You can now find out stats and figures from each country participating in WYD. Just follow this link to the official WYD website and use the interactive map. The WYD Madrid National committee reports that there are currently 420.508 registered participants for the 6-day event. Many of these (133.961) will also be participating in the ...read more

It’s very quiet now at Salt and Light. It’s sometimes difficult to see the abundance of God in times like this. This past Sunday’s Gospel made me think of that. You know, the abundance of God. The point of the story is not that Jesus can make bread and fish out nothing – the point ...read more

Carl Anderson, Supreme Knight: [singlepic id=66 w=320 h=240 float=right] I am delighted to welcome all our guests, particularly those now joining us from around the world by watching these proceedings live on EWTN, Salt + Light Television and CatholicTV. We also welcome those listening on EWTN radio. As Supreme Knight, it is my privilege to declare ...read more

by Robert Lalonde, ACN Canada Montreal, Thursday, July 28, 2011 – The 700,000 copies of the new Youth Catechism – YOUCAT – represents one of the biggest print orders in the world today. This book of 300 pages will be distributed to 700,000 participants at the World Youth Days (WYD) which will be taking place ...read more

The business of being Church is not an easy one. I discovered this while working for the WYD2002 office. I have said on numerous occasions that this amazing experience was a great blessing for me and for my family. One of the blessings is that I got to see the best of the Church. At ...read more

The so-called staycation is becoming a popular option for many. It’s considerably more affordable to spend a week off in your own home, enjoying cultural activities you’ve never made time for or completing long-neglected household tasks. And doesn’t a morning spent reading the newspaper at the neighbourhood café sound more relaxing than preparing for travel? ...read more

World Youth Day 2011 is coming up soon! In August, an enormous group of people is going to travel to the beautiful city of Madrid.  Among the pilgrims we will see young people, priests, religious, pastoral ministers and, of course, Pope Benedict XVI. [singlepic id=51 w=320 h=240 float=right] Though I will not be going to ...read more

Pope Benedict deplores the manner in which the Catholic Church in China is being treated by Chinese officials. [singlepic id=50 w=320 float=right]That from a Vatican statement regarding last Thursday’s illicit Episcopal ordination of Fr. Joseph Huang Bingzhang (we first wrote about the ordination last week). The ordination was conducted through the government-sanctioned Chinese Catholic Patriotic ...read more

Does your schedule this August have you in class? Or working and unable to get time off to go anywhere? Many would-be World Youth Day pilgrims have this problem. [singlepic id=43 w=320 float=right]The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops has tried to solve this problem with their website virtualworldyouthday.org. In the approximately 34 days left ...read more

As we close in on the one month mark here in Madrid things are getting busier, crazier, and more intense. [singlepic id=42 w=220 float=right]The only thing that will keep us in working order (aside from proper sleep and nutrition) is prayer. The team at Holy Cross Family Ministries foresaw this event and back in May ...read more