Happy Palm Sunday and a Blessed Holy Week to all.

The Pilgrimage Walk is over.  It was a wonderful day.  I have lifted wonder-photographer Sean Comber’s pics to share, as well as a few others from Facebook.  It turns out I had little opportunity to stop and aim a camera. (Pictures will enlarge if you click on them.)

UPDATE: The Catholic Review tells of 1400 Pilgrims Called to Carry on Jesus’ Mission

Meanwhile, I’m going to continue along the spiritual walk that Holy Week, the Triddum, and Easter offer.  It’s been months since a good blog-cation, so please excuse me while postings go off-line until Easter Monday.

The 1400 gathered at the St. Mary Spiritual Center, the of home of Elizabeth Ann Seton.	Archbishop Edwin O’Brien and young people take up the cross and begin the pilgrimage march.	Andy Andino and Who Do You Say That I Am rocked St. Jude Church in concert.
The Pilgrimage Cross arrived at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary where pilgrims gathered for Eucharistic Adoration.	Our basilica has a uniquely shaped monstrance.	Pilgrims then journeyed to War Memorial Plaza in front of Baltimore’s City Hall.  They rested, picnicked, and then gathered to pray the Rosary.
A closer look during the Rosary.	Of course, the Palm Sunday liturgy starts outside with the blessing of the palms and a procession. The Archbishop is joined by Bishop Rozanski and Bishop Madden.	The day culminated in the Palm Sunday liturgy commemorating the Passion of our Lord. We gathered at St. Casimir.
And as the day drew to a close…	Lead agents on the Pilgrimage Georgina Vaca and Kristin Witte blew off a little steam…	While we all celebrated our wonderful parish and school contacts who helped to bring the youngchurch together

See you in April, folks!

Interesting!

I do not think that I know of Ingrid Michaelson, at all.  It seems as if she has a video contest inviting folks to cover her song Everybody. (which, it turns out was featured on Grey’s Anatomy – which pretty much explains why I am unaware of it.)

Then, a Jennie Williams sends me this video asking me to put it on the blog so she can get a leg up on the competition. Yet, I’m not sure I know of Jennie, either.

But, it is a catchy and charming little song… “everybody” should give it a view.  You’ll enjoy it.

Today, we in ArchBalt walk in Pilgrimage -  up to 1400 strong.

And, yesterday, you saw the actual promo video again, but this video speaks to the quiet sensibility of walking amongst hundreds of teens.

Pray for safety. Pray for good weather. Pray for open hearts.

And, tomorrow, we walk.

Pilgrimage 2010 hits the streets of Baltimore on Saturday.

1,400 strong!

Please pray

… for good weather

… for safe travels

… for open hearts

The pilgrimage is this weekend.

The youngest daughter, catholic youth ministry viral video star, returns to the area tonight in preparation for this event.  She’s in college now, but first “walked” the pilgrimage from the comfort of a stroller.

Not only does she come to be in step with the youngchurch, but she is packing a plan to reclaim her fame on-line in early April.

Look out, Baltimore. Look out, Catholic Youth Ministry Blog.

Last week, on the LifeTeen blog, Randy Raus posted up on 5 Guaranteed Ways to Never Be Peaceful in Catholic Youth Ministry. They include:

1. Make Sure That You Never Think You’ve Done Enough

2. Ignore Any Past Success

3. Recognize That The Idea You Had is Too “Catholic”

4. Never Trust Your Own Core Team

5. Give Up When You Feel Like It.

But, read the whole post.  Sometimes, our own expectations can be the cause of our discomfort.

Recently, my co-worker and fellow blogger Sharon Bogusz offered a presentation on Generations: The Changing Face of the American Church. 

In her blog posting, she offers links to her research. And, she also graciously makes her power-point presentation available as well. It’s worth checking out.

Lots of gathering of young people

GAUTEMALA CITY, GAUTEMALA – - During the First Congress for Catholic Youth in Guatemala, more than 7,000 young people, together with Mexican actor Eduardo Verastegui, promised “to work for the virtue of purity” and “lead a chaste life.”  Also, Mexican soap-opera actress, Karyme Lozano, shared her own conversion experience and why she “abandoned her successful career to live a consistent Christian life according to the teachings of the Church.” The young people celebrated Mass with Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Apostolic Nuncio to Guatemala, who was joined by various Guatemalan bishops. Real all the Catholic News Agency article.

MUMBAI, INDIA – - From March 26, the start of the Holy Week, Catholic youth will manifest their belief through the Stations of the Cross. They will carry huge crosses to 13 different locations in Mumbai. This tour of the cross will end at Mount Carmel’s Church at Bandra. Thousands of Catholic boys and girls will celebrate Jesus Fest on March 26, also called Palm Sunday. More from DNA India

and, closer to home…

BALTIMORE, MD – - A new wrinkle has been added to the annual Youth and Young Adult Pilgrimage. Using an idea from Archbishop Edwin F. O’Brien, the March 27 walk through Baltimore City will start with the sacrament of reconciliation. More than 25 priests will hear confessions on the lawn of St. Mary’s Spiritual Center and Historical Site on Paca Street. Reconciliation will lead into a rally, which will gather the estimated 1,400 participants at St. Mary’s in song, prayer and celebration. More from the Catholic Review.

The Catholic Spirit of St. Paul and Minneapolis recently shared a video “Day in the Life” of a parish priest, Fr. Nels Gjengdahl.

It is truly a “blessed life.”

In this “Year for Priests,” we must continue to find ways to present the life of priests as the attractive and full adventure that it is.

No Sunday post today, but could not let the day go by without comment.  I’m working my way towards an Easter blogging break and life break.  This weekend involved two long afternoon naps- and both were needed. Busy week and Pilgrimage ahead.