The City and the World

The disciples were gathered together in a room on Pentecost, the Jewish feast of Shavuot, when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, as recounted in Acts 2.  Empowered by the Spirit, they proclaimed the Good News in many different languages so that Jews gathered from all parts of the Roman Empire could understand them.

I thought about what happened on that first Christian Pentecost during my time at World Youth Day 2019 in Panama City last month.  World Youth Day was started by Pope St. John Paul II, and is an international event held about once every three years in a different city, to which hundreds of thousands of pilgrims journey for this event, which includes catechesis, prayer opportunities, concerts, and large events with the Pope in attendance.  Normally, it's held in the summer months of July and August, but since that's the rainy season in Panama City, organizers switched it to January for the 2019 event.  That was part of the reason for lower attendance numbers than previous years, but there were still hundreds of thousands present.

The Spanish translation for World Youth Day is JMJ, an acronym for Jornada Mundial de la Juventud.  Jornada is a term that can mean a day, a journey, or a conference.  As I feel the term is more encompassing of the event's scope, I will use the abbreviation JMJ to refer to World Youth Day in this post.

Attending JMJ had always been something I had wanted to do, being part of a huge, international-scale event, engaging with faith in a wholly different way, and seeing the Pope.  When I heard the announcement in 2016 that the 2019 location would be Panama City, I set my sights on going.  While at one point, it looked unlikely I could attend, circumstances fell into place just right.

This trip was my first to a Spanish-speaking country, which made me even more interested in attending the 2019 event.  In many ways, this trip was unlike anything I had done before:  It was the farthest I've traveled from the United States and the longest continuous amount of time I have ever spent outside the US.  Additionally, it was my first time traveling on an airplane in almost 10 1/2 years, and my first ever international flight as well as my first overnight flight.  (Fortunately, I didn't have to deal with jet lag, since Panama City is only one hour ahead of US Central time during the standard time period of the year.  Please note, that in this post, all times are local to Panama City, unless otherwise noted.)

And certainly the scale of this trip meant I had to prepare for it with a heightened sense of intensity than any other trip I've ever gone on, not to mention having to start planning for it by registering nearly a year in advance.  I was fully aware of this when, on Wednesday, January 23, it came time for me to get in the car for my parents to take me to O'Hare Airport, as I remarked how incredible it was that I was at the threshold of embarking on the most significant experience yet of my life.

I was glad to have the chance to join the group from the Diocese of Gary, because St. Teresa of Avila, in that diocese, was an instrumental part in kindling anew great zeal for faith during my college years.  It was also nice that I already knew a couple of people in the group, and those connections were a good basis for getting to know the others.

My parents dropped me off at O'Hare International Airport, and I went inside the terminal, beginning my escape from Chicagoland-style winter for a few days.  After waiting for nearly an hour, the group arrived, and we got in line to check in, then go through security, and then make way to the gate.  I made a point to get myself in a Spanish-speaking mindset by conversing with the airline staff person in Spanish when I checked-in, which made me feel just a little bit sophisticated.

We departed about 12:15 AM CST early on January 24, a few minutes ahead of schedule, onboard COPA flight 234.  Our group leader Kevin strongly encouraged us to sleep on the flight there so that we could be ready to hit the ground running upon arrival.  I did what I could to sleep, which may have not been solid, but it was okay, as was the case on train trips I've taken in recent years.  I enjoyed the company of Emily and Adeline seated on either side of me at various points during the approximately 5 hour, 15 minute-long flight.  Around 5 AM, the flight attendant distributed breakfast:  I chose French toast, which came with a fruit dish and yogurt.

The sun started to rise as the flight neared Panama City, and we got some good views of the skyline as we neared our landing at Tocumen International Airport, where we arrived by 7 AM.

Above is a photo I took on the approach to Tocumen International Airport.  Down below you can faintly see the skyline of Panama City, beneath the airplane wing.  Below is a sign at Tocumen airport, which translates in English as "Welcome Pilgrims to Panama."  There were many signs up all over Panama City welcoming pilgrims.

Here we are walking through Tocumen Airport from our gate toward immigration and customs.  I appear toward the right. Photo is courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

We whisked our way through the airport to immigration, where I got the first stamp ever in my passport, and then on to customs, which was very straightforward.  Then, we got on the bus that whisked us to our hotel, the Doubletree El Carmen, with great views of the skyline as we approached the city center along Route 1, La Carretera Interamericana/Pan-American Highway.

