G'DAY MATES!!! :)

G-day Mates!!!!

AHHHH! Australia is absolutely INCREDIBLE! I don't have much time. This is the first time that I could get access to a computer with Internet! I will transfer my journal entries to this blog soon, but until then, just read the e-mail that I sent my family! God Bless!



G'day Mom, Dad, & Bros,

I am in Australia and doing GREAT! This country is AWESOME! Sorry I haven't called or e-mailed. This is the first time I could find internet. When I find more time, I will transfer all my experiences from my journal to my blog. I have picked up on the lingo here and have made some great friends from all over. These guys are great! Just a few things that have happened. Traveling here was LONG, but was overshadowed by all the laughing and cutting up that we did in the airports and on the planes! We have 2 Canadians with us, whom I have gotten close to and they have taught me lots of canadian card games (of course, i have taught them many of ours too!). I am staying in downtown Sydney at the University of Notre Dame (home of the Oldest Catholic/church in Australia, St. Benedict's) and was provided (actually given) so much equipment such as a nice sleeping bag, bedroll, backpack, NICE clothes, and a whole lot of WYD pilgrim stuff! For the first two days that we were here, Me and a big group of guys did A LOT of touring and site seeing. We went to the Market and I of course went a little nuts there buying souveniers and such. We walked all over Darling Harbour and even took a boat tour! We got close to the famous Sydney Opera House, the Sydney Bridge, a few celebrity mansions (Nicole Kidman, Russell Crow, and Michael Jackson, where the jokes were flying! hahaha) etc etc etc. Hmmmm....let's see I got to see Kangaroo's and Koala's, but we couldn't pet the koala's because they were asleep when we went to see them. I got some AWESOME pics though! Many more stories to come about the city, nightlife, and culture. I got to M.C. Altar Serve at a HUGE Mass with the Bishop of Las Vegas, today I get to do the same with the Bishop of Lismore, Australia, and tomorrow, I get to Altar serve with another American Bishop!!! I am so blessed to have had these opportunities! Not many are getting to do this! We went to the Opening Mass, which was the first time that ALL the pilgrims got together. This took place in Darling Harbour and was absolutely INCREDIBLE! Over 100,000 pilgrims (look for pictures online!). More stories about that to come! In the midst of all that, us Knights have been working so hard with the Sisters of Life running the Love&Life Site here at Notre Dame. These Sisters are absolutely amazing, we have been getting to know them very well (two of them are Aggies, whom I have already met before)! We have had Concerts with some big names, EWTN talk shows, catechesis talks with Bishops and various well-known speakers, authors, priests, and professors. The Local and Foreign Media has been CRAZY here at our site, we have recieved the most press world-wide!! I have been in charge of all the media stuff, So I have been in charge of recording all the speeches and talks along with another Sister and group of six Knights. We also have been hadling the Media and Press that roll into our site constantly. The Supreme Knight, Karl Anderson, has been with us the whole and is somewhat of a celebrity to many! He is a great, down-to-earth guy and is taking us out to a NICE Aussie dinner tonight, his treat!! Pope Benedict arrived in Australia a day or two ago and will be arriving in Sydney via his Papal yacht (haha)! Here comes the cool part and I am praying and praying that this comes true, but am not getting my hopes up. Pope Benedict is said to come and visit here at Notre Dame/ St. Benedict's on Saturday (because it is the oldest church in Australia! SOOO, there is a VERY strong chance that I will get to see him up close or even meet him!!! AHHH!! We will just see what happens. We are gonna make the hike down to the harbour later today to witness his arrival in Sydney!! That's all I can really say in a nutshell. I can't wait to tell you in more detail all about it. I am witnessing the Power of Christ here and am seeing lives being changed. Mine too will never be the same! This is just re-affirming my call to the Priesthood. Praise God and all that He does! I have to run and get ready to Serve at Mass! Please keep me in your prayers and know that I have been keeping y'all in mine constantly! I will try to call y'all today when I get a spare moment. Feel free to share this e-mail with anyone who might like to know about my journey thus far!! I hope y'all are doing well! I love y'all!

Love,
Jared

Countdown to my Pilgrimage "Down Under!"

G'day Mates!

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh!!! COUNTDOWN: 2 DAYS!!!!

I am in the middle of packing and for some reason it seems ENDLESS...but all is cool, cause in 3 days, I will be in SYDNEY AUSTRALIA!!!!!!!!! On wednesday (7/9/08), I will be flying to LA, California to meet up with my group and will be staying in LA over night. The next day, I will board my flight to Sydney and after being in the air for MANY hours, I should be landing at the Sydney airport at 6 in the AM! I will attempt to update this blog daily, however, if I am not successful, here is a tentative schedule of events (below). Please keep me in your prayers and I will most definately keep you all in mine! God Bless! Dueces....

