Lincolnshire teen heading to World Youth Day
By Michael sean comerford Contributor August 2, 2011 8:54PM
Eileen Moran (left) 19, of Lincolnshire goes to Bradley University, and Jessica Tanyko, 18, recently graduated from St. Viator High School. They both are going to Madrid and called it a "once-in-a-lifetime experience." | Michael Sean Comerford
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Updated: August 4, 2011 3:23AM
Eileen Moran of Lincolnshire, is brushing up on her history.
Jessica Tanyko, also a St. Mary’s Parish peer minister, jokes she’ll have to buy Rosetta Stone language CDs.
How does a teenager prepare for an event such as World Youth Day 2011, a week of religious events crowned at the end by Mass with Pope Benedict XVI before more than 1 million other young Catholics from around the world gathered in Madrid, Spain?
Too many history books to read. Too many Rosetta Stone CDs to learn. And at the center, a massive Catholic pilgrimage called World Youth Day 2011.
“It’s the Catholic Olympics for Catholic youth,” said Lacey Rust, director of youth ministry at St. Mary’s Parish in Buffalo Grove, where a World Youth Day Sending Mass was held Friday, with Cardinal Francis George presiding.
“A million people celebrating? I think it will be more mind-blowing than I expect it to be,” said Moran, agreeing with Tanyko that it “will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
The two were present at Friday’s World Youth Day 2011 Sending Mass at which Cardinal George spoke to 800 Catholics from throughout the archdiocese.
St. Mary’s Parish is sending 10 teens, and Rust and her husband as chaperones. They’ll be leaving Monday for a two-week pilgrimage. The peer ministers spent three years raising money for the trip, with their main fund-raiser being St. Mary’s parking fees during Buffalo Grove Days every year.
“We’re starting at the Vatican and then on to Assisi and Madrid,” Rust said. “This is not just a neat trip to Europe ... This is seeing the pope and being with 1.5 million other teens who believe in the same things they do.”
Rust was on the trip to Sydney, Australia three years ago for that World Youth Day and says, “We’re still glowing from that trip.
“You can take years and years to get educated about the church and the pope. But when you are in his presence, there is no question you are in the presence of holiness. We learned so much about the Holy Spirit.”
In the archdiocese, 480 youth will be going to Madrid for a week of massive gatherings and religious events involving nations from around the world. Individuals who aren’t able to attend will be able to participate via a telecast at Our Lady of Guadalupe Shrine in Des Plaines.
“I went to Florence once, but this time the trip will be centered around faith and be 10 times more awesome,” said Hank Lyon, 17, of Buffalo Grove, who attends Stevenson High School.
Kristina Modesto, 17, of Long Grove, and Celina Romano, 17, of Buffalo Grove, said they look forward to the faith aspect of the trip, calling it “a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
“I think it will be an amazing experience; it’s a real pilgrimage,” Modesto said.
Before the Mass, music, dancing and skits entertained at the St. Mary’s Activity Center.
The English, Polish and Spanish blessing Mass on Friday was symbolic of the multi-cultural experience local youth are going to experience leading up to a week of daily Masses, teachings, festivals, walking tours, a welcoming ceremony, candlelight vigil and a closing Mass with Pope Benedict.
Performers John Angotti and Jorge Rivera performed during Friday’s Mass at St. Mary’s.
Cardinal Francis George addressed the youth, saying they will be in communion with other youth in their faith.
“It will be a marvelous event because Christ in is your midst,” George said during the Mass. “They (attendees from other nations) have met the risen Christ too.”
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