Seeing Pope John Paul II

I was cleaning my "treasure chest" the other day and saw my old journals. I was blogging na pala noon pa. Let me just rewrite it for the record:
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My WYD old journal

"1, 2, 3... YES! Totus Tuus! John Paul II, we love you!!! Tell the world of His love..." The cheers and the song kept running through my head during the World Youth Day (WYD) celebration. Delegates from strife-torn countries, WYD volunteers and participants, bishops and nuns,government leaders, community groups, devotees and fanatics, families, group of teenagers, vendors, and even the street kids gathered together to witness and join the celebration of the WYD by the Holy Father. Seeing the Vatican head of the State, Pope John Paul II for the WYD is one thing. But joining the WYD group is another. It marked the major crossroad of my life.


When the announcement that the Pope was definitely going to celebrate the 10th WYD in the Philippines, Asia's only predominantly Christian country, I anticipated it with excitement. My only wish then was wherever the Pope went while in manila, I would be there to see and hear him personally.


First day, Jan. 10... opened with a liturgy mass celebrated by Jaime Cardinal Sin at the Rizal Park. But unfortunately, I wasn't able to attend that mass because I have to file my leave forms to avail for the following WYD events.


Ok, ok... came day 1, 2, 3 of the catechetical events, I got busy with the Barrio Fiesta presentations along with the thematic performances in welcoming the foreign delegates, the sharing and listening in discussions wherein the youth are challenged to become communicators of love, faith and hope... hmmm, kinda heavy isn't it? It was fun knowing these bunch of youths have so many things in their hearts to share. Uh-err... but the opportunity of seeing the Pontiff in his arrival and the mass held at UST and PICC? Negative.


Jan. 14, we marched down Roxas Boulevard to Quirino grandstand, the site of the Youth Vigil. We positioned ourselves in one of the walls of Luneta grandstand, uh-so kilometers away from the altar, I should say. But our group didn't mind being that far away, we have hundreds of WYD delegates beside us cheerfully camping themselves. T-shirts & shorts or jeans were the uniform of the day. Nuns wore baseball caps on top of their habits. A one-of-a-kind site... people are united, unmindful of the heat, limited spaces, walking like a garbage disposal because the whole area looked like a battlefront in a war zone and sleeping like a baby but actually they are lying hard on the ground. I looked deeper into it. The group's spirit moved me. It's so nice to see these youth come together and pray, talk, sing in search of discernment in their role as evangelizers in today's world.


Minutes before the Youth Vigil, people came shrieking, screaming, waving, sobbing and fainting. "The Pope mobile!" Everywhere people rushed and stampeded to get a glimpse of the Pontiff. I wiped my way out to see him too. But negative. All I saw was the roof of his mobile. Hopeless. "Ang cute ni Pope! Nakita ko siya! I'm blessed!" They felt relieved, just like winning the battle. They seemed to be overwhelmed with just the sight of the Holy Father's smile. But how about me? Hmmmmm... ok, with my camera, I passed through the ocean of people to witness and hear his mass. But halfway to the grandstand, I was having my asthmatic attacks... no, not this time please! I would have been thankful if the ground had suddenly parted and swallowed me up - anything just to get away from that crowd. Teary-eyed, I found myself going back to the camp. Oh well, tomorrow morning, I guess.


Jan. 15. I got up early. Took not-so-nice breakfast and headed in front of the crowd to make sure I'll see him this time. I look on Pope as more than a kindly man with real charm and a sense of humor. He's cute they'd say, so I have to see it myself! There, we remained under the heat of the sun, unmindful of the thirst and hunger. Alas! After long hours of waiting, the pope arrived. My mission? Impossible! He took a plane to get there at the grandstand. How can I possibly get a glimpse of the Pope?!!! Yeah, right... it was hopeless!


The weather was hot and we were tired and hungry. Can't hear enough of the mass going on. So we just went home flat dead, parang mga basang sisiw. We started with scrubbed clean shirts, then going home looking like a lighter version of a pig pen. But it wasn't that bad after all. I felt something in me. Although I did not fulfill my wish to see the Pope, I've learned and discovered something more than I ever knew. The treasure I've earned in this journey wasn't just to see the pope after all. It's the spirit behind the World Youth day... friends... brotherhood... a special bonding*... and the challenge to deal more with my faith, the spiritual journey with the Lord. Simple. Ok di ba? 1, 2, 3... Yes!

WYD friendship band

WYD kit

- Cherry Alcala  
February 28, 1995
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*that special bonding was when I met my future husband :)