The following post was contributed by Stefanie Romano, a team leader from the Archdiocese of Toronto Office of Catholic Youth. The OCY Toronto group traveled to Madrid, Spain for World Youth Day. At my previous international WYD in Sydney, I visited a sheep-shearing station in the countryside. It was an odd day-trip, but Australia is ...read more

After thanking WYD volunteers, Benedict XVI left immediately for Madrid’s Barajas airport. In the presence of Spain’s King and Queen, he thanked the Spanish authorities and assured the country of his prayers. He specifically mentioned his concern for those suffering from the high rate of unemployment in Spain. The Holy Father called Spain “a great ...read more

Today is the Pope’s last day in Madrid, but he wasn’t going to leave without expressing a personal thank you. Before heading to the airport, the Holy Father met with World Youth Day volunteers at the IFEMA Fairgrounds. In his address to volunteers, he said that their work and prayer was like “weav[ing], stitch by ...read more

Pope Benedict XVI delivered the following homily at the Closing Mass of World Youth Day in Madrid: Dear Young People, In this celebration of the Eucharist we have reached the high point of this World Youth Day. Seeing you here, gathered in such great numbers from all parts of the world, fills my heart with ...read more

The official World Youth Day website has published a translation of the full address that Benedict XVI intended to give at the WYD Vigil. Due to heavy wind and rain, the Pope limited his spoken remarks to his greetings to the different language groups. The vigil resumed following a brief delay as the weather passed. ...read more

Before leading the World Youth Day Vigil, Pope Benedict met with young people with physical and mental disabilities. He visited the San José Institute, which assists in their care and specializes in treating epilepsy. 120 patients and workers from several Spanish centres were present, along with the Archbishop of Madrid, Cardinal Antonio María Rouco Varela. ...read more

By Cindy Wooden / Catholic News Service MADRID — Pope Benedict XVI began his third day in Madrid by hearing confessions in one of 200 portable confessionals set up in a park for World Youth Day pilgrims. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said the pope offered the sacrament of reconciliation to four World Youth ...read more

By Cindy Wooden / Catholic News Service MADRID — Pope Benedict XVI announced this morning that he will declare St. John of Avila the 34th “doctor of the church.” The Spanish saint, who lived 1500-1569, was famed as a preacher, confessor and spiritual writer. He is best known for the works “Audi, Filia” (“Listen, Daughter”), ...read more

A priest spends his entire life devoted to one task: to be modeled on Christ. This was Pope Benedict’s message this morning, as he celebrated a special World Youth Day Mass with seminarians. In the Cathedral of Santa María la Real de la Almudena, the Pope preached that since the holiness of the Church is ...read more

Alicia gives us the basics about today’s walking route that will take pilgrims from downtown Madrid to Cuatro Vientos Air Base for the prayer vigil and closing Mass with Pope Benedict XVI. ...read more