DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, María Elena Vilches. The great desire of the Girls’ Youth from the Dominican Republic became a reality when approximately forty youth from different areas of country gathered to participate spiritually in World Youth Day Madrid 2011.
The youth arrived excitedly convinced that this experience was truly a spiritual accompaniment to the youth of the world who gathered with the Holy Father for the large celebration of faith.
Welcome at the Joseph Kentenich Airport
Upon arriving each youth received her passport, and they checked in to receive their boarding pass. In the conference hall, the plane was already prepared with numbered seating that would take the youth to their final destination: Madrid.
The flight proceeded normally, a stewardess offered the pilgrims drinks, and they also announced that they were to remain seated with the seat belts fastened when the plane went through turbulence.
On Friday morning, they participated in a talk where they deepened their understanding of the person of the Holy Father as the successor of Peter, and they analyzed the motto of World Youth Day: Firm in the faith. In the afternoon of the same day, they prayed the Stations of the Cross. The youth participated with great devotion and awareness that they would do it in union with hundreds of thousands of youth who prayed in the streets in the center of Madrid.
Another subject was based on the motto of the international Girls’ Youth: With you Father, Living Crown for the Church. This motto especially touched these girls whose Branch ideal is: “For you, Living Crown of the Father.”
A vigil was prepared for Saturday night, which consisted of a program that lasted all night. It began with Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament; there were different presentations and videos about important World Youth Day times with the Pope. In this way, the youth felt that they were not only spectators from a distance at this important event, but that they were participants of a transcendental moment in the history of the Church and of the world.
Living Crown for You
The climax of the vigil was the crowning of the Blessed Mother with a little RTA crown that each girl received. The rite of crowning began at the Memorial of the Father, where they asked Her to walk with each one of them, and that it be he, who presents the crown to the Queen. Then they went toward the Shrine in procession with lighted candles to pray the crowning prayer together.
Outside the Shrine, the girls formed a living RTA, in this way they expressed their desire to make their lives a true crown for the MTA, through their words and actions.
God wanted us to be here
This spiritual adventure through Spanish lands ended on Sunday. At the end, the youth evaluated the journey. All of them demonstrated their joy and gratitude to the MTA and Father for allowing them to participate in this large gathering.
Comments such as: “We learned to have much faith in the MTA and in God,” “It was a spiritual experience and an opportunity to educate ourselves and allow ourselves to be educated by the Blessed Mother,” and “God wanted us to be here” was the highlight with which this wonderful trip ended, from which they “returned” filled with strength and enthusiasm to be Living Crowns of the Father for the MTA in the world.
Translation: Celina Garza, San Antonio/Melissa Janknegt, Elgin, USA