On the bus, riding toward our hotel.  Photo is courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

Even at the early hour of the morning, it was obvious we had left Chicagoland-style winter behind and had entered a truly tropical locale, with warmth and humidity, reminding me of when I went to Florida a couple of years ago and was delighted to encounter summerlike sunshine and warmth, yet even more so on this trip.  Indeed, the high temperature was almost 90 degrees every day we were there, with moderate humidity, and generally clear skies with strong sun.  There wasn't any rain, as the dry season runs from December through February, and factored into the timing of JMJ 2019 in January rather than its usual July/August time frame.

At the hotel, we got set up with our JMJ materials, and then put our luggage in storage.  Then we headed out to take in the offerings of the day.  While we arrived after JMJ had already started, there was still plenty for us to take advantage of at JMJ and in the city itself.

The front of our hotel

Here is the scene of Via Espana near our hotel.  Near one of the corners is a strip mall with Wendy's, McDonald's, and Subway.  Indeed, there's no escaping American fast food in Panama.

We rode the Metro, a fine, modern light-rail train system, and made our way to the Cinco de Mayo station.  From there, we walked along, looking at shops, especially while strolling along the Avenida Central pedestrian walkway, and visited many beautiful churches, some of which had been touched up for the occasion of JMJ.  We had lunch at Pio Pio, a fast food place specially featuring chicken.

The Avenida Central pedestrian mall

Inside la Iglesia del Merced was a museum with an incredible diorama of stories pertaining to the birth of Jesus Christ.

Above is the outside of the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria de la Antigua across from La Plaza de Independencia.  Below is a view of the altar inside.

Here is Santa Maria de la Antigua inside the Cathedral Basilica.  Above her is the Panamanian coat of arms.

Above is the outside of La Iglesia de San Francisco de Asis, and below is the altar inside.

Look Mom, it's January and I certainly don't need a coat while outside.  Here I am posing by the waterfront in Casco Viejo, with the Panama City skyline behind me.

We left Casco Viejo, the colonial-era part of the city, in the mid-afternoon to head for la Cinta Costera/Campo Santa Maria de la Antigua for the Papal Arrival ceremony.  On our way there, we came to a street with barricades set up along it, which Kevin said was a sign of a papal drive-by.  So we staked out a spot and waited for Pope Francis, along with dozens of other pilgrims, including a group from Poland that nestled in the area where we were.  After standing there for over an hour, with many official vehicles passing by, someone passed by in a vehicle and informed us Pope Francis had already passed by elsewhere and had arrived at the ceremony.  So we made our way there.  Despite not having the opportunity to see Pope Francis, it was amazing just to be there with the crowds of people from so many nations and take in the feeling of excitement of being there together.

In his speech at the arrival ceremony, Pope Francis talked about how, as we gather in this wonderful celebration, we are united in the love of God that urges us on, a love that we don't keep quiet about, but we act on, raise others up.  He also referenced the JMJ 2019 theme, talking about Mary's response of obedience to God, that she believed in the dream God had for the world, the dream steeped in His love for us, and she responded yes to God's word to her, just as we are called to do the same so new horizons open up for us.

I'm toward the right in the white hat in this photo of our group at the arrival ceremony. Photo is courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

Once the ceremony ended, we started walking along the waterfront back to our hotel, as you can see in the photo below.

I'm on the far right in this photo, which is by Vicky Hathaway, courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

After a few minutes, we noticed something abuzz in the crowds lined along a nearby roadway, and Kevin sensed the Pope would be passing by.  So we raced toward the road, and sure enough, Pope Francis went whizzing by in the Popemobile.  What a thrill it was to be about 200 feet away from His Holiness.  We continued back toward our hotel in a spirit of exuberance from the papal drive-by.

Upon arriving at the hotel, we checked in.  A group of dancers from the local area was performing in the lobby.  As I stood on the side watching them, a girl in the dancer group grabbed me by the hand, and led me into the dance circle.

The next day, Friday, within a few minutes after waking up, I went to the nearby Iglesia del Carmen for 7 AM Mass.  The Church is named for Our Lady of Mount Carmel, and is a notable landmark in Panama City.  

Above is the front of La Iglesia del Carmen.  Below is the interior of the church, right after Mass ended.

