WYD Correspondents Begin Their Journey



Emily M. Albert



With a daily count down, youth and young adults from Dioceses all over the world look forward to traveling to Madrid Spain.

The Pilgrims from the Diocese of Harrisburg prepared themselves and their hearts for their spiritual journey during a mass at St. Theresa Parish, July 17. Bishop Joseph McFadden, who will be traveling to Spain with our diocese pilgrims, celebrated mass with the youth, young adults and their families.

After mass pilgrims endured treacherous heat conditions and made a 1.5 mile walk to Borough Park, New Cumberland while praying the rosary in Spanish. Pilgrims were greeted at the Park by their families and a colorful display of food. Water balloon games were played and pilgrims met and mingled with other parish groups.

Five of the 13 selected youth who will be acting as correspondents with the communications department of the Diocese and also reporting for The Catholic Witness attended the mass and began their journey as journalist. They used cameras to capture moments during mass and the rosary walk, they took notes on the Bishop’s homily and each wrote a small blog about their experience from the day.

We welcome you to continue following each of our correspondent’s blogs, as well as Antone Wilson’s and mine, Emily Albert. I am looking forward to sharing this journey with our correspondents, with a past experience of one WYD, I’m looking forward to seeing the youth enjoy this amazing and aw inspiring journey.

Watching as our correspondents worked during the July 17 mass, it was touching to know that these youth and young adults are willing to sacrifice their time to share their daily experiences with our Diocese. They are excited and smart, so smart, that I know this will be a beautiful connection between the youth and the Diocese they will return home to.

Rosary Walk to Borough Park

A Young Seminarian Travels to World Youth Day

This past Sunday kicked off the start of the Diocese of Harrisburg's WYD pilgrimage to Madrid, Spain!  After the beautiful Mass with our bishop and a rosary walk to the New Cumberland Borough Park, we pilgrims and our families enjoyed a refreshing lunch together and had a chance to meet our fellow pilgrims.  I was able to meet and chat with a mother and son duo who are eagerly waiting for the events of WYD to begin.
Bennett Smith and his mom Noelle Smith are parishioners of Good Shepherd parish in Camphill.  Also I was happy to hear that Bennett is studying to be a priest for our diocese and will enter his second year in college seminary this Fall.  I learned that this will be Bennett's first time traveling out of the country as well as his first WYD pilgrimage.  Surely this is going to be a new experience for him and many of us pilgrims, so I was wondering what made him decide to attend this World Youth Day.  He'd heard about it before and that it was always an exciting event.  But Bennett told me "I think it was something that I just said 'I'm gonna do it' and felt it was time."
Noelle won't be traveling to WYD but is still very happy for her son.  "The opportunity to visit all of those places is just as exciting for me as it is for him."  Bennett's mom told me she followed the blog for the last WYD in Australia and will be doing the same this year.  She not only wants to check up on what Bennett is doing each day but also hopes to see the places he's visiting with the group.
I found it beautiful when Noelle shared with me that it will be very special to Bennett's grandfather, who has a strong devotion to the Blessed Mother, when his grandson visits the Grotto of Lourdes.  I could see that Bennett's family is greatly supporting him on this pilgrimage.
I shared the Smith's excitement when I heard Bennett will have the opportunity to attend a special Mass with the pope when in Spain.  He will join many other seminarians from all over the world during this Mass.  What a blessing!  Bennett explained that he usually only gets to see a handful of seminarians in the diocese and seminary, and it's sometimes difficult to realize that there are many seminarians around the world.  So he's hoping this Mass will help him to see how much support he has from the Church and his brother seminarians.  He's also excited to meet up with his seminarian friends from other dioceses.
I was so glad to have talked with Bennett and his mom and to see their perspective on this pilgrimage.  Bennett realizes that traveling to another country with thousands of youth is going to be an eye-opening experience.  In answer to what he hopes to gain from this WYD, Bennett said "I really hope it will help me grow in my prayer and my relationship with God once I'm there."  Let us pray for Bennett, his family, and all seminarians, especially those attending World Youth Day that they will follow the vocation God has for them!

Training Day at the Diocesan Center

Our WYD Correspondents enjoy using their equipment for the first time.

Britta Margaret Bender

Hello, my name is Britta Margaret Bender. I am 16 years old and will be a junior at Delone Catholic High School next year. I was born in Pittsburgh, Pa., to two loving parents and am the eldest of five children consisting of four sisters and one rather unlucky brother. In my spare time, I love to read, write, watch movies and sing.
Writing has always been a passion of mine; when I was 8 or 9 years old, I created my very own neighborhood newspaper and entitled it the Trotwood Tribune (we lived on Trotwood Drive). I delivered handwritten subscription forms to every single house on my street, and several nice people humored me and signed up. Since then, I’ve worked at The Hanover Sun as a student reporter, participated in local poetry readings, and continue to journal quotes, thoughts, and experiences that inspire me.
Speaking of inspirational happenings, I cannot wait to attend World Youth Day in Madrid this August. The group that I am traveling with is gathering at Lourdes, France, for a retreat en route to Madrid. How many youth my age are graced with such an opportunity?! I’m so grateful for this wonderful gift that has been given me, and am privileged to be a pilgrim for the Diocese of Harrisburg. I will attempt to convey all of the wonderful experiences of World Youth Day and everything which it encompasses to the very best of my ability.

