Tropa in WJT Camp Altenberg

The World Youth Day Spirit lives on...

Tropa ng Kabataang Pinoy sa Deutschland (Tropa) went to Altenberger Dom for an alternative World Youth Day (WYD) celebration and joined the 350,000 pilgrims in Sydney in celebrating WYD08. It was a weekend of witnessing the spirit of the WYD (still) burning in the hearts of the youth in Germany.

Right before we met that Saturday (09.07.2008), the rain poured. It reminded me of the saying, "When it rains, it pours." Just a day before that, I have spoken to Fr. Silvio Vallecoccia , Jugendseelsorge for Foreign Mission in the Archdiocese of Cologne, and he has arranged our participation in Altenberg. He has told me that our entrance fee has already been taken cared of. The blessing had indeed poured!

Most of the participants showed up early at the Parkplatz Regal'sche Wiese, Bad Godesberg with all the excitement and the memories of WYD Cologne 05. On the way to Altenberg, we started the journey with a prayer and later on mingled with one another, sang songs while one is playing the guitar, shared experiences from the previous WYD. We were all looking forward to that weekend.

As the group reached its destination and got off the bus, a volunteer warmly welcomed us. One volunteer with a walkie-talkie was even overheard telling a colleague; "Die Filipinos sind da!" Yes, our arrival was expected. On the Registration Area, they have given us armbands, as our day ticket, and a bag with a songbook and larnyard as souvenirs.

Shortly after, we were also welcomed by Fr. Silvio. He then happily led us in hall were the other youth were also sleeping explaining that this was a better option since camping outside could get too cold. He already mentioned this to me on our previous telephone conversation. On top of that he also gave our youngest member, Bryce, aged 11 months, a warm and cozy room with bed for the night. Fr. Jun was very glad to know that the Tropa was very well treated as he came with KFC for our dinner.

Before the Vigil that night, there was a party with good music, food, drinks and new friends. Indeed a WYD feeling and it even reminded me of our Oyak nights at Taizé, France. Oliver and Denise, 17 and 20 respectively, told us that their moms just persuaded them to go with Tropa but Denise, with a smile, told us; "I'm glad I joined." It was indeed an enjoyable and fun night.

The Vigil started at 23.30 inside the gothic-styled Altenberger Dom. The pillars inside the church were illuminated in blue, exuding tranquility. The altar was also illuminated in blue and the Madonna and Child at the center in yellow. The participants were singing and praying as we watched a recorded video of the vigil in Sydney. Afterwhich, we all lighted our candles and after a prayer in silence, we all went to the altar and offered the candles much like the celebration in Sydney. The vigil ended at 1 o'clock in the morning and we took a break.

At 2 o'clock in the morning, carrying our ISO mat and sleeping bags, we went again inside the church for the live telecast of the final mass in Sydney. Inside the church, illuminated then in yellow, we all joined the pilgrims in Sydney and the world in celebrating the mass with Pope Benedikt XVI. The sleeping bags, ISO matte, warm tea on the church side entrance and most of all the atmosphere of faithfulness kept us warm from the cool temperature of the morning. It was a solemn and meaningful celebration. Robert, 16, shared that he was able to stay awake for the whole mass without falling asleep. It was almost six in the morning when the celebration ended and I believe that staying awake during the mass has blessed each one of us present there.

With roughly an hour of sleep, we all woke up, fixed our things and went to get breakfast. We all shared the table and everybody seemed to have slept well albeit short, while still having some reserved energy for laughter and fun. On the way home, sleeping on our seats in the bus, one can feel the contentment of having participated in the celebration, feeling the presence of the Holy Spirit and the Tropa has become witnesses once more of God's power.