A letter from Brother Thomas Cleary, S.M., Provincial of the Province of Meribah:

October, 2014

Dear Students and Parents of the Class of 2017,

The Marianist Province of Meribah is happy to announce that we will be sponsoring a pilgrimage to World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow, Poland. Pope Francis has proclaimed “Blessed are the Merciful” as the theme for this world-wide gathering of young Catholics, and he has invited all Catholic youth to join him in July 2016 in the homeland of his predecessor, St. John Paul II.
We invite the members of the sophomore class to take part in this pilgrimage from July 20 to August 2, 2016, just prior to the beginning of their senior year. We can assure you that participation in the World Youth Day 2016 Pilgrimage will be an experience of our Catholic faith that will remain with you for the rest of your life.
The cost of the pilgrimage will be $8950 for each participant. We know that this is expensive, and we have worked diligently with our tour operator to provide the best pilgrimage experience that we can at the most reasonable price. The escalating cost of airfare and the fluctuating rate of exchange with the euro have made it difficult to plan for a trip almost two years in advance, but we are confident that this price will be final. Roundtrip air is included in the cost. For the safety and well-being of our pilgrims, we have chosen international, full-service hotels in secure locations for our accommodations and private motor coaches for all transportation. Marianist Brothers and members of the faculty from Kellenberg and Chaminade will supervise the students throughout the pilgrimage. A registered nurse will be included among the chaperones. Additionally, the price includes tour guides and admissions to all the sites we will visit on the pilgrimage, World Youth Day Registration fees, as well as all breakfasts and dinners and five lunches. An outline of our pilgrimage itinerary is found on the reverse of this letter.
We are announcing the pilgrimage at this time in order that students may pay for the pilgrimage in installments over the next 18 months.
A short video about World Youth Day and testimony from some of the pilgrims who traveled to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2013 can be found below on this webpage.
Interested students may submit their name using the form located on the right hand side of this page. Students interested in being considered for participation in the pilgrimage should return their forms to Bro. Kenneth in the Principal’s office at Kellenberg Memorial High School. All forms should be submitted by October 15, 2014. Each student’s overall school record will be considered in choosing the participants for the 2016 WYD pilgrimage.
The students selected for the pilgrimage will be notified by November 5, 2014.  A deposit of $1000 will be collected shortly after that date to reserve a place among the pilgrims. A meeting for pilgrims and their parents will take place in January, 2015.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at tcleary@chaminade-hs.org or 516-742-5555, ext. 589.
To Jesus through Mary!
Bro. Thomas J. Cleary, S.M.
Provincial, Province of Meribah

 


 

WYD_KRAKOW_2016_logo-255x276WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016

July 20-August 2, 2016

Krakow, Poland 

World Youth Day is a gathering of young Catholics from all around the world with the Holy Father for a pilgrimage of prayer and friendship. Pope Francis invites all young people to an encounter with Jesus Christ and his Church in Poland, the birthplace of St. John Paul II, the pope who convened the first WYD in 1984.
Sophomores are invited to apply for this life-changing opportunity. Consider this testimony from two pilgrims who participated in our WYD Pilgrimage to Brazil in 2013:
 


 
DSCN4444“It is good for us to be here” was one of Pope Francis’ opening lines at mass and the quote is true. My experience at World Youth Day in Brazil 2013 was filled with lifelong memories. It was a once in a lifetime opportunity to travel to another country with your friends. The pilgrimage itself left a major impact on my spiritual journey. I would have never thought that three million people from around the world kneeling in adoration with the Holy Father would leave such an impact. It was such a powerful moment where I truly felt part of a universal church. It was also incredible to meet people from all over the world! You will be able to trade pins, flags, rosary beads, etc! Although we all don’t speak the same language we were all connected by the power of Christ. At the last mass, Pope Francis told the youth to “Go, Do not be afraid, and serve.” In his homily, the ‘go’ was to go and make disciples like we have done those past days in Rio. He told us not to be afraid since we saw the strength of the church’s youth and together we have the power to spread God ‘s love. And lastly, serve. Pope Francis said that it is allowing our life to be identified with that of Jesus. It is a life of service. Pope Francis gave the great example of Mary to teach us to be disciples and missionaries and say “yes” to God. After the trip, I felt the ambition to become more involved in the church and continue this for the rest of my life. If you’re lucky enough to take the opportunity to go to Krakow, you will leave with the ambition to leave your mark on the Church as well.  — Lyndsey Ruchalski, KMHS 2014
 


 
I encourage the young men and woman of Kellenberg and Chaminade to consider World Youth Day for three reasons. 
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First of all, because it is an adventure. World Youth Day is something unlike anything else a person can experience. Getting the opportunity to experience something of such power and immensity as WYD in an unknown place just waiting to be explored with people you share a faith in God with is pretty special and something you won’t regret. It is a ton of fun, there will not be a moment that you will not find a reason to smile and enjoy life. It will enrich your mind with so many new ideas about the world around you, and hopefully bring you closer to understanding your significant role in the universal Church. 
Secondly, WYD is about love. Something that opened my eyes in Rio was the amount of diverse cultures, languages, personalities, opinions, clothing styles, dancing habits that were present throughout the whole experience. The one thing that remained in union throughout was the love each and every person had for the world we have been given, for the God that mercifully gives us more than we could ever dream about, and for our Faith, our Church, and our responsibility to bring that love to everyone we meet.
Finally, World Youth Day is about you. The person I was going into WYD was not the person I came out as. It forces you to explore yourself, your heart and its desires, where your at with your faith, your prayer life, and the beautiful powers you wield, just waiting to be discovered. Wherever you are on your journey, Christ is standing right in front of you with hands outstretched, running to you for a warm embrace. Together, with the young people of the globe and the Pope, we as a faith take a step, whether small or large, closer to Christ. 
I was changed by WYD into the man I am today, a man that is taking each day as a new adventure with Christ, praising Him every moment of my life, and giving my life to following His ways and His love for all peoples. — William Clemens, CHS 2014


 
Over 100 pilgrims from Chaminade and Kellenberg participated in Pope Francis’s first WYD in Rio de Janiero, Brazilduring July 2013. Here’s a taste of the excitement they encountered with over 2 million other pilgrims in the land of Christ the Redeemer.
 
The people of Poland are already excited to welcome pilgrims to the next World Youth Day. They are proud of their country and of the courageous witness to our Catholic faith which is part of their heritage.



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