Monica Burke

¡Hola! Me llamo Mónica Burke. (That means "Hi! My name is Monica Burke" in Spanish!) I’m a high school junior at Danville Area High School. I belong to St. Joseph’s Church, where I have become a "jack of all trades" so to speak; I’m a psalmist, lector, leader of song, Youth Band member, and a Core Team leader for our Youth Ministry. In school, I play in the band, cheer for the Varsity football squad, and serve as secretary of the Drama Club. I also participate in Spanish Club and the school’s literary magazine – two clubs that will hopefully come in handy this World Youth Day!
I was already excited for WYD Madrid before I heard about the chance to serve as a correspondent, but when I was presented with the opportunity, I couldn’t have been more thrilled! I love sharing my faith with others, especially when it involves using the talents the Lord has entrusted to me. I can’t wait to experience the Body of Christ in an entirely new way as we journey through the streets of Madrid this August. Not only will I be able to participate in this huge event, but I will be reflecting on it, as well as sharing it with all of you. United in Christ, we will meet Him together, whether in Spain or here in the Diocese of Harrisburg!

Eric Cross

Being raised in a large Catholic family of six children has rooted me in my faith and shaped the person I am today. I’m Eric Cross, a member of St. Margaret Mary Parish, and a student at Bishop McDevitt High School. At school, I am involved in a myriad of activities and hold the positions of Pro-Life Club Co-President, Choir Vice-President, Christian Service Club Treasurer, and I am also a leading member of a student founded religious club, Contra Mundum. While not in school, my hobbies vary extensively across the spectrum. These hobbies range from hiking to reading to cooking and to simply enjoying the company of friends and family.

The World Youth Day Correspondent position holds a wonderful appeal and grasped my attention immediately. It combines the aspects of writing, photography, and video for such a momentous occasion. As I learned more about the position, I realized that as blessed as I am to be able to experience this wonderful event, there are those who due to other circumstances could not attend. I’d like to be able to share personal and group experiences from the trip with those people, right here in the Diocese of Harrisburg.

Carmen Garcia

My Name is Carmen Garcia and I am a WYD 2011 Madrid Correspondent. I am currently 17 years old and a senior at Bishop McDevitt High School. I’m also an active member of St. Francis of Assisi Parish, Harrisburg. I am currently involved in my parish Youth Ministry group and also a member of the Harrisburg Diocesan Youth Council. Some of my interests and hobbies include reading, writing, taking pictures and working with kids. I chose to be involved as a correspondent so I could share my experience with everyone back at home and also so to make this pilgrimage much more personal and be able to capture my surroundings on a much more deeper level. I hope to share wonderful picture and video footage and also interviews and personal accounts of my experience in Madrid.

Mary-Teresa Lee

Hello, my name is Mary-Teresa Lee and I am a member of the beautiful Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harrisburg. I was homeschooled K-12^th and I’m looking forward to my sophomore year at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio! Music is a HUGE part of my life! I play three instruments. At school, I was blessed to use my talents by playing my harp for the 10:30 a.m. Sunday Mass both semesters of my freshman year, as well as to provide music for the school play, under the direction of my older brother, both semesters as well! God also lead me to two additional music ministries during the spring semester: The Tuesday night prayer ministry after Praise and Worship, and Children’s Holy Hour. God has blessed my family abundantly, by allowing my siblings and I to form a family band called Seasons. We’ve been blessed to record two albums, with a third one underway, as well as to perform our music in a variety of venues, including The Catholic Marketing Network Conference, and the National Divine Mercy Shrine! We’ve also been featured guests on EWTN’s “Life on the Rock” and “The Dana Show”!

I chose to be a correspondent for two reasons: The first is that I love to write! The second is that I would love to be able to share my experiences with others! I know that God is going to continue blessing me, as He does every day, and I want to give Him glory for it! I hope that I will be able to do so on this trip, and to be a blessing to all whom I meet!

Mary-Kate Spring Lee

Hola! I’m Mary-Kate Spring Lee, a long-time member and current Music Director at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harrisburg. After many years at Lee Academy (a.k.a. homeschooling) I attended college at Franciscan University in Steubenville, Ohio. I graduated with a BA in English with Drama and Writing Concentrations, which led to a career in…music. I perform both as a solo harpist and with my band, Seasons, at a hodgepodge of venues from weddings to the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire (our Web site is www.seasonsmusic.com).

