Conference room of the media center
Yesterday when I was coming home on the bus, we stopped for awhile at one point. The bus driver told us that there was heavy traffic because there was a demonstration going on ahead of us. I think he found a shortcut and we were able to avoid it. The next morning as I was having breakfast one of the priests was reading the news and told me that there was a violent protest in that place. The violence was instigated by a few people, and it is sad that so much damage was done; unfortunately, the poor people of this city will pay for it with their taxes. I can understand peaceful protests, but those vandals want to call attention and have fun at the expense of others. I am sure that the police are working hard to stop them and that God will not allow them to interfere with WYD. The “cariocas” are very good people, very hospitable and kind. My fellow volunteers and I have had just a great experience so far, and to be honest I still feel very secure here wherever I go. As a matter of fact the Legionary house where I live is 5 minutes walking from Rocinha, the famous favela from Rio.
Perpetual adoration at Copacabana
This morning the training continued. The volunteers had training on their specific duties. I will be working with the translation team, translating the WYD website news from Portuguese to English. Because of that, I had training at the Forte of Copacabana, an old costal fortress that is still an army base right next to Copacabana beach. The “Media Center” was set up there, a huge complex where all the press, communications and translation teams will work during this following week. From the “Forte” you can see the sea and the whole beach of Copacabana; it is truly gorgeous. I remember visiting that place years ago as a teenager. I never would imagine that I would come back as a Legionary brother to serve at the WYD!
I was really impressed with the whole presentation they gave to us. The communications department of the WYD is very professional. I was very edified by their zeal to transmit the word of God! I am so grateful for what those volunteers did. Many of them have dedicated a couple of years in the organization of the event, and the volunteers like me that just arrived are just jumping on the train. By the way, I am not the only one representing the Movement in North America here as a volunteer. Every activity I go to I meet Rene Blackwell, who is also serving as volunteer at the translation team. She is a consecrated woman presently working at Oxford, MI (Rene, thank you for your example!).
RC young people during Mass
After the training I decided to walk through Copacabana beach, and already could see several structures that were built to host the events of the Pope. I am looking forward to the events that will occur there. The beach is so beautiful, the ocean is amazing and right on our backs there are very pretty mountains. Someone told me that there was a Church near the beach called “Our Lady of Copacabana”. I went there and indeed was next to the beach. For my surprise they have perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament (like places in the city, they have it in Copacabana — I love the “cariocas”). This was a huge blessing, since today is Thursday, Holy Hour day! This made me think of how God is the one looking for us. The Blessed Sacrament found me before I could find him. Jesus takes the initiative.
At the end of the day I had another very special blessing. The Regnum Christi youth sections in Rio organized a Holy Hour and Mass at the RC section center, the “Centro Missão”. There were about a hundred people there, RC members from different countries (Canada, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Venezuela, Mexico and many others) and also different states of Brazil. There were also young people from other movements or other volunteers that heard about the event; also, a few Legionaries, consecrated women and even a consecrated man were there. We were all together there praying for the World Youth Day, praying for the pilgrims and for our dear Pope Francis. I was overflowing with joy to be with my RC family, united in prayer with all the RC members throughout the world, especially those who cannot attend the WYD, but surely would love to be here with us. If you cannot be here in Rio, you at least could unite with us in prayer, maybe saying once a day the official prayer of the World Youth Day:
Oh Father, You sent Your Eternal Son to save the world, and You chose men and women, so that through Him, with Him and in Him, they might proclaim the Good News of the Gospel to all nations. Grant us the necessary graces, so that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, the joy of being the evangelists that the Church needs in the Third Millennium may shine in the faces of all young people.
Oh Christ, Redeemer of humanity, the image of Your open arms on the top of Corcovado, welcomes all people. In Your paschal offering, You led us, by the Holy Spirit, to encounter the Father as His children. Young people, who are nourished by Eucharist, who hear You in Your Word and meet You as their brother, need your infinite mercy to walk along the paths of this world as disciples and missionaries of the New Evangelization.
Oh Holy Spirit, Love of the Father and of the Son, with the splendor of Your Truth and the fire of Your Love, shed Your Light upon all young people so that, inspired by their experience at World Youth Day, they may bring faith, hope and charity to the four corners of the earth, becoming great builders of a culture of life and peace and catalysts of a new world.
Amen !
Thank you for your prayers! God bless!
