Preparing for Pilgrimage . . . 9 Days to Go!

Two years ago, 14 pilgrims from Christ the Good Shepherd began preparing for a spiritual journey that seemed eons away! After several fundraisers, retreats, pilgrimage preparation walks, meetings, youth Masses, trading item-making sessions, and prayer, we now find ourselves only a "few" days away from an experience that is sure to change our lives.

On Sunday, July 31st, we gathered with all of the pilgrims from the Detroit Archdiocese at Sacred Heart Major Seminary for our final meeting and preparations. We received our travel documents, credentials, instructions for arriving at the airport, and a spiritual pep talk! Are we now ready for what awaits us in Madrid??? That remains to be seen! I'm sure it will be a journey like no other, and one we will never forget. :)

Please keep all of our pilgrims in prayer (including those taking part in the At Home experience) as the days tick down. Fr. Tony will give our group a special blessing at the 5pm Mass on August 13th, and we invite all of our parishioners to attend and bless us as well! Afterward we will share in a quick meal and take off for our 10pm flight (after all, we need to be there three hours in advance)! :)

We are hoping to update this blog throughout our pilgrimage in Madrid, Spain so that you can be part of the experience from afar! We plan to give a synopsis of each day and upload a photo or two of the group. Let's keep our fingers crossed that it actually works!

Thank you to all of our families and friends who have supported us throughout all of the preparations for this journey. We look forward to sharing our experiences with you when we return!

Peace, prayers, and positive vibes!
The CGS WYD Pilgrims

WYD Pilgrims taking part in the EarthWorks
Community Garden Service Project

Exhausted WYD Pilgrims after the
pilgrimage walk from CGS to Cabrini

For information on all of the happenings in Spain, you can check out the World Youth Day website: http://www.madrid11.com/