It's Here

That time has started. Where my brain cracks from the pre-WYD stress and creates unusual dreams while I get my 32 minutes of sleep each night.

A coworker said the same thing a friend did, that WYD is like giving birth. You have to forget the stress, chaos, agony, worry to allow yourself the absolute joy of going yet again somewhere to the ends of the earth with young people in tow.

All kidding aside, things are heating up. With less than a month until our group departs for our pre-WYD pilgrimage to Rome & Assisi, I'm scrambling to finish all of August's work, September kick-off preparations, and the many publications (bulletin submissions, parish newsletter articles, youth newsletter, parent emails, etc.).

Ultimately, I know all the late night (and bizarre dreams) are more than worth it. WYD is a life changing experience. The previous four I have attended each profoundly affected me and it is an absolute joy to see it affecting those youth and young adults who attend.

One added headache is the 'opus' (as I've dubbed it) that I am working on for the group. I am giving each pilgrim a booklet - so far 100 pages (50 double sided). In it contains the itinerary, emergency information, details on some of the major basilicas in Rome, scripture related to the patrons of those basilicas, quotes from popes and saints, quotes and reflection questions, prayers, daily morning and evening reflections, a chart with all the nations (including South Sudan!) so that they can check off what countries people they meet are from, pages for recording quotes from the trip (always a favorite, often embarrassing as my exhaustion leads me to say odd things), and a few other items. I hope to finish the last three days of reflections tomorrow so that next week I can print, copy, and then take them to be spiral bound.

For now, I get a break from WYD - tonight is our youth group's Sundae Party. Or as I fondly call it the "How did they get every surface in the youth room sticky party."