One website I read said it is the only gothic church in Panama.  I especially made a point to attend Mass on January 25, because of the personal connection I feel to the Feast on that day, the Conversion of St. Paul.  While Mass was celebrated in Spanish, I could follow it generally well, especially since those who speak did so more slowly.  The priest offered a great message in the homily about how we are called to go forth and proclaim the Gospel, which was the driving force in St. Paul's life ever since God brought about his radical conversion.  Even at that early hour, the church was filled, especially with many young people attending JMJ.  There was an exuberant kind of atmosphere, especially when it came time for the sign of peace, and people embraced each other with a kiss, which kind of caught me off guard at first, but then I followed along with as a matter of immersing myself in the local culture.

Following Mass, I went to the fabulous breakfast buffet at the hotel, which included foods with a local flair, like yucca, rice/beans/meat medley, hot soup, and fried corn patties.  After breakfast, we went to the Youth Festival in Omar Park, which was abuzz with lots of activities:  There were opportunities for spiritual and prayer exercises, like Eucharistic adoration; an area with displays of the indigenous peoples, live music, and a vocations fair, which had a collection of booths to learn more about different religious orders.  

Eucharistic adoration

Directly above and below, I'm posing at one of the booths in the vocations fair.  Photos are courtesy of Bob Pence.

When I sought some water, someone directed us to an area of the park where a local Hindu group was handing out free bottles of water, as you can see in the photo below.

Some of us also participated in an interview, which is depicted in the photo below, sharing our thoughts on JMJ as part of a promotional video that a religious order in Mexico was creating to encourage more youths there to participate.

I appear in the red shirt in this photo, courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

After we were there for a couple of hours, we started making our way to the Cinta Costera for the Stations of the Cross Prayer.  We rode in taxis for about a mile to the Metro station we had walked from to get to the Youth Festival.  Astoundingly, the fare for that distance was $1 per person.  (By the way, the Panamanian currency is the balboa, which has an exchange rate equivalent to the US dollar.  And US dollar bills are the paper currency used in Panama, in addition to Balboa coins and US coins.)

We rode the Metro to the Cinco de Mayo station, and then walked into Campo Santa Maria de la Antigua at the Cinta Costera.  We staked out a good spot near a screen right near the edge of the waterfront wall and passed the time for a couple of hours, enjoying the company of one another and fellow pilgrims.

Above and below are scenes during our wait along the Cinta Costera for the start of the Stations of the Cross Prayer.

Around 5:30, the Stations prayer time began.  Pope Francis offered very profound words to begin: "To walk with Jesus will always be a grace and a risk."  It is so true that following Jesus allows us to draw from the great power in the heart of God, while at the same time, those in the world who do not follow God will oppose us.

There were 14 stations, each led by people from different countries, and the intercession of that country's respective version of Mary was invoked in the prayers toward the end of the station.  A group of people held up the official World Youth Day cross, while prayers were read and dancers danced interpretively.  While I had trouble tuning in my radio into the English translation station, I was able to follow along with the English translation of the prayers in the prayer book I got.

Stations 12 had participants on stage from the United States, including Vicky in our group.

Vicky is in a bluish shirt at the center of the display on the screen.

The prayers gave us the opportunity to see how Christ's Passion is reflected in the sufferings of the world today, like Pope Francis described in his concluding words.  It was moving.  At the end, it was quite a sight to behold the flags of so many nations waving around as all of us expressed who we are.  

Here I am posing with some people from South Korea who sat near our group during the Stations of the Cross Prayer.  This photo was taken by Bob Pence.

Around 9:30 on Saturday morning, we all gathered in the lobby to begin the journey to Campo San Juan Pablo II at Metro Park, the site of the overnight vigil and closing Mass, which was about 10 miles from our hotel.

We started out on Metro Line 1, which had a red color on maps.  After a few stops, it emerged above ground onto elevated tracks.  We rode it to San Miguel, the terminus of Line 2, with the green color.  We rode it to Pedragal, and upon detraining there, we decided to stop at a Super Xtra grocery store, where we lingered for a while and relaxed in the air-conditioning, awaiting word that the gates at Metro Park were open.  While there, I bought some fruit, including some American cherries.  While in a rather lengthy line, I got into a conversation with two people from Panama, and got talking to them about my Illinois flag.

