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'I have never felt so unexpectedly welcome'
by Ellie Schulhoff special to The Michigan Catholic
Published July 25, 2008
The call to be witnesses was given to the disciples with the understanding that they would have to work together and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them, just as the Holy Spirit worked through all of the World Youth Day pilgrims.
In a world that is constantly changing, I have always found comfort in my Catholic faith. Readings and homilies may change on a daily basis but Catholics around the world are connected by the traditions of Mass. I became a witness to that powerful connection as a pilgrim at World Youth Day 2008.
The focus of World Youth Day this year was the power of the Holy Spirit and the call to be witnesses of faith.
Morning catechesis in Sydney was helpful in understanding what the Church teaches about the Holy Spirit but I really learned about the Holy Spirit firsthand my first night in Australia.
About 30 hours after leaving my church with 26 other pilgrims, we arrived in Newcastle, Australia, for a week of activities through Days in the Diocese. Newcastle hosted hundreds of pilgrims that week from around the world and had a different group lead Mass every night. The first Mass during our stay was led by a group from Tokelau, an island too small to be noted on maps. We were exhausted from flights and layovers and I must admit that I was more interested in sleeping than I was in attending Mass in a language I could hardly spell, let alone understand.
Walking into the church I was struck by the enthusiasm with which the other pilgrims were singing. I was surrounded by people from around the world who spoke different languages and did not know each other but who were able to connect with each other through praise and worship even before the familiar structure of Mass began.
I have never felt so unexpectedly welcome as I did that night. From the time I entered the church to the time I went to sleep I could feel the power of the Holy Spirit as it energized and unified everyone I saw. In catechesis the Holy Spirit was compared to the air we breathe; it is a breath of life for all people, invisible as it may seem at times. The work of the Holy Spirit was very clearly present throughout my two weeks in Australia.
During catechesis we were asked to consider what we sought as pilgrims. The question proved challenging for me and I did a lot of thinking before I was able to identify what it was I was seeking at World Youth Day. I realized, though, that what I sought was connection with other Catholics. I knew what was required of me to be a true witness of faith but it was easy to get discouraged on my own.
My college campus is too far from my hometown church to attend on a regular basis and I have never felt as comfortable in the local church. Answering God's call to be a witness of faith seemed lonely to me until that night in Newcastle.
The call to be witnesses was given to the disciples with the understanding that they would have to work together and allow the Holy Spirit to work through them, just as the Holy Spirit worked through all of the World Youth Day pilgrims. The phrase "seek and ye shall find" certainly rang true in Australia; I found the Holy Spirit more capable of connecting young Catholics than I ever thought possible.
Ellie Schulhoff, 20, is a member of Holy Family Parish, Novi, and a student at Adrian College.
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