Pope urges youth to find their true vocation

Pope Benedict listened to young people at World Youth Day expressing their concerns about the future and urged them all to find their true vocation in society. But a sudden storm and high winds prevented the Pope from delivering his homily to the some two million young people gathered in Madrid's 'Cuatro Vientos' airbase for a mega prayer vigil on Saturday evening. Our correspondant Emer McCarthy reports:

“Esta es la joventud del papa! This is the Pope’s youth!”, the chant erupted spontaneously from the multitudes as the winds and rain beat down upon them in the aptly named Cuatro Vientos airport, the airport of the Four Winds. After days of incessant and stifling heat, not even the tempest that interrupted the Holy Father mid-homily could quench the enthusiasm of Benedict XVI’s generation, an estimated 2 million strong on Saturday night.
“We know you were all out in the sun this afternoon and asking for more water...well here it is!”, the young presenter announced. And as the Pope waited patiently seated before the giant altar for the storm to pass, organisers invited the jubilant pilgrims to pray for the rain to cease. Instead, their voices rose as one in a continuous chorus “This is the Pope’s youth!” and that chorus rang out across Madrid.
They had begun arriving mid morning, many on travelling the 24 kms to the airport on foot under a searing sun with temperatures hitting 40° Celsius. Madrid’s bomberos, on top of fire trucks, directing water hoses over the crowds in an effort to bring some relief.
The liturgy of the Word had just begun, following the procession of the World Youth Day Cross and icon. The five young people, from the UK, Kenya, the USA, the Philippines, and Germany had only just posed their questions to Pope Benedict when the storm begun, ripping the zucchetto from the Pope’s head.
Michael from the UK, a convert to Catholicism had asked the Pope who Christ really is and whether he was for all of humanity or only for Christians. Roselyne from Kenya, spoke of her work on behalf of the victims of famine in Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia and asked the Pope how can she help the poor and suffering understand that God has not forgotten about them. Robert from the USA, spoke of how he will marry in a month’s time and asked Pope Benedict for advice on how to faithfully live the vocation to marriage. Kirtzia from the Philippines spoke of how it was difficult at times to witness her faith in society, while the young German Kathleen, a non-believer attracted by the figure of Christ, asked for guidance.
Pope Benedict never got to pronouncing his homily, instead when the winds and rain had calmed, the Holy Father proceeded to pronounce his greetings to pilgrims in diverse languages and then left the raised altar to change vestments for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. As he left the stage, firemen clambered onto the scaffolding to ensure its safety, while the young people continued to chant.
The Pope emerged shortly afterwards, and once the crowds had quietened, invited the millions who had answered his call to join him in a night of Eucharistic adoration. As he knelt before the altar, the XVth century monstrance “Custodia di Arfe” from the Toledo Cathedral rose from centre of the stage to the clamour of two million voices, for the heat, the Pope, the rain. Then, silence descended on Cuatro Ventos.
Before taking his leave, Pope Benedict, inviting a group of young people onto the stage, bid the throng before him goodnight: he said “Dear young people we have lived an adventure together; firm in our faith in Christ we have resisted the rain! Before I go I would like to wish you all a good night. Thank you for the incredible example you have given. Like this night with Christ you can always overcome life’s trials, never forget this!”
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