pretty exciting to see that everyone still wanted to continue on with the vigil. As Pope Benedict, himself, had gotten soaked by the rain, everyone began to chant with joy “¡¡¡ESTA ES LA JUVENTUD DEL PAPA!!!” and “¡¡¡BEEENNNEEEDICTO!!!”

Soon enough, the rain came to a stop after everyone had attempted to make their own individual shelter to sleep for the night. As hard as it was to sleep outside with so much excitement and over a million people from around the world beside you, I think most people managed a few good hours of sleep. Being able to share mass with the Pope and all of the other pilgrims in the morning was overwhelming to say the least. There was a moment after the Pope’s homily that I just took a moment to take it all in and I was just blown away by the overall experience.

After mass, Pope Benedict XVI blessed everyone’s crosses and rosaries and then announced where the next World Youth Day gathering would be in 2013- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Not surprisingly, all of the Brazilian flags went crazy and flew around in excitement.

This has been a truly incredible pilgrimage that began with the Camino de Santiago and ended with breaking bread with the Pope. I am very thankful that Brophy was able to send a delegation this year and hope that they do so again in July of 2013!

Much love from Madrid,

Flavio Bravo

During our time in Madrid, Spain, we have had the privledge of seeing Pope Benedict the 16th and mnay people from all around the world. Not only was I open to seeing new people and hearing new languages, but my fellow Brophy mates were as well. We have met so many people from all over the world. This trip has been one of the most exciting trips that I have ever been on, not only becasue I got to see the Pope, but for another important reason. During my time here, I have had the experience of talkign to God on the Santiago Trail. It was a time of silence for me to refelct on my relationship for God and to make it stronger. Not only did it stronger, but with the help from Pope Benedict the 16th, my faith has never been stronger than it is today. As Pope Benedict said, ¨All of my youth was called to spread the gospel of Jesus to the world.¨ These words are not just words. These words are a message to everybody who wants to be stronger in faith. He said these words to over 1.5 million youths in Cuatro Vientos. To here him speak and bless me was one of the most memorable memories that I will never forget. This whole trip is one that I will never forget.

Not only did we camp out at Cuatro Vientos for the night, we had mass at Cuatro Vientos as well. The mass was very delightful, but the heat was deadly. At night when we were camping out, it started to rain during the vigil. The Pope had to be covered with umbrellas and wait for the storm to clear up. As for all the others, we had to find shelter. This was one of the greatest moments of the trip. All ten from the Brophy group had be under Señora Dominguez´s little umbrella. We were all huddled in there for about 20 minutes. All of our sleepijng bags and mats got wet and so did we. Everybody was not going to away and stop hearing the Pope speak just because of the storm. Everybody stuck it out for the Pope. After the mass had ended, Pope Benedict gave the important blessing on us. He blessed us and I am glad he did. He also made the announcement on where the next World Youth would be. He said that we will see him in Rio De Janiero, Brazil in 2013. Everybody from Brazil went crazy when the Pope said that.

This trip has changed me in so many ways. It was gotten me closer to God and my faith is stronger than ever. I have had the great opportunity to see Pope Benedict. So as my final day approaches, all I can say is that I am going to miss Spain and everything that it has to offer. From the humble people in Santiago, to the faithful people in Madrid. I have made many friends from all over the world. From the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank the people of Spain for their generosity of letting us into their country with open arms. I hope I can go on another World Youth Day pilgrimmage. For right now, I am going to enjoy the few hours that I have left in Spain!!

Cuatro Vientos is a residential area on the southwestern most outskirts of Madrid. Located there is an airfield where our group gathered last night, along with 1.5 million other pilgrims, to join the Pope the next morning for Mass. We arrived at a bus stop about two miles from the airfield at four o´clock in the afternoon with the sun at its highest point for the day. After walking alongside pilgrims from Italy, Belgium, and Canada, to name a few, we reached the top of a hill where we could see the airfield. Already there were over one million pilgrims there and the heat from their presence could be seen rising into the sky. We pushed our way through the security gates and then, after forty-five minutes of searching we found a site, against the back fence, where we could set up camp. The entire airfield had been reduced to a dusty desert as people trampled all over the grassy areas in between taxiways and runways. There was a supercell on the way, just sheilding the airfield from the sun when we arrived at our site. Then the wind picked up and campsites blew away and dust covered everything and everybody. Then the Pope arrived and we began a prayer vigil that was to last until midnight but the rains came. It poured and turned our sandy beach of an airfield in mud. The Pope in turn ended his speech earlier than expected. The rain stopped around ten thirty. We explored the airfield trying to find flags from different nations and see if we could see the Pope from a closer place but we only managed to get within about a quarter of a mile from him. He soon left the airfield and we made our way back to the campsite and it began to drizzle. When we arrived back it was about twelve o´clock and we talked together while Deacon Stickney made a hut out of palates and fabrics, a creation not seen since Woddstock ´69. After reflecting on all the events of the day and how crazy not only the day had been but our whole trip we fell asleep, under the stars, surrounded by a million and a half pilgrims all there to celebrate their faith.

