Lincoln Park — In less than eight weeks, youths from the Archdiocese of Detroit will join others from around the world and travel close to 4,000 miles to World Youth Day 2011 in Madrid, Spain.
On June 26, they prepared by taking a pilgrimage from Lincoln Park’s Christ the Good Shepherd Parish to St. Frances Cabrini Parish in Allen Park. The day included a Eucharistic procession, reflections, carrying of the local World Youth Day cross, Mass and much more.
However, their journey began several months ago.
Last year, 16-year-olds Matthew Bozzo and Elizabeth Pokrzywnicki from Christ the Good Shepherd Parish questioned whether they would be able to go to Spain.
Many fundraisers and the support of their youth minister, Holly Tockstein, helped them make this dream a reality. Teenagers from across the archdiocese took part in bottle returns, making Super Bowl subs, golf outings, bake sales and pancake breakfasts to fundraise for their trip to Spain.
Some youths also have been preparing to attend the Archdiocese of Detroit’s “World Youth Day at Home” and explore their spirituality locally.
When asked if they have grown during the past year, Bozzo and Pokrzywnicki did not know exactly how to answer. Bozzo said it was all about getting the “right mindset.” But they didn’t hesitate on how they would benefit from World Youth Day — they were going to change spiritually in Madrid.
“We are going to grow!” said Bozzo with a huge smile. Pokrzywnicki returned his enthusiasm with a high five.
Their idea of growing spiritually coincides with the theme for World Youth Day 2011 — “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith.”
Bozzo and Pokrzywnicki were two of more than 80 people of 10 parishes who attended the mini-pilgrimage on June 26. Fr. Tony Richter, pastor of Christ the Good Shepherd, celebrated the Feast of Corpus Christi and showed the teenagers how to be leaders like Christ.
“Walk closer with Christ,” said Fr. Richter. “Be a humble, loving, caring, merciful, persistent and focused servant leader.”
Fr. Richter led the youth groups in a Eucharistic procession for the first couple blocks. They were taught to be reverent and to take a walk with Jesus Christ as they made their two mile journey to St. Frances Cabrini.
Throughout this pilgrimage the teenagers took turns carrying the cross for minutes at a time with the hot, summer sun shining down on them. They were reminded that this 80-degree weather would seem mild in comparison to the 100-degree weather in Spain.
With backpacks and water in tow, Anna Ciarlino, 15, and her friends from St. Constance Parish in Taylor discussed their upcoming travels.
The weather, language barriers and traveling to a foreign country were worries of some; nevertheless, Ciarlino took hold of what matters in the end.
“I think it’s going to be more stressful,” she said. “But I think when we come out of it, it’s going to be amazing — just the fact that we went through this.”
Attending a retreat and other activities like this pilgrimage really allowed her to see how she has changed, she said.
“I feel like I have grown a lot more than what I came in with,” said Ciarlino.
As lunchtime approached, the group stopped at Riley Park in Allen Park to eat and take some time to reflect. Words from Pope Benedict XVI guided their reflections as they tried to answer questions about themselves on more personal levels.
They reflected on how each paragraph from the pope challenged them.
Michael Koziara, a youth group member from St. Gerald Parish in Farmington, said to the group that his challenge would be “to truly make God the center of my life.”
Carly Stevenson brought up a challenge that resonated with many.
“Be strong in your faith. Don’t be embarrassed,” said Stevenson, of Our Lady of Good Counsel Parish in Plymouth.
As they shared their concerns and reflected with each other, they found themselves in agreement with one another as an outcome of their similar experiences as young Catholics.
After they reflected with their small groups, the pilgrimage continued on to St. Frances Cabrini Parish to celebrate Mass together as a Church community.