After almost an hour, we headed out again and continued our journey to Metro Park.  We walked along a street called Avenida Guillermo E. Quijano, which was mostly residential, which is in the photo below.  People living in houses along the street came out to wave at us and cheer for the throngs of us pilgrims passing by.  They would ask where we were from, and we'd reply back "los Estados Unidos", and we'd wave our flags, while other pilgrims waved theirs.  To help us stay cool in the heat, some handed out free water, and others sprayed us down with hoses they were using to water plants at the front of their houses.  Some people were even playing the JMJ theme song from speakers in their houses.

I appear toward the right, carrying two small flags in my hand.  This photo is courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

It was such an incredible feeling to be so warmly welcomed and cheered for by the residents, an incredible boost to my self-esteem, particularly after some recent challenging circumstances in my life.  The scene reminded me of a quotation attributed to St. Catherine of Siena: "The journey to Heaven is Heaven itself".  While walking down that street, I felt like I was in Heaven in such an exuberant, joyful atmosphere as the throngs of pilgrims were joining in a festal gathering to celebrate our one faith in God.

When that street reached a T intersection, we were at a Rey supermarket, where we could pick up our food kits with provisions for Saturday through Sunday.  We got in line and waited nearly 30 minutes with the throngs of pilgrims to pick up our kits, as seen in the photo below, some in my group along with other pilgrims.

The kit was a large bag filled with various packaged and canned foods.  At this point, clouds had covered the sky and helped keep the air a bit cooler.

It was only about another mile or so until we reached Metro Park.  Kevin determined a good place for us to stake out our spot in a field that was largely still wide-open, as we were among the first pilgrims to arrive.  We hung out for a while, watching the throngs continue streaming in.  It was amazing to see the breadth of countries from which pilgrims came as we saw the flags waving high.  Whenever I saw the US flag, I would start chanting, "USA, USA!", as I did throughout my time in Panama.

Around 5 PM, the law enforcement officials started to clear the roadway near our "camp spot", and we then confirmed that Pope Francis would be driving by.  The crowds starting pressing against the barricades.  

In this photo, I'm talking with Paige as we face each other, and await Pope Francis's drive-by with the throngs.  This photo is by Emily Sutton, courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

Soon enough, he came whizzing by in the Popemobile.  After reaching the end of the road at the far side of the park from the altar, he turned around and came back.  

Here, Pope Francis is about to pass by where I was standing.

He went by fast, but I put my camera down so that I could take in the moment as best I could, and I'm fairly certain Pope Francis and I made eye contact for about 2-3 seconds on that second drive-by.

The sunset over Metro Park, before the start of the Overnight Vigil

Shortly thereafter, the overnight vigil began.  Pope Francis made another speech, which is depicted in the photo below.

He told us that God wants us to be part of the great Love story of His work of salvation, which is why He saved us.  We can be influencers in our world, like Mary, when we embrace life, even with its flaws, for all its worth, so that we can live for something greater than just enjoying the pleasures of life.

He then led us in a time of Eucharistic adoration prayer.  It was so moving, especially when they started singing the final two verses of "Pange Lingua", which made me emotional like it does at Maundy Thursday Mass.

After adoration ended, Pope Francis departed, and those on stage continued with music and speechmaking, and finished with praying the rosary, which was done by midnight.  By that point, though, I had already gotten down on my bed and gone to sleep.

I slept on this orange inflatable mat Saturday night into Sunday morning.  I brought with me a bedsheet that belonged to my late Great Aunt June, which is the white and bluish sheet you can see on the side of the mat closer to the foreground.  She admired Pope Francis greatly, and it was meaningful for me to bring something she owned to be part of my JMJ experience.

Sunrise over Metro Park

Shortly after a fine sunrise on Sunday morning, the music started blaring on the loudspeakers at 6:30.  Two women, presumably nearby residents, who sat near our group's spot in the park the evening before, had returned for the JMJ Concluding Mass.  Shortly after 7:30, Pope Francis did two more drive-bys.

I took this image as a screenshot from one of Pope Francis's drive-bys right before the Closing Mass.

The JMJ Closing Mass began at 8 AM.  This Mass was the most-attended Mass I have ever attended in my life.  A Catholic News Agency article mentions an official figure indicates about 600,000 people were present for the Overnight Vigil, and probably many more came for the closing Mass.  I was able to follow most of the Spanish, although the first and second readings were proclaimed in languages that I presume were Polish and French respectively.  Fortunately, I could follow along with the English translation of the readings in my pilgrim's prayer book.  It was so fitting to hear the reading from Nehemiah about the people gathering on a day "holy to the Lord" just as we were doing, and to celebrate how each of us is a part of Christ's body, with a unique function.

