HOMEPAGE for this issue: June 15, 2011 // Download PDF Version // Click to install/update Adobe Reader on your computer

World Youth Day Colorado Connection set for Aug. 20-21

By John Gleason

There are many young people who, for a variety of reasons, will be unable to attend the World Youth Day gathering in Spain this August.

For those who cannot attend World Youth Day, the logical thing to do is bring World Youth Day to them.

St. Mary Parish in Greeley has put together an event they call the Colorado Connection to World Youth Day as an opportunity for youths to have the pilgrim experience without leaving the country. It will be held in Greeley Aug. 20-21, according to Dick Pierson, St. Mary parishioner and project manager for the Colorado Connection.

“The goal of the project is to connect to the Madrid event in prayer and communications,” he said.

Participants will walk in pilgrimage to the Weld County District 6 Stadium. There, the crowd will be entertained by the music of Building 429 and 7eventh Time Down, two Christian rock bands.  Group activities to follow the concert include all-night eucharistic adoration, then at 2 a.m. the assembly will view a live feed of the Mass in Madrid celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.

Susie Ritz, youth minister at St. Mary, said from the time the idea was first floated last summer, there has been a growing excitement about it. 

“One of our high school students came up with the idea for a senior project,” Ritz said. “People at the parish loved the idea and jumped on it; in this day of world-wide communication, this will be a great way for kids to participate who couldn’t travel to Spain.”

The CCWYD committee wanted to do more than just host a weekend featuring an outdoor Mass.  Father Reinhold Weissbeck, pastor of St. Mary and veteran of World Youth Day celebrations, stressed the importance of providing catechesis on the World Youth Day theme, “Planted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in Faith,” so a committee has developed catechesis to prepare the participants to fully understand the foundation of the celebration. A catechetical packet will be available on the website. 

 “Understanding that we are actually rooted and built up in Jesus leads us to the inevitable statement of ‘Firm in Faith,’ that is an important concept for young people to grasp,” said Father Weissbeck.  

Ritz said invitations for the Colorado Connection were sent to parishes in Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska and Kansas.  So far, the committee has received confirmation for more than 200 people who plan to attend the Greeley event. Among them is Lois Brennecke of Wyoming.

Brennecke, 14, is a parishioner at St. Mary Cathedral in Cheyenne.  She said her grandmother heard about the Colorado Connection event and thought Lois might be interested in going.

“I’m excited about what’s going on there,” Brennecke said. “To be part of that group as they walk into the stadium and be part of adoration with young people from all over will be a very happy event.  I’m looking forward to making new friends, sharing my faith and bringing back nice memories of this time.”

Admission to the Greeley event is $75 per person; there is a sliding scale for parishes that might want to bring a group.  Rates can be found online at http://home.comcast.net/~ccwyd2011/index.html. The website also contains details about the event location, answers to questions about the event, lessons which can be used to prepare for the event and a link to the official World Youth Day website, or call Ritz at 970-352-1724 Ext. 103. Reservation deadline is June 30.