Instead of going on and on about all the physical aspects of my trip to Toronto, I thought that I'd let you know what I got out of it.

Whether positive or negative, family is always a big part of everyone's lives. I figured out what it takes to be a part of one. When the thirty-three of us landed in Toronto, we were separate but together. I never thought what we would have to go through just to make it through 10 days. All of us came from different families and had different ideas of community. The first few days were kind of trying and it was hard to breakdown our walls. It took a lot of communicating and a lot of pain had to be experienced. Although we had exchanged thoughts, it wasn't difficult for all of us to come closer together. I prayed for an angel to come down and help us start our "bonding." My prayers were answered. Tracy was the angel I prayed for. It was her birthday and right before our catechesis session, the song leaders invited her to come up on stage for everyone to sing for her. Not only did we sing for her, we all got up and straight cheered for her. Just seeing everyone celebrating for her made me realize that our differences in opinion made didn't matter anymore. The Saint Dominic Youth Ministry family was a beginning to strengthen. The first lecture was about family...Forget About Me, I Love You.

The next test came in the form of controlling a crowd. We waited for a few hours to be able to get a good glimpse of the Pope. The guys in the group had to make sure that the girls weren't harmed by some mischevious destructive little woman. Despite everyone's tempers being provoked, we were all able to get a good look at the Pope. We all ended up laughing about our problem rather than dwelling on it.

The event that sealed our fate was the final weekend. The final weekend consisted of a campout in Downsview Park. The first night was a night vigil and there would be a Papal Mass the following morning. The event looked like a holy version of woodstock. There were "squatters" building makeshift shelters and there were 3 cities of portable toilets. The weather wasn't something to be reckoned with. Within 3 hours it could be inbelievably hot and then a storm would hover over us. Anyway, it started to pour around 630 on sunday morning. It subsided for an hour or two but there was a sudden downpour and a fierce wind whipping through the park. Our boys (who so happen to be boy scouts) made a tent for 4 people. After about 20 minutes they decided to give in to the needs of the group rather than their own. They ended up making that improvised tent able to fit about 25 people. Everyone did their part to make sure that everyone else was taken care of. Everyone was so selfless. THAT WAS FAMILY: putting your needs aside to serve the others who are needy as well. Basically.....SACRIFICE.

I thought that I had lost my own sense community. I was so bent on making sure that everyone else was comfortable...I finally lost it. I felt so hurt. I was SO mad at a few people. But you know what? I got over it and I really don't think that these people really need to know what I was so irked about. I hated myself for being mad at them.

Family is a bond that certainly cannot be messed with. It took us a week to be able to flow on the same wavelength. I came home feeling like a part of something much larger than I could ever comprehend. I love everyone who made that trip possible. I love my Saviour. I love myself. I went there wanting to better myself. Not only did I better myself, I rekindled, created, and strengthened so many relationships.

For all of the attendees of WYD/JMJ 2002 - thank you for the renewed sense of self, community, friendship, and family.

GOD BLESS...