Traveling is a passion of mine and I had the opportunity to study abroad in Austria and England while in college. On both of these trips I kept journals, and when I heard about the chance to share stories and experiences with people back home as a World Youth Day Correspondent, I was instantly interested. I hope that when people read my entries they gain not only more information, but also a greater sense of being a fellow pilgrim on our journey.

Sarah Neitz

I’m Sarah Neitz. I recently returned from a semester abroad in El Salvador where I studied at the Jesuit University of Central America and accompanied an urban community outside San Salvador.  Although I miss my communities in El Salvador, I’m glad to be back in Gettysburg and representing St. Francis Xavier Parish at World Youth Day!

I am an International Studies and Philosophy senior, concentrating in Latin American Studies, at the University of Scranton. I co-founded Men and Women for Octaves, the a cappella club at Scranton, and am involved with the Fair Trade club, the environmental club, the University Players, and University Ministries as a lector and an extraordinary minister of Holy Communion. World Youth Day will be my first pilgrimage. I love to write and am excited to serve as a correspondent where I will have a medium to reflect on my pilgrimage and to share my reflections with the entire Diocese.

Peter Lee

My name is Peter Lee. I’m 22 and I’ve been a member of Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Parish in Harrisburg for essentially my whole life. I was home schooled all the way through high school (God bless my mom!) and this May I graduated Franciscan University of Steubenville with a degree in British and American Literature. I am currently pursuing my primary passion, music, full time. I play a variety of instruments, including hammered dulcimer, in my band Celtic/Christian/Folk band Seasons. I also play keyboards in the Indie/Christian/Folk band Post Script. I enjoy writing music and the occasional poem, learning new instruments, jamming with other musicians, and performing music live. I also enjoy reading a great book, watching a good movie, deep conversations about nothing particularly important, and traveling and sometimes getting lost in God’s great big creation.

I decided to become a correspondent for this pilgrimage not only because I recognize it as a blessing to make it to WYD and I want to share the experience with those back home, but also because I hope to grow personally from the process. So much happens on a trip such as this, and by getting this chance to slow down and reflect on what I’m experiencing and feeling, I hope to grow more in my relationship with Christ. I’m interested in talking to people about the word “why.” Why are young people traveling from all over the world to attend WYD? The huge numbers that flock to WYD time and time again provide proof that the Church is alive in a world in which we are constantly told that our faith in Christ doesn’t matter. I’m about to encounter thousands of people to whom faith in Christ and the Church matters quite a lot. I want to know - “Why.”

Olivia Sielaff

I’m Olivia Sielaff. This summer I have been given a great opportunity to be a pilgrim with the Diocese of Harrisburg in the events of World Youth Day! I will not only experience the power of God and the wonder of the Church as a pilgrim in Madrid, but I will also share my journey as a diocesan correspondent with those of you at home.

I always like reading about different cultures in travel magazines and epic expeditions in National Geographic. In fact, it’s been my dream to eventually become a traveling news reporter, after I graduate from Franciscan University of Steubenville in four years. So when I was selected to be one of a few correspondents for WYD, I became ten times more excited to hop on the plane! At first I thought of how much inspiration the sights, sounds and culture of Madrid would give me when writing my blog. However I was quickly reminded that we correspondents are not just tourists reporting the facts, but also pilgrims relating our journeys and encounters with God and His Church. Don’t worry, you can expect a little of the tourist flair in my posts. Yet it is my goal to bring World Youth Day into your homes, to have you experience this event as if you were there, and to make you a spiritual pilgrim with the diocese. With my experience in writing for my local newspaper, I hope to fulfill the goal of correspondent. With my passion for the Catholic faith, nurtured by my family and parish (Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Fairfield), I hope to enter into this journey as a true pilgrim and inspire you to do the same.

Katie Mullen

Hi, my name is Katie Mullen, your World Youth Day Correspondent. I live in Bloomsburg, Pa., and attend Bloomsburg High School. At my parish, Saint Columba, I actively participate in youth group as a member of the Saint Columba Youth Group Core Team and as a representative to the Diocesan Youth Council. I serve Masses at Saint Columba and volunteer at our church’s VBS and food cupboard. At my high school I am involved in several activities including sports, drama and journalism. I play field hockey in the fall and have since seventh grade. This past year I was in my school’s play, “Pirates of Penzance,” as a bobby cop and a daughter. Also, I am a writer and soon-to-be editor on our school’s award winning paper, the Red and White, and enjoy writing and designing for the paper.

With my love of writing and sharing stories, I am very excited to be your correspondent. I love the idea that you can write your thoughts or other people’s thoughts or even a mix and publish them for the world to see. I want to share my experience and my growth in my faith with you. I hope that my blogs will make you laugh, smile, think, ponder, and maybe even question. I also hope that you can find a connection with what I’m writing about and your own lives.