Friday morning

Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to explain the brevity of our blog posts. We have been out, going to catechesis, praying at various churches, and walking a lot all day, every day. The meal schedule in the Spanish culture is such that we often eat our supper at 11 pm!!! So, by the time we return to the hotel to blog we are just too tired to write too much. I am hoping we have a little more time this evening.

Today we are heading out to a local church for catechesis and then Mass. After that we will find a place for lunch. For those of you who may have been familiar with meals in previous WYD's, it is completely different here. Instead of having meal tickets which are redeemed at spots around town for pickup, we were issued vouchers to be used at restaurants in Madrid. At first glance that sounds promising.... but..... the reality is that there are just too few restaurants that are participating in the program so by the time we reach them they are generally very full of pilgrims which necessitates long waits. The good news is that the food has generally been pretty good, although choices are limited (or non-existent). BUT, we are pilgrims and no one is complaining. We are all so grateful for the food that we are given, and are reminded that there are many in this world who have to wait for inadequate or even unsafe food every day.

Another reminder about how blessed we are as Americans came for some of us on the metro yesterday when we were riding with pilgrims from Iraq. They shared a little with us about how difficult it is to be a Christian there - but mostly emanated joy at being able to be at WYD, celebrating their faith in Jesus Christ.

Tonight is the Stations of the Cross. We are not yet sure how we will view this - it might be from our hotel television as we all need a little rest this evening before our pilgrimage walk to Cuatro Vientos and the Papal Vigil and Mass this weekend!

More later from the pilgrims!
Joy