By Maureen Cromer
On July 21, 40 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Baltimore will board a flight at Dulles International Airport and head to Krakow, Poland – site of World Youth Day 2016.
Among the Baltimore pilgrims are two sisters, Lauren and Amanda Urban, profiled here . I met Lauren in 2010 at The Seton Keough High School. I was entering my senior year; she was starting as a teacher in the science department.
Fast-forward six years – I am now the Social Media Specialist for The Catholic Review and The Archdiocese of Baltimore, and Lauren is Dean of Academics at Seton Keough. Last fall, I volunteered to speak to some of the girls at SKHS for their career day. As I was speaking, I mentioned that I had the privilege of going to World Youth Day as the media representative of the archdiocese. As I was leaving Seton Keough, Lauren informed me that she too was signed to go to Poland.
Later that day, we began talking about WYD and how excited we were. It’s her second WYD and my first. For that matter, this is my first trip to Europe – and the first time my passport will be stamped. Her excitement matches mine, and stems from her traveling companion, her sister, Amanda.
As we finish up with our final preparations for World Youth Day, and the excitement continues to grow, please join us in prayer as we begin our pilgrimage to Krakow.
“Young people of the world, listen to what Christ the Redeemer is saying to you! ‘To all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God.’ The World Youth Day challenges you to be fully conscious of who you are as God’s dearly beloved sons and daughters.” –Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day 1993, Denver, Colorado