Archbishop Dolan's great talk!!

Archbishop Timothy Dolan's World Youth Day... by danielhelen

Fr. Robert Barron comments on World Youth Day

Window Seat

I feel like a little boy... A window seat and perfectly located. My big head will fit comfortably against the wall.

Our approach to Toronto.

Leaving our hotel

It is 3:00 am (9:00 pm Sarnia time). Hopefully I will be packing in 24 hours.

Our last time waiting in line

Only one and a half hour wait. Nothing compared to the hours of waiting during WYD.

2:45 am

We are going home. It is 2:45 am our time 8:45 pm Sarnia time. Hopefully I will be unpacked in 24 hours.

Homily of the Final mass

FINAL MASS

WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
AT THE BEGINNING OF THE EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

Cuatro Vientos Air Base, Madrid
Sunday, 21 August 2011

Dear Young Friends:

I have been thinking a lot about you during this time in which we have been separated.  I hope you have been able to get some sleep in spite of the weather.  I am sure that since dawn you have raised up your eyes more than once, and not only your eyes but above all your hearts, turning this occasion into prayer.  God turns all things into good.  With this confidence and trusting in the Lord who never abandons us, let us begin our Eucharistic celebration, full of enthusiasm and strong in our faith.

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HOMILY

 Dear Young People,

In this celebration of the Eucharist we have reached the high point of this World Youth Day.  Seeing you here, gathered in such great numbers from all parts of the world, fills my heart with joy.  I think of the special love with which Jesus is looking upon you.  Yes, the Lord loves you and calls you his friends (cf. Jn 15:15).  He goes out to meet you and he wants to accompany you on your journey, to open the door to a life of fulfilment and to give you a share in his own closeness to the Father.  For our part, we have come to know the immensity of his love and we want to respond generously to his love by sharing with others the joy we have received.  Certainly, there are many people today who feel attracted by the figure of Christ and want to know him better.  They realize that he is the answer to so many of our deepest concerns.  But who is he really?  How can someone who lived on this earth so long ago have anything in common with me today?

The Gospel we have just heard (cf. Mt 16:13-20) suggests two different ways of knowing Christ.  The first is an impersonal knowledge, one based on current opinion.  When Jesus asks: "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?", the disciples answer: "Some say John the Baptist, but others Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets".  In other words, Christ is seen as yet another religious figure, like those who came before him.  Then Jesus turns to the disciples and asks them: "But who do you say that I am?"  Peter responds with what is the first confession of faith: "You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God".  Faith is more than just empirical or historical facts; it is an ability to grasp the mystery of Christ's person in all its depth.

Yet faith is not the result of human effort, of human reasoning, but rather a gift of God: "Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah!  For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven".  Faith starts with God, who opens his heart to us and invites us to share in his own divine life.  Faith does not simply provide information about who Christ is; rather, it entails a personal relationship with Christ, a surrender of our whole person, with all our understanding, will and feelings, to God's self-revelation.  So Jesus' question: "But who do you say that I am?", is ultimately a challenge to the disciples to make a personal decision in his regard.  Faith in Christ and discipleship are strictly interconnected.

And, since faith involves following the Master, it must become constantly stronger, deeper and more mature, to the extent that it leads to a closer and more intense relationship with Jesus.   Peter and the other disciples also had to grow in this way, until their encounter with the Risen Lord opened their eyes to the fullness of faith.

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Madrid day

Today is my day for visiting Madrid. The city is slowly returning to normal and the locals are slowly coming out of hiding. The Prada and some shopping are the order of the day. Shame the kids are both broke and tried so many are just hanging at the mall at the train station.

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Breakfast in Europe

Boy I miss my oatmeal!

Holy Toledo

Re: Sangria by the Meyer

That's meter! I think I have had too much.

Sent from my iPod

On 2011-08-23, at 12:58 AM, "Rev. Peter Keller" <pkeller@dol.ca> wrote:

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Sangria by the Meyer

Mary at the Cathedral

The tears of St. Peter

My favorite picture many reasons

Trying to look holy.

Leaving Todelo

You shall not pass

Relax just before we realize we have lost two people.

St. Martin's bridge

Holy monstrance

Lauchie getting a great shot

The city of churches

Tojo river

Toledo is surrounded on 3 sides by the river Tojo (to Ho). It was an excellent natural fortification. Toledo was the capital until is was moved to Madrid.

Mass with apostle of the church Bishop Bill McGratten

Bishop McGratten truly an apostle of the chuch celebrated mass for those pilgrims who could not get into the papal mass. Here he is celebrating daily mass for us.

The lord's loyal page

Don Quixote

First non-pilgrim meal

Just 8.00 euros

Amun and Isis Temple

This was a gift from Egypt in the 60's. It is a 2200 year old temple.

Palace

You can't get there from here

Madrid's sub merged highways and endless hills makes getting around always interesting when the road you on walking on suddenly goes underground.

Palace

Opera House

Plaza Mayor

This beautiful square surrounded by a beautiful portico is a must see in Madrid.

End of the Pilgrimage

Most pilgrims end their journey with a visit to the Cathedral. They sing the psalms of ascent as they arrive. These were the psalms people would sing as they ascended the stairs to the temple in Jerusalem.

Voluntario

Here I am showing off my volunteer shirt I traded for.

All clean

My laundary will soon be dry in this heat. Notice the much convented volunteer's shirt I traded for. Cool. Now I can be in the hords volunteer who were friendly yet uninformed.

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After

Here is the water after a washed my pants. I better wash them again!

We really got dirty out there.

Before

2 km break

Sprinkers

Spiritual Refugee

I feel like a spiritual refugee with the masses of people leaving the papal mass.

Our view of the Pope

The strange joy of the papel mass is that you further away than you expect. We are in section E1

Good Portugal!

We arrived at our place at 10:30 pm. Safety, water, food and then getting to our place were the order of priorities.

Here is the gate we are waiting at.

This is the gate we were suppose to enter 2 hours ago. I think they might be waiting until after the vigil.

Sad we have been on the move for five hours. Rumors say that unregistered people have rushed our places.

The crowd waiting for no known reason

Dangerous, tens of thousands are left outside while no one tells us anything.

Sprinklers!!!

Four essentials

It all fit!!

I also remembered to bring my umbrella for the Madrid sun.

All set

My kit for the over night hike.

Towel/blanket, sleeping bag, air matt, plastic sheet, rosary, ear plugs, eye mask, jack knife, camera, cord, sunglasses, priest's pass, duck tape, guide/prayer books, cookies, flavored water, cheese, pilgrim pass, cards, binoculars, white stole, purple stole, little purse, map, water bag, hat, alb, cincture and finally the bag in all needs to go into.

Royal Gardens are opening for us royal pilgrims

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The discerning church

Bishop Fisher, St. Therese and our pilgrims discussing our faith.

Royal gardens

I wonder how long it would take Anna Maria to cut this!!!

Royal Gardens are opening for us royal pilgrims

Aussie's leading our catechesis

Only at WYD can a didgeridoo and St. Therese share in the celebration of faith.

Room with a view

Here is the view from my room. The northern train station is below the palace is just above me and the cathedral is to the upper right. It is good to be me right now.

Up close but bad pictures.

We were so close but the shade made it great for us but bad for pictures. I got better pictures with my camera. Traveling with Richard and his wheel chair has been a challenge but the team building it has provided has been worth it. I am so happy Richard had a great spot to see the Pope.