Further details on the cyberdefense of the WYD website

VATICAN CITY — The U.S. Servant Sister who masterminded the defense of the World Youth Day website from a major cyberattack last summer has provided more details. As noted Tuesday, news reports re-visited the attempt to hack the WYD Madrid site after the computer security company Imperva released a report, “Anatomy of an Anonymous Attack,” outlining [...]

An informal poll on the new WYD logo

You may have heard that the new World Youth Day logo was released last night in Rio de Janiero, where the next big international youth festival will be held next year. Here’s a look at one version of the new logo: And that prompted the social media desk at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops [...]

Souvenirs of WYD

By Sara Angle One in a series MADRID — While memories and new friends from across the world will remain as important reminders of pilgrims’ experiences in Madrid, tangible souvenirs were also flying off the shelves at the city’s retailers. Official merchandise outposts were constantly crowded with pilgrims picking up things like T-Shirts, key chains, [...]

Notes on papal meeting with special nun; behind the scenes at the vigil

MADRID — Pope Benedict XVI’s trip to Spain did focus on young people, including young religious women, but it wasn’t an exclusive focus. Yesterday afternoon Pope Benedict met briefly with Cistercian Sister Teresita, who just turned 104. But what is even more interesting, she entered the Cistercian cloister on the very day Joseph Ratzinger, the [...]

Madrid 11 comes to a close, but Rio 13 on the horizon

By Sara Angle One in a series MADRID — I left the vigil early last night and planned on going to a stadium in west Madrid this morning to watch the closing Mass on their giant screen with many other pilgrims that could not get to Cuatro Vientos, or had left the vigil. Unfortunately, they [...]

At WYD vigil, pope encourages young people to use prayer to find their life’s vocation

By Gretchen R. Crowe Catholic News Service MADRID (CNS) — Hours after firefighters doused overheated pilgrims with much-needed jets of water, the heavens added to their efforts by driving rain and wind onto the more than 1 million young Catholics camping at Cuatro Vientos airbase Saturday night for the World Youth Day vigil. But the [...]

Cuatro Vientos: a sea of devout Catholics

By Sara Angle One in a series MADRID —Pilgrims must truly be “Rooted and Built Up in Jesus Christ, Firm in the Faith,” to have made it this far in WYD. I’m here at Cuatro Vientos and the scene is one of mixed emotions. Some are making the best of the crowded and sweltering environment, [...]

Hot at the vigil

By Emily Anderson One in a series MADRID — Today is the day of the overnight vigil. It is hot, but the spirits are high! There’s even a fire truck spraying people. Pray for us as we roast out here! Emily “Em” Anderson, 28, is the director of youth ministry at St. James Catholic Church [...]

Pope hears confessions in the park at WYD

MADRID — Pope Benedict XVI began his third day in Madrid by hearing confessions in one of 200 portable confessionals set up in a park for World Youth Day pilgrims. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, said the pope offered the sacrament of reconciliation to four World Youth Day volunteers: two young men and two [...]

Pope to declare St. John of Avila a doctor of the church

MADRID — Pope Benedict XVI announced this morning that he will declare St. John of Avila the 34th “doctor of the church.” The Spanish saint, who lived 1500-1569, was famed as a preacher, confessor and spiritual writer. He is best known for the works “Audi, Filia” (“Listen, Daughter”), which is a guide to the spiritual [...]