Via Crucis

            The day after the pope arrived, there was a giant American Mass put on by the Knights of Columbus.  It was described afterwards by some as “The greatest Mass of [their] life.”  Present were fifty bishops and three hundred and fifty priests and it was lead by Archbishop Dolan, the head of the United States Council of Catholic Bishops.  Dolan emphasised the youth of the Church’s role in the world today.  He said that we must stay rooted in our faith and not to stray into the temptations of the world around us.

            While most were at the American Mass, five of us went to a Spanish Mass for vocations.  I really enjoyed this Mass as I was once again surrounded by people from all over the world as we celebrated Mass together.  While I could not understand what was being said, the Mass was still a powerful experience.  Such experiences make me extremely proud to be Catholic.

            Following Mass, we watched the Way of the Cross from a remote locate hosted by the Knights of Columbus.  After debating the pros and cons of going to the event in the street, we decided that it would be best to watch it inside as the temperature was around one hundred and ten degrees Fahrenheit and the crowds would make seeing it difficult.  Being that our location was in English, there were many Americans, British, South Africans and Australians present which still created a very diverse crowd.  I found the stations to be very powerful because it was made to relate to our lives.  Two stations really stand out to me.  The first is the seventh station where Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry His cross.  The cross was carried at this point by youths who suffer marginalism such as mentally disabled and minority groups.  The second was the ninth station when Jesus is stripped of His garments.  This part was carried by young people from Rwanda and Burundi who have faced violence and rape.  This representation of the stations really shows how Christ represents different people in His passion and death.  This experience was truly rewarding and made the pilgrimage a great deal more beneficial for me and others in the group.