Saturday, August 20, 2011

World Youth Day - That's a lot of young people!

Ya know.... That's a lot of people seeing the Pope

There was an article in USA Today about World Youth Day the other day that was pretty good.  It was unusual coming from a secular paper.  You want to check your pulse when any of the secular papers isn't deriding all things Catholic. I remembered it today when I saw this aerial shot from WYD in Madrid.

USA TODAY OPINION

Column: For these millennials, faith trumps relativism

On Religion

Faith. Religion. Spirituality. Meaning. In our ever-shrinking world, the tentacles of religion touch everything from governmental policy to individual morality to our basic social constructs. It affects the lives of people of great faith — or no faith at all. This series of weekly columns — launched in 2005 — seeks to illuminate the national conversation.

When a diminutive figure emerges in a white car, they erupt, jockeying for the best view of this international superstar. A rock idol? A marquee athlete? A political prodigy?

Nope: an old man — more scholar than celebrity — smiling shyly to acknowledge the adulation.
Read the whole thing... you might be pleasantly surprised to see some things acknowledged in a secular paper.  Among the sub-headings:  "Tradition Returns" and "Substance and Sacrifice"

The snapshot at top from CTV was taken at the prayer vigil with young people at the Cuatro Vientos Airport earlier today in Spain.  It was live on EWTN this afternoon and I had it on.  Just as the Pope began to deliver his message a storm hit and he had to stop his address.  The people were unphased by the lightening, wind and rain.  It was hot and the rain may have even been welcome to some extent. I felt bad for them nonetheless, but at least they can get his words online.  You can read his address below in one of the links. 

Prayer vigil with the young people at Cuatro Vientos Airport (August 20, 2011)

Also from the 2011 World Youth Day in Madrid, I'd like to point to these.



Meeting with young university professors gathered in the Basilica de San Lorenzo de El Escorial (August 19, 2011)


You can see more,  including video at the Holy See's webpage for World Youth Day in Madrid here:

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/travels/2011/index_madrid_en.htm


Pope Announces St. John of Avila to be named a doctor of universal Church.

Check it out at news.va: http://www.news.va/en/news/pope-proclaims-st-john-of-avila-doctor-of-the-univ

Here is some background at Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_of_Avila

I suppose that means we will see more of his works in English? Does anyone know if there are works published in English yet?

St. John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila listened to the sermons of this secular priest. 


For interesting news items I don't have time to blog on, check out my Twitter Feed: @TeDeumBlog

Te Deum Laudamus! Home

The obedient are not held captive by Holy Mother Church; it is the disobedient who are held captive by the world!
Note: The recommended links below are automatically generated by the tool, so they are not necessarily related content.