World Youth Day San Antonio 2016

More than 2,000 people —comprised of middle school and high school students, young adults and families across the archdiocese — took part in the World Youth Day San Antonio pilgrimage and Mass July 30; the local church’s “stateside” celebration of the international gathering which was taking place in Krakow, Poland with Pope Francis.

The Alamo city event, with the theme, “Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7), began with an opening prayer led by Archbishop Gustavo García-Siller, MSpS, at Mission Concepción.
“The many weeks of your preparation have brought us to this place. Let us praise God for giving us the resolve to make this moment of grace a priority in a busy summer,” said the archbishop in an outdoor ceremony. “Let us join together in prayer with our Holy Father, the thousands of World Youth Day pilgrims in Krakow, Poland, and the whole universal church wherever they are. World Youth Day gives the world a profound witness of the vibrant and youthful nature of our faith, providing great hope for the future.”

Archbishop Gustavo praised those gathered to make Jesus the center of the faith in their lives and celebrate the Jubilee Year of Mercy. He prayed especially for all young people, who are not just the future of the church, but also bring great blessings to it today. “We give thanks for your families who have inspired and formed your love of God in your soul,” he stressed. “Now, let the Holy Spirit speak to your hearts and minds, revitalizing the faith we share together.”

Prior to undertaking the pilgrimage of prayer, the archbishop emphasized that a pilgrimage is more than a family outing or a visit to a tourist attraction; it is a journey of faith.

“As pilgrims we ask the Holy Spirit to open our hearts so that we may receive God’s grace and discover God’s will, with each step animated by prayer and love for one another,” he explained. “Our pilgrimage unites our prayer with the thousands of our brothers and sisters in Krakow as they raise their voices in faith and seek God’s mercy.”

The Holy Father teaches that prayer should be intended to open the door of hearts to the Lord so he can work in and through lives. “As we walk along our pilgrimage of prayer, let us open our hearts to the Father’s desire for each one of us,” the San Antonio prelate requested. “His will reflects his mercy and love for all of us. His will is his invitation for us to be missionaries of his mercy. His will is for us to love him with all our hearts and souls, and love our neighbors as ourselves.”

The archbishop then asked a series of questions to the crowd. “What and who will you pray for today? Will you pray for your needs, your weaknesses, you doubts and fears? Will you pray for your families, friends, your parish, the person beside you or the person who is praying for you in Krakow? Will you raise up in prayer refugees and immigrants who are lost on their journey to escape the tyranny of poverty, violence, and the many evils society inflicts on the least of our brothers and sisters? Will you ask that they know that God’s mercy is present and waiting for them to ask? Will you pray that you and the whole Church will reach out to those most in need as instruments of his mercy and peace?”

Pope Francis offers petitions that we should pray every day; “Holy Spirit, make my heart open to the word of God, make my heart open to goodness, make my heart open to the beauty of God every day.”

“As you walk on your journey, ask the Father to send us his Spirit so that we may learn how to pray; how to open our hearts and our minds to the great gifts he has waiting for you,” the Missionary of the Holy Spirit told listeners.
As the faithful began their pilgrimage to Mission San José, Archbishop Gustavo gently asked that they remain quiet and reverent so that those around them may be focused in prayer, and to be mindful of God’s presence.
We are indeed blessed to walk in the footsteps and the holy memory of all those who built our missions as sacred places of faith,” he concluded. “Let us hear their prayers for God’s mercy and love as they planted the seeds of faith that have blossomed and left us a legacy of mercy, love and hope.”
The archbishop prayed a series of intentions to which the pilgrims responded, “Walk with me Lord.” Among the prayer requests were those for the young people in Krakow (which included a group of about 200 attendees from the Archdiocese of San Antonio in Poland), the Vicar of Christ, those who could not be present at the pilgrimage, and the Blessed Mother.

The group proceeded down Mission Road and through the Holy Doors at Mission San José in a walk that took just more than an hour.
The pilgrimage was followed by Mass on the mission grounds, with Archbishop Gustavo presiding at the liturgy with several concelebrants on a large stage.

He told attendees that they were today to celebrate the presence of God’s mercy and to unite in prayer with the Holy Father and brothers and sisters at the World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland. “We embrace this truth in our hearts and prepare to share it with a world yearning for peace.”

The readings for the liturgy provided examples of two of God’s chosen prophets who were called to be the Father’s messengers. In both cases they were threatened with death as their penalty for testifying to God’s Word.
“They truly are examples for all of us to follow, regardless of age. God invites us to live the prophetic vocation that was given to us at our baptism,” said the archbishop. “In that mission, we are chosen to bring others to encounter the redemptive love of Jesus Christ. Let us all renew our ‘baptismal yes’ to the Father’s call.”

When God first called Jeremiah to be his messenger he was very young, less than 30 years old, perhaps even a teenager. He told God, “I do not know how to speak. I am too young. But the Lord answered, “Do not say I am too young… to whomever I send you go… do not be afraid of them.”

“He is speaking to all of us with the same message. We are all called to witness to the truth of God with our lives,” Archbishop Gustavo said.
In the second reading, Matthew 14:1-12, John the Baptist told Herod that he had sinned when he married his brother’s wife. This was an opportunity for Herod to repent and change his life, but instead Herod held even closer to his sin of passion and killed John the Baptist, fearing the power that he felt John possessed.

Pointing to the World Youth Day Cross that was at the forefront of the pilgrimage, Archbishop Gustavo described it as a sign and symbol of Jesus’ mercy and love for mankind.

“So let us carry that cross in our hearts,” he explained. “Jeremiah and John the Baptist had the courage to speak the truth, to confront the world’s wisdom that attempted to deny God’s Word. We face a similar struggle as our pilgrimage takes us through a world that is too often blinded by its own selfishness, anger and fear.”

Archbishop Gustavo closed by leaving worshipers with the challenge that Pope Francis gave the youth of the world when he announced World Youth Day. “I ask you to swim against the tide; yes, I am asking you to rebel against this culture that sees everything as temporary and that ultimately believes you are incapable of responsibility; that believes you are incapable of true love. I have confidence in you and I pray for you. Have the courage to ‘swim against the tide,’ and also have the courage to be happy.”

Following the liturgy a concert by the Paradise Awaiting Band concluded the gathering, with attendees also taking advantage of the opportunity to purchase lunch from a variety of food trucks that were available in the parking lot.