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WORLD YOUTH DAY: A FANTASTIC PILGRIMAGE

After two years of planning, the World Youth Day (WYD) in Poland finally came to a beautiful ending. Thanks be to our God, thank you, all of you, for your support and prayers. Our SVD Youth Group also returned safely  to Taiwan. During this fantastic 21-day pilgrimage, each and every young person was full of joy and deeply touched. Their faith also was clearly enriched. In this long journey, we reaped a bountiful and precious harvest. Here I would like to share some of our experiences.

What I have seen from Poland

Poland is really a beautiful country, full of wonderful landscapes. There are more than one hundred landscape parks throughout Poland, covering approximately eight percent of the surface of the country. These landscape parks are protected because of their natural, historical, cultural and scenic value. Poland is known for its medieval architecture and Jewish heritage. In the city of Kraków, we visited 14th-century Wawel Castle which rises above the old medieval town, home to Cloth Hall, a Renaissance trading post in Rynek Glówny (market square). Nearby is the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp memorial, and the vast Wieliczka Salt Mine, with underground halls and tunnels.

Actually, Poland had a painful history, especially in time of war, persecution, the country’ s occupation during the time of Hitler and the long years of communist subjugation. Following the introduction of Father Wlad, SVD, we know that Polish people have  suffered a lot. However, they have a very optimistic character and a strong faith. In every period of history, Polish people all put their trust in Mother Mary, whom they call the Queen of Poland. They also have hosts of saints and blessed: St. Stanislaus, St. Kinga, St. Maximilian Kolbe, and St. sister Faustina Alaska and St. John Paul II, who are called Apostles of Divine Mercy.

What I want to say about Young people

During WYD in Poland, I have seen about two million young people from all over the world gather together. They come here with joy and happiness. They show their friendly and active nature every day. They are willing to learn from others and share their life experience with whoever they meet. I am very suprised by my students, for normally in Taiwan they are very quiet and never speak English, but in Poland they speak fluently with foreigners in English. For this point, Wendy Sun, a young people said: “during the WYD we met a lot of friends from many different countries, although this is the first time we met, and may be we never meet again, but when we say hello, they give me a big hug, and talk with me like old friends. I speak with my poor English, but they always listened patiently to me. It is imporant is I feel being respected and encourged”.

The message  our Pope Francis gave to the young people.

Each and every young people wanted to see the Pope during WYD, and we are so lucky to see the holy father four times, and from a close distance too. We  even  could take many wonderful pictures. We all felt that the Papa Francisco is a nice person, he always smiles and looks at the people with merciful eyes.

At the first meeting with the youth in Krakow, the Pope told us in very soft voice: “Let me tell you one thing I have learned over these years. It pains me to meet young people who seem to have opted for “early retirement”. I worry when I see young people who have “thrown in the towel” before the game has even begun, who are defeated even before they begin to play, who walk around glumly as if life has no meaning.”

The Pope never blames us but earnestly calls us to get up from our comfortable sofa to go out to serve the society with  mercy. He said: “Mercy always has a youthful face! Because a merciful heart is motivated to move beyond its comfort zone, a merciful heart can go out and meet others; it is ready to embrace everyone.” Papa emphasises that the world today need us. He wants us do some things to change the world, and invite  others to make the world better. In the message to the youth he wrote: “You are thinking : I can do this, I will do that… Do not be afraid! God is a Father and He is always waiting for us. Come to Him and say from the depths of your hearts: Jesus, I trust in you”.

Visit to the SVD Mother House - Netherlands Steyl

After attending WYD in Poland, we returned to Steyl, Netherlands where Father founder, Saint Arnold Janssen founded The Society of the Divine Word, The Missionary Sisters Servants of the Holy Spirit and The Holy Spirit Adoration Sisters. On this the last stop of the trip, we want to follow the footsteps of saint Arnold, and with the hope to help young people gain a better understanding of the SVD missionary spirit.

To be honest, I really cried when we were able to come to Steyl, especially when we could gather around the tomb of father Founder. This is an honor, it likes a kind of going home to see the Father. We stayed one night in a beautiful place which was formerly a small pub. Here we met many priests and brothers. Here we learnt many thing about SVD mission history. And here we prayed and celebrated Mass with the intercession of Saint Arnold. In addition, we also visited the two societies that founded by Saint Arnold: SSpS and SSpSAP.

On this 21-day pilgrimage, each day also has a different surprise, its own moving story. These will become very important nutrients for the young people. Thanks to the SVD community. Thank you for your encouragement and generousity. We expect in the future we will continue leading more young people on the way of evangilization. Witness to the Word.

Fr. Anthony Trọng Quang PHAM, SVD

(Write for SVD China Provincial News Letter)