After taking breakfast we went to the city center of Bonn. We visited the Beethoven monument, strolled through the town center up to the historic Town Hall, and prayed at the St. Martin Münster Cathedral. We spent the remainder of the morning at the Hofgarten park, the large lawn in front of Bonn University. We met many new friends from different parts of the world, said hello to them, chatted with those who could speak English and Italian, and took pictures with just about anyone. We also sang and danced with some Brazilians, Spaniards, and Slovaks.
In the afternoon, an opening mass was held at the Hofgarten park. World Youth Day officials claimed that more than a hundred thousand people attended the two-hour Eucharistic celebration. Because of such a huge turnout buses and trains were often unable to get through. Bishop Franz-Josef Bode of Osnabruck, the German bishops’ head of youth affairs, presided over the mass. Simultaneously, opening masses were also held in Cologne and Dusseldorf. The masses were followed by the Welcome Festival, a celebration of music and multilingual testimonies to welcome the WYD participants.
In his encouraging homily, Bishop Franz-Josef Bode pointed out strongly and with conviction that “we all need each other; we all need both our small, personal world and the global nature of the Church. And the global Church needs the talents and skills of every one of you. Let us strengthen one another in faith, hope, and love. Because the lamp of God has not been extinguished; His star continues to shine today, and He is waiting to be found by those who set out and come to seek and find Him. Him: Christ, the God who became man and walked among us.”
Everywhere we went we carried the Philippine flag with pride. Those people who recognized our national banner greeted us “Mabuhay” while those who didn’t asked us which country we came from. Depending on the language used by the inquiring person, we would variably respond – Philippines, Filippine, or Filipinas. There were like more than a hundred flags in Hofgarten and it was simply impossible for anyone to know them all. During the mass, we lifted the flag so high that it towered over the crowd. Upon seeing our flag, other pinoy groups came to us and stayed with us until the end of the Eucharistic celebration. There were pinoys from Norway, Italy, Taiwan, U.S.A., Germany, Switzerland, U.A.E., and from the Philippines. We were all smiles. For a moment, it felt like we were back in the Philippines.
After the mass we introduced ourselves and exchanged email addresses. A Norwegian-Pinoy asked us to write our names on his underwear. The girls giggled and took turns in trying to make their names stand out. Others requested us to sign their shirts, bandanas, and caps. We also had an exchange of souvenirs. I gave my TrenItalia cap to Gail, a Filipina WYD volunteer. I received a small plastic star from another new friend.
Catholic Curiosity of the Day: To a Catholic, the Pope’s blessing is valid, even via television or radio. Those llistening would of course need to be willing and have an inner readiness to receive the blessing. A later broadcast due to time differences in other continents does not impair the validity of the blessing while a simple documentary recording as in a news program would not have the same effect.
Hi ! Its so nice going over your accounts in WYD 2005, ‘wished i was there too! If i were, i would have given you a heart… keep smiling father! We miss you here!
WYD? gee! such is an experience so unforgettable. Not just anybody nor everybody could ever had the chance to be there.
wish i was there too…
there could be more pleasant exchange and signing…=)
regards!
i do miss you. terribly!
Hi Fr. Stephen. Germany is so beautiful as I see it i the pictures here. It is but apt to host this momentous event.
hi stephen! it’s been a while that i have not visited here… but upon reading this entry, it made me feel pride and honor being a Filipino with all that camaraderie and friendliness that were evident. i was amused with the Norwegian-Pinoy… this is truly an experience for the youth.
no one loves me father,please pray for me and for all of us
World Youth Day…I remember being there when it was held back home. Just before I left the Phils. I remember welcoming back from WYD a friend, the brother of a Filipino priest in Italy (Father John Alabastro). It feels good seeing pics of happy, friendly people…I believe there are still many of them in this world. Thanks for sharing!
Father,
Thank you for being a Filipino, in heart, body& mind, soul and spirit.
Mabuhay ka!
hi sis. rose anne!
hi n0y!
i’ll be getting married next year january perhaps..