We just got back after a three-hour departure from Cuatro Vientos, where we stayed since yesterday afternoon for a vigil with the pope at an old airfield with a million youth.

Have we showered since yesterday? In a way no, since we are waiting for the gym to open, and we slept in the open air in our clothes. In a way yes, because just as Pope Benedict was opening the vigil service with the prayer, “May the gentle dew of your love descend upon us,” a not-too-gentle monsoon-type thunderstorm drenched us and our sleeping bags. Luckily, we were able to bury them beneath some mats. The roofs of some of the prayer chapels were torn off, and Flavio Bravo, who with Sean Milliken and Scott Soethe had been given seats up close, noticed the pope´s flailing white hair, and how he kept saying ¨Queridos jovenes.¨to the cheers of those who could hear him.

Ever resourceful Ms. Dominguez brought over some pallets from a nearby food distribution center. We tied cardboard to the sides and slung ponchos and World Youth Day banners over the top. Mr. Broyles would feel at home in our makeshift windbreak, although, when a helicopter took off from near the airport´s conning tower, just across the fence, the wake from the blades toppled our construction. After we strenthened it, the shelter was good enough to last all night.

It was hard to sleep because so many youth were singing, chatting, or just walking around. A great energy.

At the Mass this morning, I felt that the pope was really there, even though, since our area was way in the back, he looked like an ant.

Este artículo hará un resumen de nuestro viaje en español, para aquellos que quieran leerlo.

(As all the other postings have been written in English, I will do my best to put together the highlights of our trip in Spanish, so Spanish speaking families as well as my Honors IV students can read it and comment on it)

¡Qué gran aventura! Nuestro viaje comenzó el 7 de agosto y, como muchos estudiantes han comentado en sus artículos, tuvieron un largo camino antes de llegar a Madrid. Su vuelo se retrasó más de 10 horas, pero todos llegaron a su destino sanos y salvos. Yo misma les recogí en Barajas el lunes 8 de agosto y esa noche dormimos en un hotel de Madrid.

Al día siguiente, después de desayunar, nos dirigimos a nuestra primera parada: Sarria, Galicia (al Noroeste de España). Desde allí iniciamos un gran peregrinaje: El Camino de Santiago, también conocido como “The Way of St. James”. Se trata de una ruta que transcurre entre bosques y senderos que pasan por pequeños pueblos agrícolas. En total caminamos 112 kilómetros, unas 70 millas, en 5 días. Para algunos fue todo un reto, pero la sensación de llegar todos a un mismo destino mantuvo al grupo unido y emocionado.

El domingo 14 de agosto llegábamos por nuestro propio pie a la monumental catedral de Santiago de Compostela, donde oímos la misa del peregrino junto a otros miles de fieles que, como nosotros, habían logrado su objetivo: postrarse frente al altar de este impresionante templo donde se guardan las reliquias del santo. Personalmente, me sentí realmente orgullosa de todos los estudiantes y nunca olvidaré las conversaciones mantenidas durante el camino, las canciones, las risas, el esfuerzo y las reflexiones que hacíamos todos juntos al terminar el día.

Cumplido nuestro primer objetivo, el lunes 15 de agosto llegamos a Madrid y emprendimos la segunda etapa de nuestro viaje: la Jornada Mundial de la Juventud (JMJ) o como se conoce en inglés World Youth Day (WYD). Toda la semana hemos estado realizando diferentes actividades culturales y litúrgicas. Desde visitas a museos a catequesis dirigidas por obispos venidos de todas partes del mundo; desde conciertos de música hasta presenciar en directo el discurso del Papa Benedicto XVI, desde recorrer el estadio de fútbol del Real Madrid, hasta participar de un Vía Crucis en pleno centro de la ciudad.

Ahora nos dirigimos a una vigilia en preparación para la gran misa de mañana con el Papa. Cuando lleguemos a casa, pondremos fotos de toda nuestra gran aventura. Como dice en himno de esta gran reunión de jóvenes venidos de todos el mundo: “Firmes en la fe caminamos con Cristo nuestro hermano, firmes en la fe”.

If you have not seen her blog for a few days, it is because, Maria José (as people around here call her) has been helping all those in our building (and indeed all around Madrid) negotiate all the complicated events associated with World Youth Day. In our gym, groups from Australia & New Zealand speak ni palabra of Spanish, so she helps them.

Last night, a homesick woman from Texas, working in Madrid, came to us attracted by the US flag, and wanted to join in more WYD activities, stirred by the power of the Papal visit. Maria José talked to her, consoling her and informing her of how she can participate.

Ms. Dominguez is not afraid to stop a police car to ask what restaurants might be open. She leads our group throught the maze of subway transfers, yet also takes us off the beaten path to gush over a statue of Garcia Lorca. Her obvious love for Spanish culture and dedication to others is  a real witness to all of us of a true Companion of St. Ignatius.

