Since getting back from World Youth Day in Australia, everyone keeps asking me, “How was it?” “What was your favorite part?” How do you put into words three weeks worth of socially, culturally, and spiritually life changing experiences? You can’t, really. So I just say, “It was awesome!” Of course, this does not even begin to touch what I really want to say.

After some reflection, I know what I would really like to tell all of these people and especially all of you who so generously supported my World Youth Day pilgrimage. A place that was once far away and foreign, became home; people I had never met before became family; the life that is mine and that is all around me, became more precious; and the charism and people known as Passionists became a deeper part of my story.

Let me explain. First of all, Australians cannot be outmatched in their generosity. Everywhere we went everyone was so willing to help. Our host families, both in Melbourne and Brisbane put their lives on hold for a week to be our mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers. They graciously offered us their beds, cooked for us, did our laundry, and drove us around. In Sydney, they were there every day at the school providing for our needs. Everywhere I went I always felt welcome.

I have a story to highlight this point. An experience that stands out to me from the whole trip occurred on my pilgrimage to Randwick racecourse for the vigil and closing Mass with Pope Benedict. There were five of us from our Passionist group that decided to walk from our host site at St. Brigid’s in Marrickville to the racecourse. Our pilgrimage took us six hours. It was six wonderful hours. At the beginning of the trip, we jokingly said we should have our stops along the way be “Stations of the Pilgrimage.” One of our first stations being: Pilgrims stop to stretch. But then we walked through this park and this group of women sitting there saw us and invited us over to share their breakfast. They warmed up sausage for us (an Aussie favorite) and had bread and tea. We sat and talked with them, thankful for the nourishment. This became the Fourth Station: Women in the Park Feed the Pilgrims. Also along our journey, the Eleventh Station (there are 15): Nice Couple Provides Water and Toilet to Weary Pilgrims. This cute, old couple, originally from Turkey, sitting on their porch as we walked by, offered to fill our water bottles and let us use their toilets. So, what started as a joke turned into a true way to see Christ in others and ourselves on our pilgrimage.

Now on to my next reflection: my new family. I traveled with the US Passionist pilgrims from the United States. We all met in the Los Angeles airport on July 6^th. Before arriving to LA, I had met 5 of the 40 of them. Most everyone was in the same situation. Yet, by the end of the trip we became great friends. That’s inevitable after spending three weeks together, sleeping on a school floor together, riding in buses for 15+ hours together, eating meals together, praying together, singing together (we were very musical), and everything else in between. We all have a special bond because of what we experienced together.

In my journal one of the last days we were in Australia I wrote:

I have encountered Christ because Christ is within each person I’ve met and spent time with throughout this trip. So, all these people I’ve spent time getting to know, I’ve spent time getting to know Christ. They are the face of Christ.

My next reflection: my new appreciation for life. I think this comes from many experiences. I am inspired by words everyone spoke throughout the three weeks: Passionists, Bishops, and of course Pope Benedict.

I am also inspired by people I met along the way and how they live their lives full of passion. A couple of those people that have stuck with me are Colleen Mitrow, principal of Southside Education, an all girls school in Brisbane where we volunteered, and Uncle Albert Holt, an aboriginal elder associated with the school. They taught us about the struggles, both historically and in the present, of the aboriginal people. Uncle Albert shared his personal story with us of living through it all. Colleen shared how this school is her way of bringing these girls out of the despair in their lives and providing them a successful future. The school is there to nurture and empower them. These people are truly passionate about changing lives, making a difference, doing great things in small ways. It’s an inspiration for me to do the same with my life.

The last of my reflections, but probably the most important to this pilgrimage: the Passionists. It would not have been possible to go on this pilgrimage without the support of the Passionists, both here in the US and in Australia. For this, I am very grateful.

Having the Passionist Youth Encounter gathering in Melbourne the week before World Youth Day truly prepared me for World Youth Day. Not only that, but it was amazing to see Passionists gathered from all over the world and be able to meet them, hear their stories, be in small groups with them, and pray with them as they do in their cultures. I loved seeing how the Passionists live out their charism, to walk with the suffering and bring hope, all over the world. It made me proud to be associated with such a great organization and people.

It was also great to be able to continue these relationships in Sydney. Amidst the thousands of people, we still would run into each other all over the place. We would recognize each other and excitedly greet one another.

There is one encounter that I will forever remember. In Melbourne, Fernando, a Passionist from Spain, was in my small group. He didn’t speak much English, so he had some difficulty communicating with the rest of the group. In Sydney, a group of us went to the vocations expo and I saw the Passionist booth and who should be standing there but Fernado. He saw me and gave me a huge hug and in his broken English he said, “I am Passionist. You are Passionist!” It was a great moment to have and one that I think encompasses how special it was to be with the Passionists on this pilgrimage.

These are a few of my stories that I hope give you a glimpse into the grace and joy that came from this pilgrimage.

Thank you to all who supported me in any way. You are a great blessing!!

God Bless,
Tricia Lothschutz

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