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Article_World Youth Day�s �universality� leaves her in awe

Parish News | Tuesday, September 20, 2016

World Youth Day’s ‘universality’ leaves her in awe

More reflections on Krakow 2016 from a young adult pilgrim

MIAMI | World Youth Day pilgrim Zuny Meza-Diaz jotted down some reflections during her stay in Krakow, reflections she shared with her aunt.

“Her journal really moved me and I wanted to share it with everyone,” said Aracely Diaz, a member of Blessed Trinity Parish in Miami Springs.

Zuny Meza-Diaz traveled to Krakow as part of the 115-member archdiocesan group. She was part of the group from Encuentros Juveniles. When she’s not working or studying fulltime she attends St. John the Apostle in Hialeah or St. Agatha in Miami.

Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO

Zuny Meza-Diaz traveled to Krakow as part of the 115-member archdiocesan group. She was part of the group from Encuentros Juveniles. When she’s not working or studying fulltime she attends St. John the Apostle in Hialeah or St. Agatha in Miami.

The Encuentros Juveniles group wear their colors in Krakow: the state of Florida, the U.S., Cuba and the Vatican.

Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO

The Encuentros Juveniles group wear their colors in Krakow: the state of Florida, the U.S., Cuba and the Vatican.

Meza-Diaz traveled to Krakow as part of the 115-member archdiocesan group. She was part of the group from Encuentros Juveniles. When she’s not working or studying fulltime she attends St. John the Apostle in Hialeah or St. Agatha in Miami.

Here, in keeping with her aunt’s wishes, are her reflections as well as some of her pictures.

12 days and 110+ miles later

There was singing, crying, running, laughing and looking upon it all in awe. People would sing praises on buses and trains in four different languages but with the same heart. Lines of people would run through the square chanting and screaming songs that are typical to their country.

But when you glanced over at the statue in the center, you'd hear kids' voices singing the same songs in unison. The same songs would come out from the backdrop of their soaring flags and fly out from the square as if to reach the homes of each heart which overflowed with emotion.

I am in love with and in awe of the "universality" of it all. Ukraine and Russia coming together to love their creator and learn of the depths of their faith with nothing but love and mercy, leaving fear and fighting behind.

Indians, Americans, Poles, Australians, and Italians coming together to play soccer and Frisbee. Israelis, Russians, Palestinians, Jordanians, Nigerians, and Irish coming together to dance to the marrying of their cultures' music with bagpipes and bongo drums.

Priests and people partaking in confessions on curbsides and in arenas. People of every form actually running and going through fences to get to the next couple of Eucharistic ministers because the one they were in line for ran out.

Families asking to pray for you and your intentions in a 1,000-year-old church. Praying and sharing laughs with nuns and lay people in a park while listening to the music of the nations of the world in the background.

I couldn't have imagined a more exhausting and overwhelmingly satisfying experience.

The Encuentros Juveniles group waves the Cuban flag on the morning of the papal Mass in the Campus Misericordiae.

Photographer: COURTESY PHOTO

The Encuentros Juveniles group waves the Cuban flag on the morning of the papal Mass in the Campus Misericordiae.


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