TYME OUT Blogs!

I survived the vigil experience.  The temperatures dropped to the mid-40’s, but I was toasty warm in my sleeping bag and the mat I borrowed from Ben.  Those two things have saved me, but I still managed to get a cold starting on Friday.  I am including pictures from the vigil and the mass.  The pope was present for both events.  The daylight pictures of us at the racecourse show us just arriving and the night time pictures give you a look at the numbers of people who were there.

The vigil was highlighted by the talk by Pope Benedict, challenging us to go back to our homelands and evangelize by just being committed to our faith.  He talked about vocations, but all kinds of vocations, religious, priest, married, celibate single.  He asked us to look at what would make us happy and commit ourselves to that way of life.    There was singing and prayers and after the pope lef, we recited the rosary.  I managed to get a few hours of sleep, for which I was grateful.

On Sunday morning, we began the day with the liturgy of the hours at 8:00am.  The pope arrived by helicopter as the picture indicates, and then jumped into his popemobile to make the rounds of the racecourse.  At 10:00am the mass began and lasted 3 hours.  It was a cloudy cool day with the threat of rain throughout the morning.  However, it never rained at the mass and has just started to rain now at 7:30pm while I am writing this.

Again the pope’s message concentrated on letting the Spirit work in each of us.  24 young people from around the world received confirmation from the pope.  What an honor that must have been for them.  The gifts of the spirit were mentioned often and the theme song of World Youth Day, “Receive the Power,” was sung over and over again.  This is a song that could easily be used on Confirmation retreats at TYME OUT.  I am bringing back the words and music.  I absolutely love the song.

The two pictures of the pope I included were actually taken off the big screen.  We were pretty far back to get a better picture.

This is my last entry from Australia.  I will blog more when I return.  The pope announced at the very end that the next World Youth Day will be in Madrid, Spain on 2011.  I am praying that TYME OUT will have a presence there, God willing.  Maybe this old lady will get a group together.  World Youth Day is something all people should experience.  It is truly a mountain top experience.

Thank you for all the prayers the last 2 weeks.  I could feel the strength due to your prayers.  Know that I have prayed for all of you.  So I say to each of you.  Take time in the quiet to listen to God, acknowledge his presence by saying Raboni, and then GO!!!

God’s Peace,

Margie

When I went to Rome for World Youth Day in 2000, I did not think the catechesis sessions were very good.  The catechesis sessions here have been great.  All the speakers have been bishops.  The first day the bishop was from Amarillo, Texas.   The second day the Bishop was from Sydney.  Today’s bishop was from New Brunswick Canada.  All were good in their own way with the bishop from Sydney being the best.  They all spoke on different elements of the Holy Spirit and how the Holy Spirit works in our life.  For example, the session on Evangelization today challenged all of us to go and let the Holy Spirit speak to us in the silence.  We are to try and take out the clutter of noise in our life.  God speaks to us in the silence.  Each bishop used the word Ruah for the Spirit.  Breathing life into us.  It was very special.  The bishop from Sydney used the scripture of when Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and could not find Jesus but a man she thought was the gardener.  Jesus said to her, Mary.  Mary recognized him and said, Rabboni-teacher.  Jesus said to her, Go.  So we have been asked to listen for God to call us.  Recognize his call and go.  So the words sounded like this for me.  Margie, Rabboni, Go.

I send this message to each one of you.  Listen for God’s call, recognize God, and Go.

Today we will be heading back into Sydney for some talks and concerts.  Tomorrow, starts the vigil with our walk to the racecours.  It will be cold at night, but I am praying for no rain.  Keep us in your prayers as we join the Holy Father and around 500,000 youth for the closing liturgy.

God’s Peace,

Margie

I am sending a picture of the pope arriving by boat. It was really quite impressive. He had a fireboat escort him into the Harbor. His boat is the one with the tall mast. Then we were up on a hill waiting for the motorcade to come past us. The other picture is a picture of that. We were very close to him and unfortunately he went past us rather quickly. My picture is a little blurry. Kate in our group got a little better picture than mine, however we can’t down load it. My free internet minutes are almost done. I will try to write more tomorrow. We are headed out on a boat for a concert and won’t be getting back to the school until after 1:00am Friday morning. Our catechesis sessions have been very good. We hope to take some down time tomorrow and I will blog more info about today then.

Keep praying for me as I am praying for you.

Peace,

Margie

On Tuesday we all attended the opening liturgy with about 250,000 of our fellow pilgrims.  We were fortunate to have really good seats, actually the ground space was nice. I have decided to not even try to send pictures until I came back.  I will jujst give you an image hopefully through my words. 

There is nothing more amazing then to be in that kind of a liturgy situation.  The archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal Kell had a wonderful message for us that could not have been more appropriate about the spirit at work here in Sydney and how the real work willl begin when we get home.  It was a challenge that could not be ignored by the audience and was actually well received by all. 

We were right next to the altar, or as close as you can get.  God has trul;y blessed us on this trip.  Many doors have been open to us that we never expected.

I am blogging on free internet and my 10 minutes is almost done.  I want to close by saying this has been a magnificent, emotional, experience that God has graced me with .  God is good all the time.

Peace,

Margie

Randwick will be our location for the next week.  We are in a gymnasium on the floor for our accomodations.  Some of us are out hunting for foam or air mattresses to make the floor a little more acceptable.  There are 500 of us staying at the college, which is really a high school.  There seems to be a total of 3 showers for all of us.  It will prove to be an interesting week.

Today as we began a walkabout, a plane overhead spelled out the name Jesus with the plane exhaust.  He also made a cross in the sky.  It was very inspiring.  Our walk from our present location to the vigil is a 30 minute walk.  That’s the upside of our accomodations.

Tomorrow is the opening mass on the dock near the Aquarium.  The cardinal of Sydney, Cardinal Pell will be celebrating the liturgy.  They are expecting about 250,000 for this liturgy.  We will probably go down to the dock in the morning to get a spot for this.

The weather today was the best we had.  It was about 70 degrees and sunny.  The school had a “barby” for us as a welcome to Marcellin College.  Much of the same weather is predicted for tomorrow.  I hope I will find time to blog tomorrow but it may be difficult.

I am heading back to the college for our night prayer.  We always pray for all of you each night.  Please continue to keep in your prayers.

Peace,

Margie