For the World Youth Day pilgrim, being surrounded by hundreds of thousands of fellow Catholics for Mass will be a taste of Heaven. If one picks up an intestinal illness, however, the crowded Cuatro Vientos air base (the expansive site of the vigil and closing Mass), will provide a very different experience. With that in ...read more

Vatican and WYD launch an invitation system to get people to the event If the success of recent new social media networks is any indication, there is nothing more powerful than receiving an invitation to use a new product or attend an event. The Vatican figured that out, too. Through the Vatican’s social media website ...read more

The Mayor of Madrid, Alberto Ruíz Gallardón, has issued his third proclamation in these eight years at the head of the Madrid City Council, this time it is addressed to all Madrilenians on the occasion of the upcoming celebration for World Youth Day (WYD), to be held in the Spanish capital from August 16 to ...read more

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

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

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

Earlier this week a press conference was held at the John Paul II Hall of the Vatican Press Office, to present the status of preparations at less than 50 days before the start of the upcoming World Youth Day in Madrid. [singlepic id=35 w=240 float=right]Following the disclosure of the final agenda of Benedict XVI last ...read more

Are you interested in World Youth Day? I don’t mean  Madrid11 – I mean ALL World Youth Days: before Madrid and beyond. [singlepic id=30 w=320 float=right]If so, you can now benefit from a new resource: www.wydcentral.org. This new website features a repository of information on World Youth Days and will be an information hub for ...read more