Above is a view of the stage where the altar was.  Directly below is the view of the Closing Mass from the vantage point of the spot where we camped out.

Pope Francis talked in his homily about how God wants to do a great work in our lives now.  While young people are sometimes referred to as the future of the Church, Pope Francis declared that we are the Church of the present.  We can be part of fulfilling God's dream, much as Jesus, in the Gospel reading in Luke 4, declared in the synagogue that the passage from Isaiah He proclaimed was fulfilled in their hearing, and He was the One fulfilling it.  (The photo directly above is a photo of the screen showing Pope Francis as he delivered his homily.)

We departed Mass in an exuberant, uplifted state.  We traced our path back to the hotel.  Kevin told us to be prepared for crowded trains, but they weren't crowded at all.  

On the Metro headed back to our hotel after the Closing Mass.  I appear near the center of the photo.  This photo is by Kevin Driscoll, courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

We arrived back at our hotel by 11:30.

We had the afternoon free.  I walked a couple blocks away to a restaurant to get my lunch, consisting of an arepa sandwich, fried yucca, and papaya juice.  I lingered for a while on the hotel rooftop waiting for two shirts I had washed to dry in the sun, while talking with a couple of people in my group.

At 5:30, we went to the Iglesia del Carmen to board one of a series of motorcoach buses that took several US pilgrim groups to the Miraflores Locks Visitors' Center.  Along the way, we had a guide narrating what we were passing by, and we pointed out various places, including those pertaining to the former US-controlled Panama Canal Zone.

Upon arrival at Miraflores, we went into a theater to watch a short film about the construction and operations of the canal.  Then we wandered through the museum exhibits, which were spread out on three different floors.  I had a good deal of context for the museum, since I was listening through David McCullough's book The Path Between the Seas, on the construction of the Panama Canal.

The Miraflores Locks Visitors' Center

Paige Krohn, in our group, took this photo of me posing by this giant metallic chain.

Above, I'm posing while pretending to navigate a boat through the Panama Canal.  In my pose below, I'm pretending I'm at the marine traffic control center.  The photos above and below were taken by Annmarie Bender, in my group.

On the fourth floor, we went onto a balcony overlooking the Miraflores Locks for an appetizer reception.  As we mingled and munched, we could look out at the passing ships.  It was such a fine evening mingling with other US pilgrims and being given such royal treatment.  The reception made me think of what my Abuela often says when she's having a grand experience, for she remarks that it is experiencing the "goodness of the Lord".  Toward the end, a spontaneous dance party broke out, and I dived into the group of people who were line dancing to the music, which made me feel so alive and youthful.

I am on the far left in this photo at the evening reception, taken by Kevin Driscoll, courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.  Moving toward the right is Brett, Paige, and Vicky.

Here I am posing by the balcony, overlooking the Miraflores Locks.  Thanks to Adeline Torres for taking this photo.

Here is a view of the locks from the balcony, looking south.

The evening reception had a nice bluish ambiance.

To conclude our evening, someone made a few remarks and one of the bishops present offering a closing prayer.  We also sang the chorus of Matt Maher's song, "Lord I Need You".  It was a very touching way for us to give glory to God Who we experienced in powerful ways at JMJ, and Who we can count on day by day as we seek to live faithfully live as His disciples.

On the bus ride back, the pilgrims on my bus spontaneously broke out singing various popular songs.  The fun continued for our group as we had a "diocesan pool party" at the hotel's rooftop pool, which I enjoyed going in multiple times throughout our stay.  It was a fun time hanging out at night, and we even invited some other people who came to the pool to join our fun.

After a leisurely free morning the next day, Monday, we walked a short distance to the Crowne Plaza Hotel to join with some other Midwest groups for a day outing to the rainforest area at Gamboa.  During the hourlong drive, we had sack lunches.  Our first stop was a conservation center where we got to see sloths, butterflies, orchids, and frogs.  

Sloth

Butterfly

Orchids

If you look closely, you can see three frogs, each of which has the colors black and something akin to yellow or green.

