As you are probably already aware, from Thursday, 16th September to Sunday, 19th September Pope Benedict XVI made a state visit to the United Kingdom.
I was present at the mass in Westminster Cathedral representing CAFOD as one of 2,500 young people, gathered in the Piazza outside to welcome him. It was an honour to be a part of this historical event; the atmosphere there was incredible. Everyone started cheering with shouts of “Benedictus!” as he emerged to bless us and speak to us.
After the mass, everyone processed to Hyde Park, where we were to have a Prayer Vigil on the Eve of the Beatification of Cardinal John Henry Newman. The procession was huge, tens of thousands of people all on their way to the vigil. An hour before the Pope arrived; we had some moving presentations from people who had benefited from the Catholic faith, and a message about forgiveness from Jimmy Mizen’s family. His Holiness then arrived and the Exposition of The Blessed Sacrament took place. It was fantastic to see so many Catholics united, 200,000 in all, on the streets of London. It turned out to be a real success, with Pope Benedict XVI saying:
“Thank you for the warmth of your welcome and for the hospitality that I have enjoyed”.
It was great to be a part of such a great group of people, all with the same interests as you. We became friends quickly and I hope that I will see some of them in the future. The visits slogan was:
“Heart speaks unto Heart”,
is an excellent message of the visit, and I have been inspired by it. It teaches us that the way we act shows love to one another.
I didn’t expect to participate in a workshop about CAFOD on the Friday, so that was a pleasant surprise. I really enjoyed this, socializing with the others, learning more about CAFOD and other things (such as photography), and speaking to the representatives in the Philippines. The workshop showed how much help CAFOD needs and has inspired me to do more for it. I love the idea of World Gifts and received two piglets for christmas last year! I have sent off the lobbying postcard so that I can send letters to my MP and I have offered to help CAFOD North Wales in any way necessary. I’m really excited about what I can do for CAFOD, the money we can raise and the people I can tell.
For more information go to http://www.cafod.org.uk/ or http://www.thepapalvisit.org.uk/
Overall the event was great and I want His Holiness to come back next year! This visit has shown the critics the support and the popularity that the Catholic faith has in the United Kingdom. Thank you to everyone who made it such a great experience for me.
A group of 30 young CAFOD representatives went to the vigil in Hyde Park. These are their stories.
Check out how the resources for young people for HARVEST FAST DAY draw inspiration from the Papal Visit ‘Heart speaks unto heart.’ Use these resources for your assemblies and collective worship and join young Catholics all over in England and Wales prepare for Harvest Fast Day.
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