Tomorrow, August 11, 2000, young people and their chaperones from across the Archdiocese of Baltimore will depart on pilgrimage for World Youth Day celebrations in Rome, Italy. Leaving on flights from both BWI and Dulles airports tomorrow afternoon, pilgrims hailing from Baltimore City, Harford, Howard, Baltimore and Frederick counties will be joined next week by Cardinal William H. Keeler, Archbishop of Baltimore, who is scheduled to arrive in Rome next Tuesday. Over 17,000 pilgrims from across the United States will be journeying to Rome. They will be joined there with over one million youth and young adults from around the world.
46 of the 181 pilgrims will come from the Nativity of our Lord Jesus Christ parish in Timonium. A send-off celebration Mass and lunch will be held at the parish tomorrow, beginning with Mass at 11:00 a.m., lunch at noon, and departure for Dulles airport at 1:00 p.m. Media are invited to attend and talk with pilgrims. Mark Pacione, Director of the archdiocesan Division of Youth and Young Adult Ministry and lead agent for the Baltimore delegation will also be present. The parish is located at 20 East Ridgely Road in Timonium.
Highlights of the pilgrimage will include a prayer retreat at Assisi, celebration of the feast of the Assumption with the pilgrims’ host parish, San Francesco d’Assisi in Trastevere, Rome, a tour the Basilica of St. John Lateran and the Basilica of St. Mary Major. Throughout the week, they will participate in various catechetical sessions, the way of the cross, concerts and prayer. On Saturday, August 19, they will journey to the World Youth Day Vigil site. There they will spend the night in prayer and song with young Catholics from around the world. On World Youth Day, Sunday, August 20, they will attend Mass presided by the Holy Father. The pilgrims are scheduled to return home on August 22.
Several of the young people will be sending journal stories and photos back home throughout the pilgrimage. Stay in touch with the pilgrims by checking their reports, to be posted on the web-site www.disciplesnow.org.
Point of contact is Ray Kempisty at pager number 410-351-2696.