Following up on my review of Fr. Barron’s excellent Catholicism book, he shares some memories from the recently completed World Youth Day:
“Some images that will be forever burned in my memory: a twenty-thousand seat arena, absolutely filled with young Catholics rocking, stomping, and singing; Archbishop Timothy Dolan of New York, striding the stage like a pro, delivering one-liners worthy of David Letterman, and sharing the unvarnished Gospel with his youthful audience; giving a talk in a very hot room, jammed to the rafters with kids eager to hear about the process of discerning a vocation; hordes of young Catholics, wearing their distinctive yellow World Youth Day t-shirts, carrying overloaded backpacks, and marching through the streets of Madrid like a non-violent army.“
His recollections demonstrate the vast difference between what the media report and what is actually happening at events like this. I didn’t see much coverage about World Youth Day from the New York Times, USA Today, or even my own local Orlando Sentinel. And most of what I did see was all about the small number of ridiculous protestors.
This despite the fact that World Youth Day 2011 may have been the largest gathering of young people in human history.
If you want a more accurate picture of the events watch this video montage from Marc Barnes: