WYD pilgrims chart brave, new life paths for Christ

Trekking to Toronto opened hearts minds and souls to God's plan.

By RENATO GANDIA
WCR Staff Writer
Edmonton

An unlikely pilgrim, Meyer had not even been a churchgoer.

"I was baptized and confirmed, but up until this year, I was not really taking seriously my faith as part of my life," said Meyer.

Even his closest friends did not know he was Catholic.

For whatever reason, the 23-year-old decided to sign up for the Toronto event when he heard about it last January.

That decision proved to be life changing.

His experience before, during and after the Toronto gathering not only led him to reclaim and embrace his faith, but also "not to be afraid sharing faith with other people.

"Now all my friends know I am Catholic. And I am and not afraid to share my story. I talk with them about it and I get different reactions, but it has been really a positive experience.

"I don't feel that it's not a cool thing to do anymore."

With his sight set on joining the RCMP, Meyer is involved with an interfaith speakers group at Grant McEwan Community College and will start a young adult Catholic group on campus.

Another pilgrim, Trish Roffey, suffered hypothermia while stranded by a barricade and separated from her husband for seven hours at Downsview Park during the WYD closing Mass.

A Good Samaritan came to the rescue and gave Roffey the shirt she was wearing so she could stay warm.

This experience has inspired Roffey to do the same whenever the opportunity arises and now this parishioner of St. Charles Parish wants to do community outreach.

"For me, it was such a high while we were there. It was so powerful. It's something you can't turn off. It stays with you," she told the WCR at the WYD reunion sponsored by the Archdiocesan Youth Commission on Sept. 29.

"It's (WYD)the launching pad and not the destination." - Archbishop Thomas Collins

"For me, it was a shock that there's still some people out there who are willing to do anything for you."

Meyer and Roffey are but two of the many people who were moved and affected positively by WYD.

Close to 300 pilgrims who were in Toronto attended the archdiocesan gathering graced by the Archbishop Thomas Collins, priests, Janelle Reinhart - official WYD singer, youth ministers among others.

In between music and snacks, WYD pilgrims from different parishes of Drayton Valley, Edmonton, Lloydminster, Red Deer and Villeneuve shared memories and photographs at St. Joseph's Basilica.

WYD archdiocesan coordinator Andrew Papenbrock, said, "We always get nervous with the young people. We don't know if they're coming or not. But what's been amazing is that we have a larger crowd than what we expected."

Papenbrock believes these young people had a genuine encounter with Christ and "they wanted to keep going and they're looking for ways to continue on with that experience."

In his address to the participants, the archbishop said, "WYD is not just an event, but an experience to deepen our faith.

"It's the launching pad and not the destination."

Although pilgrims encountered Christ in this Toronto gathering, Collins emphasized, "We normally encounter Christ in quiet journeys, walking quietly beside us."

The archbishop encouraged the young people to keep the spirit of WYD alive by being involved in the actual life of the parish.

This is what brother and sister Erwin and Ellen Fung are doing.

Erwin, who represented the archdiocese in welcoming the pope, helps out in his parish as much as he can. "I want to help other youth be fired up about Christ and his message."

Ellen, who is a veteran WYD pilgrim having gone to Paris and Rome, explained, saying, "We are basically living our lives as happy young Christian adults and trying to use that as the magnet to attract other youths to the Church as well.

The three-hour reunion culminated with a Mass, presided by the archbishop with seven priests concelebrating. Given the large turnout, Father Len Gartner suggested they hold another similar gathering.

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