Scottish Catholic Observer

Like many other young Catholics from across Scotland and beyond, youths from Paisley Diocese have been making final preparations for attending World Youth Day in Madrid, which begins next week.

The past 12 months have been an important time for the Catholic Faithful in Scotland with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI last September, having left people feeling their Faith has been enriched.

Andrew Clark, of St Mary’s Church, Greenock and Chris Henry, from St Francis’ Church, Port Glasgow—both in Paisley Diocese—will attend their first World Youth Day next week and they believe the message the Holy Father brought to the UK last September is one of the main reasons many more people have decided to join the celebrations in Madrid.

Represented

Each diocese in Scotland will be represented in the Spanish capital, where the Scottish youngsters will join thousands of Catholics from countries around the world—taking part in Catechesis sessions and celebrating Mass with the Holy Father, in addition to participating in a number of activities designed to strengthen their Faith and learn more about their host city.

“It was such a big phenomenon when the Pope visited Scotland,” Andrew said. “I think applications started pouring in after the Papal visit.”

His friend Chris agreed that the Pope’s state visit to Scotland strengthened the Faith of many young Catholics and that the reception the Holy Father received put paid to the negative press that was prevalent in the build up to the trip.

“I thought we saw a different side to the Pope during his visit,” Chris said. “There had been a lot of negativity surrounding the Holy Father since he was appointed but as soon as he came to Scotland we all saw the real Pope.”

Christine Riddoch, the Paisley Diocese youth director, will be part of the group accompanying the Paisley pilgrims to Madrid. She also believes the Pope’s messages to young people during his four-day visit to the UK last year asking them to ‘become the saints of the 21st century’ have been a great source of inspiration for young Catholics and a catalyst for increased interest in the Madrid WYD celebrations.

“Folk were phoning up almost immediately after the visit and we still have half a dozen folk on the waiting list,” Ms Riddoch said. “It had such a big impact. I would think most of the youth officers would say the same.”

The Holy Father will arrive in Madrid’s Barajas Airport at midday next Thursday and will receive a welcome ceremony at the State Hall. He will then process through the streets of Madrid in the Popemobile on his way to the Nunciature.

Thursday evening will see him welcome thousands of young Catholics at Plaza de Cibeles. On Friday, he will lead a public Stations of the Cross while on Saturday he will attend an evening prayer vigil and on Sunday morning he will celebrate World Youth Day’s closing Mass. At the end of that Mass he is expected to announce the host city of the next WYD.

Preparations

The young people of Paisley Diocese have, meanwhile, been discussing the launch of the new youth catechism for the Catholic Church, YOUCAT, as part of their spiritual preparations for Madrid. They, along with Fr Frank Hannigan, parish priest at St Paul’s Church, Paisley, will receive a copy as as part of their pilgrim packs in Madrid.

The Paisley youths will also continue the weekly prayer cycle they have been undertaking with Fr Hannigan while in Madrid, reflecting on the Holy Father’s message to the UK’s young people last year.

Joining the Paisley pilgrims at World Youth Day will be four members of the Special Religious Development (SPRED) group, which recently celebrated its 20th anniversary in Paisley Diocese. SPRED helps form groups of the Faithful to welcome children and adults with learning disabilities into the parish community.

Paisley Diocese took two girls from SPRED to the last WYD, in Sydney in 2008. The girls found great joy in celebrating their Faith in Sydney with the Holy Father and thousands of other young Catholics.

“The two girls we brought to Sydney absolutely loved it, they had an absolute ball and they took so much from it,” Michelle Winters, a Paisley youth group leader who will be attending her third WYD in Madrid, said.

Ms Riddoch added: “They are four great characters that are going and I think they’ll bring as much to the group as the group brings to them.

“They are all really looking forward to it, as are their carers. They were delighted when they were asked if they wanted to go.

“The whole of SPRED has been involved, they have done their own fundraising and the families of those going have all helped.”

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