We had wonderful guides who told us about the flora and fauna on display there.  After a short walk through the rainforest, we reached a tram ride up to an observation tower with fine views of the area.  

Here is a view of the tram ride while ascending.

The view from the tram

Here I am posing in the observation tower.  Thanks to Adeline for taking this photo.

Here is a photo of our group, taken at the observation tower, courtesy of the Diocese of Gary.

Because our group was 13, and the tram cars could only hold 6, I ended up in a car with members of a group from Eau Claire, WI, going up and down.

Our final stop was at a dock where we boarded a boat and rode in the Panama Canal corridor to Monkey Island, where we saw plenty of monkeys, and even a small crocodile.  

The view from the boat riding in the Panama Canal corridor, traveling to Monkey Island

Here, we've arrived at monkey island.

There are two monkeys in this photo.

The wind really whipped up my hair on the boat ride.  Paige took this photo of me.

I had never been to a tropical rainforest area before, and I definitely enjoyed the opportunity to spend time in such an area this day, which was a great chance to marvel at the beauty of God's creation.

While journeying back to Panama City, we got caught up in the peak evening traffic.  Upon arriving back, we partook of a dinner buffet at the Crowne Plaza Hotel.  Emily had everyone go around and share their least and most favorite parts of the trip thus far, which was a great way to start reflecting on this trip.

After we walked the short distance back to our hotel, a spontaneous fireworks display started at La Iglesia del Carmen, as you can see in the photo below.

The church spires appear near the bottom center of this photo.

The next morning, on Tuesday, January 29, I went to the local post office to get stamps for postcards, which was a process a bit more involved than I thought it would, partly because the stamps are enormous, but I got them stamped and in the air mail bin.  Then I joined the group in Casco Viejo.  We visited the Church of St. Francis of Assisi and also the Cathedral Basilica of Santa Maria de la Antigua.

We then got Uber rides back to our hotel.  Paige, Vicky, and I went to find a place to eat, and stumbled across a fine place, Sabor Tipico, with a nice local flair specializing in chicken as our final meal in Panama City.

Once we finished lunch, we returned to our hotel, and then boarded a bus, with the Eau Claire group, to Tocumen International Airport for our return flight back to O'Hare.

Above and below are scenes from the bus ride on our way to Tocumen International Airport.  Above is a scene of the skyscrapers in Panama City.  Below is a view of Metro Park, showing the altar from the Overnight Vigil and Closing Mass.

Another memorable experience of the trip happened at Tocumen before I boarded the return flight.  As I wandered through the airport, I stumbled upon the airport chapel, which was a delightful space--please see the photo below.

The altar in the chapel is flanked by the flags of Panama, to the left, and the Vatican City-State, to the right.

I thought it would be nice to spend some quiet time there before returning to the gate for the flight.  I ended up attending Mass there.  The Bishop emeritus who celebrated gave his homily in German, which was translated into Portuguese by another priest, while the Mass was led by the Bishop in Spanish.  I sensed there was a group of Portuguese speakers.  I followed the Spanish as best I could, but at certain points, I offered the responsorial prayers in English.  As I spoke the response, "May the Lord accept the sacrifice at Your hands..." it really gave me a different perspective to realize I was the only native English speaker in that chapel, with at least a couple dozen people.  Yet just I was there with speakers of other languages to offer the highest form of prayer to our God in the unified language of faith.

COPA Airlines flight 235 departed right about on time at 6:30 PM as the daylight faded from the sky over Panama City.  It was a nice flight back.  For dinner, I had beef with rice and vegetables with Del Monte juice, which I enjoyed from time to time in Panama.  As we neared O'Hare Airport, it was very personally fitting for me to draw the trip to a close as we flew over the North Side of Chicago.  Looking out, I could see the area with those places associated with how I started out in life:  Swedish Covenant Hospital, where I was born, and the first home I ever lived in with my family on Lockwood Avenue, and St. Cornelius Parish, where I was baptized, which truly brought me full circle as I marveled at the incredible experience of a lifetime I had just had, engaging in faith in profound new ways.

