Return to Europe

“I want to thank you all for having taken part in the World Youth Day 2008, here in Sydney, and I hope to see you in three years. The 2011 World Youth Day will be held in Madrid, Spain”, Pope Benedict XVI announced after reciting the Angelus Marian prayer in Randwick’s hyppodrome, Sydney. Spain’s Bishops’ Conference Office for Youth Pastoral Care confirmed that the Day will be celebrated August 15 to 21, 2011. It will be the second time for the Church of Spain to stage the international gathering of Catholic youth after 1989, when the WYD was held at the Sanctuary of Santiago de Compostella. A precious gift for Spain’s Church. “ This is a great gift for Spain’s Church – said Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela, archbishop of Madrid and President of Spain’s Bishops’ Conference – From now onwards it will have to devote all its energy and commitment in organizing the WYD which represents an opportunity to live the Gospel and enable participants to be the testimonies of God in the world”. Msgr. José Ignacio Munilla , bishop of Palencia and coordinator of Youth Pastoral Care within Spain’s Bishops’ Conference told SIR that “Pope Benedict XVI’s decision to choose Madrid as the city that will be hosting the next WYD is providential for our Church, as it needs to ‘open its windows’ and get a breath of fresh air”.Enthusiasm and joy in Sydney and Spain. The announcement immediately sparked jubilation among the Spanish Youth. “We feel deep joy in being able to receive the Holy Father in 2011 for the World Youth Day”, Father Francisco Bueno, coordinator of the meeting organized by Madrid’s archdiocese in the Cathedral of Almudena for the youth who were unable to go to Sydney, told SIR. “Fifteen-hundred young people followed the broadcast of Sydney WYD’s most salient moments. When they learned that in 2011 the WYD will be held in Spain, the youth were overcome by enthusiasm”. A meeting point. “Spain is a meeting point for both Europe and Latin America. Holding the WYD in Madrid is a very good choice”, told SIR Concha Padilla, one of the young Spanish pilgrims in Sydney for the WYD. “I’m sure, she added, that an event such as this one will prove beneficial for Spanish society, which has been undergoing deep changes in recent years. Many youth have lost their faith and perhaps the WYD will reach our to their conscience”. Isabel Borges is happy that Madrid was chosen to stage the next WYD since “Spain loves the Pope. This will be an occasion for Spanish People to show him all their affection”. José María Palàez said Madrid’s WYD “will be important to draw near the many Spanish Youth who are distant from faith”. How will it be? Spaniards are already envisaging what it will be like. “We expect over one million youth in Madrid for the WYD”, Cardinal Rouco Varela told the press. “However, figures are bound to surge: Spain is near the rest of Europe and is close to Africa. It’s easy to reach also from America and Asia”, Ruben Herrero, 29, in Sydney with a group of pilgrims enthusiastically told SIR. “It will be a WYD under the banner of the charismas”, said Luis Peolanco, 25, from Madrid, joined by Almudena Lopez , 26, who also considers it a “universal event” that will certainly enjoy the “mass participation” of pilgrims. A great responsibility. “We feel the responsibility of organizing this event”, Cardinal Rouco declared, adding that he isn’t “worried”, since he already had the experience of organizing the WYD in 1989. He does however look forward “to the support of the entire Church, in Spain, Europe and in the rest of the World”. “I equally expect the cooperation of my Country’s government. As relates to the costs of this event, we confide in God’s Providence”, His Eminence declared. Priorities in the event’s preparation include, according to Msgr. Munilla, director of Youth Pastoral Care within Spain’s Bishops’ Conference, “the establishment of a network coordinating pastoral care in parishes, religious colleges along with the pastoral care of Catholic movements”.