#Kracow2016: Blog
1
WYD
was an incredible experience and one I will not soon forget. In the next few
weeks I will be blogging about my experience and covering different angles.
Today I have focussed on why Aid to the Church in Need attended #Kracow2016.
WYD
I’ve
heard people criticise WYD in the past on the basis that the young pilgrims are
there for merely a party. That may be true in some cases, but what I
experienced was quite the opposite. Every pilgrim group I met, I found real and
personal encounters with Christ at the hearts of all the activities undertaken.
For
me WYD provided the most incredible Christian witness I've ever seen,
especially the enthusiasm, faith and passion of the French Youth! Despite the past few months and most recently
the new French Martyr (Father Jacques Hamel) just one week ago, they still rang
out the joy of Christ all week! #LoveWins #GodWins.
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| Crowd at Blonia Field |
WYD
is not just the single biggest gathering of young Catholics but of youth in
general.
Though the 2.6 million pilgrims
present may have come from 180 different countries, we are one Church.
During
the week the Pope invited us to abandon the sofa in favour of “a pair of
walking shoes”, to choose “new and uncharted paths,” to “leave a mark” on the
world.
Indeed,
this echoes Aid to the Church in Need’s #BeGodsMercy Campaign. This campaign
calls on all Catholics to stand in solidarity with suffering Christians and to
help spread God’s mercy to our brothers and sisters in Christ around the world.
 |
| Michael with Sr Stacey from Scotland |
 |
| Michael with Lyn from Germany |
Aid to
the Church in Need
Prayer,
information and action for the suffering Church is the focus of a campaign that
was launched by ACN at World Youth Day in Poland.
ACN
“Let’s be One” campaign was an opportunity for all young people at WYD to
connect with others who share their faith in the presence of the Pope.
ACN
collaborated with the production studio Catholic Radio and Television Network
(CRTN) to produce several short videos reflecting a day in the life of young
Catholics in such countries as Israel, Papua New Guinea, Iraq, Cuba, Kenya and
Poland.
Over
the course of the week ACN asked pilgrims to send postcards to those who could
not attend WYD, whether through poverty or persecution, and stand in solidarity
with them.
When
a pilgrim wrote a card the card would be sent to a country of their choosing
and in return someone from that country would pray for the person who sent the
note.
In
essence, ACN at
WYD was trying to build a bridge of prayer.
The
response we received from pilgrims was incredible, with many pilgrims eager to
return home and find out more about the suffering Church and how they can
support them further.
More
Information
Stay
tuned for my next blog where I will describe my experience taking part in The
Way of the Cross with The Holy Father, Pope Francis.
To find out more about ACN or the
#BeGodsMercy Campaign
Call: 01698 337 472
Tweet: @ACN_Scotland
