5/4/11

Reminiscing WYD95


In the light of this one great event, the Beatification of Pope John Paul II, I can’t help but remember the moments I had when he last visited the country during The World Youth Day 1995.

A lot of funny, exciting, happy, sad , frustrating, learning and challenging moments  have happened to me during that time. This is what I would like to share.

World Youth Day 1995 was held in Manila in January. The activity run for a week. I took a leave from work. I was excited not only for the event itself but also because it was my very first time to ride a ship and step on the soil of Manila. The travel was 18 hours. Thanks to the good weather, the ship smoothly sailed and we had fun.

But nothing compared to the excitement I felt with the thought of seeing the Pope. It was like seeing God
himself. I had one funny (and shameful) thought playing on my mind that time. I didn’t share it to anyone.   
I had learned that during the time of the old testament, a person would die after seeing God. I wondered if the
same would happen to me when I see the Pope. Imagine he is considered second to God. Will I die too? Oh,
I was crazy. I felt stupid later then. *:-)

There were more than a hundred of us coming from the different parishes. Almost a hundred reminders were
given us and told almost a hundredth times about what to do and avoid when we were already in Manila.We
lived in a condominium that was half finished. Sheltering us would give the management the chance also to test
the facilities of the building. Being a first timer, I was fascinated with our accommodation. Our room was so
nice. 

There were activities that we had to attend which was held in different places. Most of the time we had to
walk. We walk in pairs on the side of the streets. Walking to and fro was a sacrifice for us. It was also fun
because I get to see personally the huge and tall building that I only saw on television. During the activities, we
get to meet other delegates from other places including foreigners.  And of course, there were also free
snacks. But getting food is not also easy. You have to line up for a long while.

The highlight of the event was the vigil at the Luneta Park where the Pope will be present in the later evening.
So we walked again. At the park, while we were resting, one American teenager asked one of us what is
water in Spanish. He was surprised that no one answered right away. I said agua. He said  “thank you” and
continued walking while grinning. I bet he was just testing us. When he was farther, I told my companion
maybe he taught we speak Spanish. Yes, we were colonies of Spaniards but most Spanish speaking Filipinos
were already dead. He didn’t know that.

One learning experience I had during that time was my unable to attend the vigil. 

Since there were many of us, we were grouped and I was a leader of one group. On our trek to the Luneta
park, one girl in my group collapsed. We had to stop by a house so she could rest a while and then continue
to walk. When we were at the Luneta Park, she collapsed again and this time our Spiritual Coordinator called
an ambulance and since I was her leader, I accompanied her to the hospital. We weren’t able to attend the
vigil because when she was already well, no ambulance was going back to the park, so we had to wait till
morning. When we arrived, my companions were already packing up. I felt really sad. I almost felt angry with
my member who collapsed. I felt that she was just making up her collapses to get attention. Some kind of a
personality problem. But then I realized that it was not only I who weren’t able to join the vigil even if they
wanted to. One leader also had to remain at our condominium because many of his members were already
sick. Suddenly I felt I was better off than them. And besides, I still had fun and enjoyed the event.  I believed
I was at the right place and time where God had wanted me to be.

After packing up our things and taking pictures, we went back to our condominium. Surprisingly this time, we
didn’t walk. A bus was waiting for us to take us to our place. In our condominium, our Spiritual Director held
a mass since it was Sunday. That day also, the Pope is going to have a motorcade. Some group from other
parishes didn’t want to go. Thanks to our Spiritual Director that despite out tiredness, he still decided that we
would walk again to see the Pope. He said that it was the very reason why we all went there. Yes, indeed!
We had sacrificed a lot and doing it all over again just to see the Pope is all worth it.

Again we walked by pairs on the busy streets for almost two hours under the heat of the sun and waited
another hour for the Pope to pass by. We lined up along the boulevard.  Finally he came.  I can’t almost
believe I was looking at a saint, a person next to Christ. Even if it was a very brief moment when he just past
our way, suddenly the place became holy. My heart was crying out loud “I have seen a saint! I have seen
the Pope!”  I had goose bumps and field with tears. He looked so friendly waving at all of us on the street.
He didn’t feel tired. He was so happy.  On my way home I kept on relieving the incident and enjoying the
feeling again and again with a big smile on my face

Indeed, it was all worth it!
 
Program and Liturgy Guidebook

Vigil at the Luneta Park

Singing 'let us tell the world of His love!' The Theme song of the WYD95

Luneta Park vigil

Luneta Park vigil. "Is the Pope talking now?"

Luneta Park vigil

In the morning after the vigil

One pix after cleaning up at the Luneta Park

during one of the activities


meeting foreign delegates

Luneta Park


Thanks for the bus, we thought we were walking again for hours back to our condominium


I took this picture myself.


WYD95 Souvenier


The Jubilee Cross. This cross arrived a year before the World Youth Day celebration. This cross goes around the country for the whole year. The journey started here where the National Youth Conference was held.

Note: I only took this pictures from my photo album. Taking them out from it would destroy the pictures and the album as well..

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