This morning we woke up and began to pack as light as possible as we are about to begin our 15+ kilometer walking pilgrimage to Cuatro Vientos for the WYD vigil and closing mass tomorrow. The rest of the pilgrims are incredibly excited as we all prepare to sleep outside tonight in preparation for the final mass where Pope Benedict XVI will announce where the next WYD gathering will take place.

 I can’t even imagine how vibrant that last mass will be as the last two gatherings with the Pope have been simply amazing. When the Papa Móbil apprached the city of Madrid for the first time, everyone began to chant “¡¡¡BEEENEDICCTO!!!” as loud as they could and just went berserk.

The amount of enthusiasm among all of the young people who have come together in the city of Madrid is unbelievable. Last night we danced to live music in the courtyard with people from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Argentina, Spain, Ireland, Canada, Malaysia, and from all over the world! Most of us had never even heard of the chants or songs that we were singing but we understood that no matter the cultural difference, we were all united in one faith.

As we begin our long walk to go see the Pope today for the evening vigil, I imagine the streets will be as packed as ever with horns, drums, and music playing by different people from all over the world.

One thing that I have come to learn is that everyone has a different story about what they had to do and what kind of sacrifice they had to make in order to make this pilgrimage. I am incredibly blessed to simply be here walking beside the future leaders of the not only the Catholic Church, but the world.

Much love from Madrid!

Flavio Bravo

This was the most moving event so far. I had my doubts, since again we could not get close enough to actually see any of the stations, we just sat down on the street with thousands of others in front and in back, about 70 yards from one of the big screens, the asphalt radiating the heat of the day. I was irked by the Italians in front of us who were smoking and playing cards.

Yet when the Pope arrived and the prayer began, the whole street grew quiet, only a helicopter droning above and the plangent songs from the choir could be heard. Many took out the prayerbooks that had been given to each of us in different languages, to follow the progress of the stations.

Each station was from a distinct region of Spain, some only 10 years old, others from the 16th Century, showing an aspect of Jesus´journey to his crucifixion. Between each station, a different group carried the cross: youth from Sudan, Rwanda/Burundi, those recoving from addictions, immigrants, teens rejected for their identites. To see the actual people who have suffered so much touched my heart.

Two events drew spontaneous, reverent applause from the crowd: at the very last station, half of those carrying the cross were from Haiti, the other half from Japan. It is hard to explain how these two peoples from opposite ends of the globe, united by the cross, Jesus´sign of total self-gift, gave one such a sense of compassion and hope.

The second event was a traditional Spanish saeta, that is, a lament that is sung in a heart-rending series of tropes and falling notes, by a man at the station when Jesus dies. It sounded Arabic, perhaps reflecting the Moorsih influence, still strong so many centuries after ther expulsion from the Iberian peninsula. The song was an excellent expression of the sorrow Ignatius asks us to seek when we meditate on the Passion of Christ.

After the sorrow, great joy! We processed throught the crowd in a snakelike line, each holding on to a backstrap of the person in front, all the way to Sol, the plaza at the center of Madrid. There the guys talked with a group of lassies from Ireland, one of whom burst into an Irish jig. A Peruvian zampoña flute band played, then a couple hundred Mexicans surged into the crowd, and guitars blasted out Cielito Lindo and other songs. We danced and clapped, and in the pauses between songs, shouted ¨Benidicto!” We didn´t return to our gym floor until after midnight once again.

The last two days have been very choatic and very heart warming. The Pope (Benedict the 16th) arrived to Madrid on Thursday. On Friday, he came to see all the youth that he called forth to hear and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. There were more than 1 million people present to see the Pope. It was very heart warming to see him not only because he is the Pope, but because he represents holiness. Everybody was going crazy and so was I. It was the best experience that I ever had. A lot of people were crying becasue they saw the Pope. It was a very powerful moment for them. The Pope also greeted every single country, he said it in French, Spanish, German, Italian, and English. It was very cool and very mind blowing that the Pope could speak so many languages! The greatest part of the day was when the Pope blessed us. We all had to join together and say Bless Us! When he did, everybody went crazy. It was very exciting. I finally got to see the Pope´s red Prada shoes that everyone was telling me about. While waiting for the Pope to arrive, everyone was chanting ¡¡Benedicto!!! There was also another chant that went like this, ¡Esta EsLa Juventud Del Papa! (This is the youth of the Pope). Even though all of us (the youth) might not speak the same language, we were all gathered together for a reason and that was reason is for God. On Saturday, we saw the Pope again, but this time we all gathered for the stations of the Cross (Via Crucis).  There was a lot of people there again and it was an awesome sight to see all the flags gathered in the plaza. When we were leaving, we saw a group of Mexicans from Mexico and they started to sing songs and dance. Luckily for us, we got to dance and sing. We were singing to God and for the Pope. We all gathered in a circle and we all started to chant, ¡Benedicto! It was very cheerful and to tell you the truth, it was an awesome feeling.