We landed shortly after 11 PM CST.  As I walked off the plane, it gave me pause to see my breath for the first time in several days.  As we walked toward customs, I beheld the words of a sign "Welcome to the United States" as I embraced being back home in a renewed state of being.  This was my first time passing through customs at O'Hare, and it was pretty straightforward to go up to a kiosk and put our passport info page onto the scanner.  And we were returning with the US government fully reopened, good news for the ICE staff who saw us through.  We began to say our goodbyes while waiting for the baggage to appear.  It was shortly after midnight on Wednesday, January 30, that the high temperature of that day occurred, -10 degreed F, which meant we had undergone a temperature drop of nearly 100 degrees in a matter of hours.  It was into that cold that we parted ways into our different directions.

While we had definitely left behind the tropical warmth of Panama, we still carried with us fresh memories of an incredible experience.

In the Creed, we profess that we are "one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church", with catholic indicating that the church is universal.  I certainly was able to experience that in a whole new way at JMJ seeing people from all over the world come together to celebrate our one shared faith.  We each came with our different languages and cultures, expressed as we waved our national flags.  But we did not wave in a way that suggested any kind of superiority over another.  Rather, we were expressing ourselves, as others expressed themselves while joining together for this celebration the faith in God that unites us, and how fitting it was to have JMJ overlap with the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

It was wonderful spending time with the Holy Father, to hear his words of encouragement and inspiration.  Being there with his presence truly gave special meaning to the rallying cry often heard during JMj, "Esta es la juventud del Papa", meaning  "This is the youth of the Pope."  

There was a sense of JMJ being like a time of gathering with the Holy Father to be spurred on in faith.  And it means a lot that Pope Francis continues the legacy of Pope St. John Paul II in caring enough about young people to spend time with us.

It was wonderful to be among so many people who care about their faith, especially among those in my group, which is something that rejuvenates me in my own sense of being committed to this gift of faith God grants me.

Certainly there were many aspects on this trip that marked a sense of personal growth in my life.  After having studied Spanish for years throughout my schooling, I was glad to have the chance to travel to a Spanish-speaking country and put my Spanish skills to use--I certainly sought to speak in Spanish as much as I could, even with people who were bilingual.  In reflecting, I feel that I did very well, when interacting with people there or helping translate for people in my group.

This trip causes me to think about how God is always doing something amazing and new, topping one incredible experience with the next.  I've certainly seen this play out throughout my faith life, going all the way back to middle school when circumstances caused me to appreciate my faith for the first time for myself.  Fully aware of the journey that started there and led me to this JMJ trip, when it was time for my parents to take me to O'Hare for my departure to Panama, I specifically requested Dad to go on a short detour to drive by Percy Julian Middle School.

As a result of having gone to JMJ 2019, I now approach life with a new sense of vision from God, empowering me to say Yes to Him and His desire to fulfill His dream for the world through me, His servant.  It's just like Mary did so long ago, and what an influence she had on the world, as Pope Francis remarked in his message at the Overnight Vigil.  And I marvel at what kind of influence the masses will have on the world, which makes me think of a sign I saw.

On the way to Campo San Juan Pablo II on Saturday morning, while transferring between the two train lines at San Miguelito, I took a photo of a sign with a Pope Francis quotation from his Overnight Vigil Address at JMJ 2016 in Krakow:

I asked Ale, one of the native Spanish speakers in the group, about the word "huella", which I didn't recognize.  When she explained that "huella" means mark or imprint, I came to understand that the statement means that Jesus invites us to leave a mark in our lives, which leaves a mark on history.

I feel that statement speaks powerfully to what JMJ is all about, an encounter with the Person of Jesus Christ, made manifest in the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic church, and being so transformed that each of us makes an impact on our world, as we each declare, together with Mary, "Here I am, the servant of the Lord, speak Your Word in me and let Your Will be done," all for the greater glory of God.

Here I am posing by a decorative Panama sign at Tocumen airport, kindly taken by an employee at the booth there.  I truly had a Panamazing time at JMJ--see below in the photo of a tourism agency vehicle.

This image is inside the Tocumen Airport chapel: Santa Maria de la Antigua, intercede for us.

Brett Driscoll got this photo of me right after Pope Francis whizzed by.  I'm proud to be an Illinoisan, US citizen, and a baptized member of the catholic and Holy Church of Rome.  As I express more fully who I am created to be, I pray that I glorify God.

Now that I've gone to JMJ to be engage with and learn more about my faith--a sort of going to the info booth--it's my time to "Do it".  Behind this booth is La Iglesia del Carmen.

You can view the multilingual version of the official 2019 JMJ song here:

And you can view the English translation dance version here: