Our very last day included side trips to two sacred yet very different spaces. The first was Wadowice, birthplace of St. John Paul II. We visited his home right off the town square. It was magnificently transformed into a museum that highlighted his entire life. From entering the room where he was born to recreating … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 9: Sacred Spaces
An 8 mile pilgrimage that was way too long, an evening with about one to two million people (& about ten million bugs), the cold of the night, the heat of the day, and a torrential downpour to symbolize a true showering of blessings we received this week. I was tired, I was insecure, I … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 8: This is World Youth Day. This is Life
The day finally came. The real pilgrimage. Everything leading up to this day was just mental, physical, and spiritual preparation for what was to take place. I wasn't sure if I was going to make it. But for every doubt that told me I was too unhealthy- mentally, physically, and spiritually- to make this journey, … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 7: “We are convinced that happiness is synonymous with comfort” / Sacrifices DO Hurt
While I had nothing to worry about on Friday, it still ended up being an interesting day that had me on quite an emotional roller coaster ride. I am still processing the happenings and reactions of that day but here is a good summary: Know thyself Dissect your struggle & discover where it lies Believe … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 6: God Loves
The days seemed to blur one into the other. The next day was another day where I packed and prepared for another performance, this time a dance I have been dancing for years. Despite the longevity and familiarity with the piece, I was nervous. There was something missing, and I knew that whatever was missing … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 5: Why I Love to Dance/Back to Basics
Wednesday began our first full day of World Youth Day activities. But while our group went off to catechesis in the morning, my sister Joelle and I went off into the city center of Kraków to prepare for our first performance. We wouldn't see our group until evening, as they had a long day that … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 4: Adventures are Made Better Together
Before heading off to the World Youth Day Opening Mass at Błonia Park, our group made a Mercy Pilgrimage. We visited the Saint John Paul II Sanctuary and the image of the Divine Mercy. World Youth Day and the city of Kraków is hosting about 1.2 million pilgrims, so you can only imagine how large … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 3: You See What You Need to See
Our second (technically our first full day in Poland) brought us to Częstochowa. After a 7 hour flight and about 2.5 hours on line for customs, add another few hours of bus travel and waiting a few minutes on line at McDonald's, we made our first stop of our pilgrimage- gazing at the beautiful Our … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 2: What Would You Pray For
My sister Joelle and I are headed off to Poland for World Youth Day, where will be dancing in the Youth Festival in Kraków! First off, let me say that I can't believe it's been three years since my last World Youth Day, a life-changing experience that I'll never forget. It was a dream come … Continue reading WYD Kraków 2016 | Day 1: Why We Dance
The Moving Prayer 