Metro Detroit — Some of the estimated 8,000 pilgrims from the United States who will travel to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day will include those from the Archdiocese of Detroit, who have been busy preparing for their very anticipated experience.
Part of that preparation includes reading about it from a blog set up for those who will be attending World Youth Day from Holy Family Parish in Novi, said Patty Hubbard, youth ministry coordinator.
The blog, www.1lifechangingevent.blogspot.com, was “created for our family, friends and parishioners to follow us along on every step of our pilgrimage; from preparations to while we are gone in Rio,” explained Hubbard, who will be attending World Youth Day along with two young people, a young adult and another adult chaperone.
“When we are in Rio, we plan to update the blog every day or so with stories, reflections, and pictures of our journey in Rio. It is a special way for us to spiritually take all those we know on our pilgrimage journey.”
Preparation has been under way for the past year and a half. “We have been meeting every other month for pilgrim fellowship,” Hubbard said. “We take turns hosting the pilgrims in our group for food, fellowship, community building activities, and some type of spiritual formation based on the official WYD theme, ‘Go make disciples of all nations’ from Matthew 28:19.”
Sarah Kaczmarek, youth minister at St. Paul on the Lake Parish in Grosse Pointe Farms, said her group of four teens and two adults “are very much looking forward to our trip to Rio.”
She said at first, there was some hesitation about attending because of finances and potential safety concerns, but in the end, “we prayed about it and I felt that the Lord was saying we should go — and I couldn’t be happier that He led us to that decision, because now we get to greet our new pope!
“We are grateful for the guidance of the Holy Spirit to step out and commit to the trip not knowing how He would bless us with the opportunity to be a part of Pope Francis’ first World Youth Day,” Kaczmarek said.
Fundraisers including a concert and babysitting for all of the parish’s Alpha nights for a year helped raise money for the trip. One student worked in the cafeteria at school to earn money, Kaczmarek said.
“We have been praying the official World Youth Day prayer daily and will begin a novena shortly to help us prepare spiritually for our journey,” she said.
She added that plans include participating in all the events, including visiting Brazil’s famous Christ the Redeemer in Corcovado. She added, “Please encourage people to pray for us as we prepare and eventually travel to Rio, and know that we will hold those back home in the Archdiocese of Detroit in our hearts and prayers.”
For those who cannot attend World Youth Day events in Rio, the archdiocese will host its own events beginning at 11 a.m., Saturday, July 27, with a gathering at the Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament in Detroit.
In honor of Pope Francis, the World Youth Day celebration in Detroit will begin with community service projects to witness the Gospel in action and to utilize the gifts and talents of young adults.
About another 100 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Detroit will travel to Chicago July 27-28 for a Midwest World Youth Day celebration there. The Chicago event, also put on during World Youth Day in 2009, is partly sponsored by the Archdiocese of Detroit.
World Youth Day is already being met with a lot of enthusiasm, Hubbard said. “We feel very privileged to represent our parish community and all those who are unable to physically go to Rio from the Archdiocese of Detroit,” she said.
“We are so excited to learn more about the beauty and celebrate our Catholic faith with Pope Francis ... and a couple million of our brothers and sisters in Christ!”
Michelle Samartino is a freelance writer from Shelby Township.
Service projects
Community service projects for the local World Youth Day Home Event for Young Adults will be July 27-28 in Detroit, sponsored by the archdiocesan Young Adult and Campus Ministry. They include:
• Cathedral of the Most Blessed Sacrament: Participants will engage in door-to-door evangelization after a brief orientation.
• Cass Community Social Services: Participants will work in the paper-shredding warehouse that provides funding for the social services offered by this organization.
• St. Dominic Outreach Center: Participants will help in the clothing and food pantry that serves the immediate needs of neighborhood.
For information, or to register for the World Youth Day Home Event for Young Adults, visit http://wyddetroit.eventbrite.com or call Christopher Gawel at (313) 237-4647.
