WAY's Trip to See John Paul II

On January 26 and 27, 1999, Pope John Paul II made a pastoral visit to the Archdiocese of St. Louis. Five teens and two adults from St. Charles were fortunate enough to participate in this historic and exciting event--attended almost exclusively by people from St. Louis and Missouri.
Text of the Pope's remarks

Day one of the trip centered around the Papal Youth Rally. 20,000 teenagers packed the Keil Center Hockey Arena and danced for hours to the tunes of various Christian rock bands. Between the bands were nationally-famous speakers giving witness to God’s love for the teens and for the world. When someone mentioned the Eucharist, they cheered. Confession, they cheered. Abstinence until marriage, pro-life, service to the poor: cheers, cheers, cheers! But it was the mention of the man who shepherds our Church that brought the noise to unbelievable levels. And just when you thought it couldn’t get any louder the Pope arrived and the place went wild!

For the next couple of hours we belonged to our Pope and he to us. We cheered for him and cried for him. We prayed with him, sang with him, listened to him and learned from him. We were moved by him, the Vicar of Christ, and we will never be the same.

Early the next morning, exhausted but energized, we had the honor attending Mass. That honor made all the more special by the celebrant, our Pope. With 120,000 other people under the TWA Dome we prayed and received our Lord in the Eucharist. From the third row, we had a good view of John Paul II, the Cardinals and many Bishops...our leadership united with us and for us.

After a quick peek at the St. Louis Arch and the Mississippi river we boarded our plane for the flight back to Washington. Our trip ended much like it began, gathered together --parents and teens-- in prayer in the middle of the parking lot at St. Charles. We pray in thanksgiving for an amazing trip and for the opportunity to share what we experienced with others, because as Jesus said and the Pope reminded us: we are called to be a light to the world.

Each of us 7 shared an experience of exceptional joy, of unbelievable excitement and of profound Catholic pride, and yet each were touch very personally by God. Here is what two teens have to say in their own words.