Melissa Smith ’09
My Profession of Faith
Every three years the Catholic Church, under the leadership of the Pope, hosts World Youth Day (WYD) — a gathering of Catholic youth from all over the world who join in a spiritual profession of faith. This past July, WYD was held in Sydney, Australia, and I was fortunate enough to attend.
My participation was sponsored by the Passionist community, both here in the United States and in Australia. They organized a three-week pilgrimage to Australia for 41 participants, including three Passionist priests, a brother, and youth from all over the country. The trip was split into three sections: a week in Melbourne where Passionists from around the world gathered for the Passionist Youth Encounter; a week in Sydney where WYD took place; and a week in Brisbane where we met with and served members of the local Catholic community.
Looking back, I can easily say that World Youth Day was the best thing that ever happened to me. It strengthened both my faith and my sense of Catholicism. There I was, half a world away from everyone I knew and loved, and yet I never felt so peaceful or sure.
The highlight was the week spent in Sydney for WYD. I was one of 400,000 pilgrims from around the world called to be witnesses of God’s love. We participated in a live Stations of the Cross, the Arrival of His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, and the Papal Mass. The most moving part for me was the Adoration with His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI. As I knelt next to my fellow Passionists, I remember thinking, “Here I am, praying in front of the Lord, along with hundreds of thousands of others and the Pope is with us, doing the same thing.” It was a very humbling experience because it hit home that we were all the same, regardless of where we came from, what was going on in our lives, or who we were. It was almost as if I were kneeling next to the Pope himself, showing my respect to the Lord.
As I reflect on the trip, I struggle putting into words the intensity of the experience. I am different than I was before — I look at the world differently, find the positive side of things, and am open to my calling as a Catholic. Since I returned to campus I’ve been given the opportunity to respond to this calling: I now serve Saint Joseph College as head of campus ministry and liturgical coordinator.
I will be forever grateful for the opportunity I had to attend WYD. It was a breathtaking experience — one I will remember for the rest of my life.
Photos/captions: Melissa, kneeling center with the flag as part of the Passionist World Youth Day group.
