WYD Event at SPS!

With the 2008 World Youth Day fast approaching, the Saint Paul Seminary hosted an evening for all people of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis that were going to Australia for the big event.

With Ben and myself being the only seminarians here for the summer, we were informed that the event was coming up. It sounded like the event would more than fill Saint Mary's Chapel here at the Saint Paul Seminary; Ben added all the folding chairs we could muster into the chapel and I straightened out the pews and performed the sacristy duties - setting up for Mass.

The event sounded very simple: open with Mass with Archbishop Nienstedt, have the guests remain in the chapel for a presentation preparing them for what they would encounter in Australia, and close with a catered supper in the seminary courtyard and lobby.

Ben would be out at a wedding for the evening; my task was very simple: setup for Mass and then stay at the front desk to field questions from the guests. This was great - our guests told us that they were coordinating the presentation, food, and all details other than the setup for Mass.

Before most of the guests arrived, I was informed of several "emergencies." Keep in mind, my task for the evening was to greet our guests and field the standard basic questions: Is it Ok that I parked over there? Where is the restroom? Where are the priests vesting? It was a bit challenging to respond to these situations: missing electrical equipment, lacking staging equipment, an MIA-catering service, and spilled lettuce - sadly, there is no time to write about these "emergencies;" not to worry though, they were addressed.

Archbishop Nienstedt began his homily by singing part of the new World Youth Day theme song: Recieve the Power. Following Mass, the Archdiocesan Office of Marriage and Families sponsored a lecture and presentation on that which they would encounter in Australia as well as updates on the schedule, important notes, and so forth.

After the presentation, the seminary hosted a catered supper for all the members of the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis that were going to World Youth Day. The seminary's lobby and courtyard were filled with very excited and wonderful people. I enjoyed talking with many of them and learning why they decided to attend the WYD event. Their answers varied, of course, but certainly the most popular answer was "to see the pope."

Perhaps the most unique answer was from a gentleman in his late-teens who told me: "My parents travel to conferences for their jobs all the time; this is like Catholics going to a job conference - it'll be awesome!" Well spoken, young sir.

The Saint Paul Seminary will have at least one of our seminarians attending WYD: Scott from the Diocese of Madison, Wisconsin. Father Beaudet - our professor of Canon Law - will be leading one of the delegations from the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis to Australia.

We send our best wishes as well as prayers for a safe journey to all WYD travelers.

Take care, -Jeremy