Crowds, colour, and community. These are the three words which spring to mind when I think of our recent trip to Rome.
The crowds were just amazing; literally millions of young people, who had accepted the Pope’s invitation to come and celebrate World Youth Day 2000. At the different communal events during the week, the sheer volume of people was just mind-blowing!
When people gathered from scores of countries around the globe, each bearing their own national flag, a spectacle of colour was created. At our gatherings in St. Peter’s Square, every type of banner, emblem and flag was raised, giving a real carnival atmosphere. I heard the week being referred to as a “Papal Woodstock”!
Coming together as such a large representation of the world’s young Catholic community, helped me to see that despite all our differences we have so much in common.
There were many highlights during the week. The opening ceremony on the day after our arrival in Rome was a day-long event, a taste of things to come! Then there was the opening of the Holy Door in St. Peter’s Basilica. It was a privilege to be in Rome and to pass through that sacred doorway, opened especially for the Jubilee Year.
Ireland Abroad
We spent a very enjoyable evening as guests of the Irish College; which is really a piece of Ireland in the heart of Rome. Bishop Dónal Murray of Limerick and Bishop John Magee of Cloyne con-celebrated Mass ‘al fresco’ in the grounds of the College. The evening was rounded off in typical Irish style with a good ‘Irish Session’ that stretched into the early hours of the morning!
The major event of the week was the pilgrimage to Tor Vergata, a site outside Rome. It began with a vigil ceremony at which the Holy Father was present.
It was a memorable evening. Two million of us sitting in a field, each holding a candle, singing and praying in the company of John Paul II. There were performances of music and creative dance by young people from every corner of the globe, including our own Moya Ní Bhréanáin, who sang a beautiful song entitled “Perfect Time”.
The vigil ended with a breath-taking fireworks display. The Pope’s celebration of Mass the next morning marked the official ending of World Youth Day 2000.
A Man for All People
Our last day in Rome gave us a chance to relax, and to reflect in our minds and hearts what the week had meant for each of us. One important aspect was the Pope. While most of us did not get to meet him or shake his hand, he certainly had a great presence during the week. His love for young people was obvious. For me, the week changed my impression of John Paul II, from being a distant head of the Church, to a tangible and real human being.
Encountering people from so many different countries was another important aspect of the week. Our own group from Cashel and Emly was made up of twelve young people from various parishes. Few of us had met prior to the trip, and all of us were from different walks of life, but we got on exceptionally well.
Overall, it was a wonderful week and a chance-of-a-lifetime experience. Roll on Toronto 2002 when it happens all over again!

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