Schedule of Events
* This schedule is tentative and subject to change at the discretion of Knights of Columbus staff.
World Youth Day 2008

Commonly used abbreviations: StBND = St. Benedict’s / University of Notre Dame Australia Sydney Campus SCEC8 = SCEC Parkside Auditorium, Darling Drive, Darling Harbour

Wednesday, July 9th
Students and staff arrive at LAX throughout the day. Vans have been arranged to pick up students and staff as they arrive and transport them to UCLA. When you arrive, meet at the baggage claim of your terminal. Look for staff members in blue Knights of Columbus baseball caps. 11:00 AM-2:00 PM – Lunch. 4:00 PM – Check in to accommodations at UCLA (address listed below). Sunset Village / Sproul Hall 350 DeNeve Drive Los Angeles, CA 90024-1317 Phone: (310) 825-2075 Fax: (310) 825-7092 6:00 PM – Group dinner. 7:00 PM – Holy Mass. Principal celebrant and homilist, Fr. Jonathan Kalisch, OP. An orientation meeting in the North Ridge Room (200 DeNeve Drive, Covel Commons, Third Floor) to follow. A separate orientation meeting will be held for those students with flights arriving late in the evening.

Thursday, July 10th
8:00 AM – Breakfast. 9:00 AM – Depart for airport. Room keys must be returned to front desk. Flights depart for Australia throughout the day.

Friday, July 11th spent in transit.

Saturday, July 12th
6:00–7:00 AM – All flights arrive in Sydney. 9:00 AM – Expected arrival time at University of Notre Dame Australia Sydney Campus / Pioneer House (StBND). No programming scheduled throughout the day, as jet lag is anticipated. 4:00 PM – Holy Mass (StBND). Principal celebrant and homilist, Fr. Daniel Sweeney, SJ.

Sunday, July 13th
5:30 PM – Holy Mass (StBND). Principal celebrant and homilist, Fr. Jonathan Kalisch, OP.

Monday, July 14th
TBD – Training for street evangelization provided by Sisters of Life (StBND). TBD – Assist Sisters of Life and World Youth Day volunteers to set-up the Love & Life Site (StBND). 7:00 PM – Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati prayer service (St. Mary’s Cathedral).

Tuesday, July 15th
Morning – Breakfast provided at accommodation site. 12:00 PM – Lunch service provided at sites throughout the city until 2:30 PM (e.g. Barangaroo, the Domain, etc.). TBD – Street evangelization throughout the city to promote the Love & Life Site, distribute literature, welcome other pilgrims, etc. 3:00 PM – Prelude to Opening Mass, including music and entertainment (Barangaroo). 4:30 PM – Opening Mass, celebrated by Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney (Barangaroo). 6:30 PM – Evening meal served at sites throughout the city until 8:30 PM (e.g. Barangaroo, the Domain, etc.).
8:00 PM – Youth Festival events throughout the city (consult Youth Festival Guide for details). Youth Festival webpage: http://www.wyd2008.org/youthfestival

Wednesday, July 16th
Morning – Breakfast provided at accommodation site. 8:00 AM – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Morning Prayer (StBND). 9:00 AM – Catechesis Animation. 10:30 AM – Bishops’ Catechesis. 11:30 AM – Holy Mass at catechetical site (StBND). 1:30 PM – Lunch. 2:00 PM – Matt Maher and Theology of the Body speakers / Theology of the Body Explored. Youth Festival events held throughout the city. 5:30 PM – Vespers (StBND). 6:30 PM – Evening meal served throughout the city until 8:30 PM (e.g. Barangaroo, the Domain, etc.). 8:00 PM – Youth Festival (Films): Screening of Bella (PG), presented by the Sisters of Life (SCEC8). 10:00 PM – Youth Festival events conclude for the night.

Thursday, July 17th
Morning – Breakfast provided at accommodation site. 8:00 AM – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Morning Prayer (StBND). 9:00 AM – Catechesis Animation. 10:30 AM – Bishops’ Catechesis. 11:30 AM – Holy Mass at catechetical site (StBND). 1:30 PM – Lunch. 2:45 PM – Papal Arrival, viewed from sites on Sydney Harbour. 3:30 PM – Holy Father arrives at Barangaroo for formal welcome. 4:30 PM – Holy Father departs Barangaroo for a motorcade through the city. 5:30 PM – Vespers (StBND).
6:30 PM – Evening meal served throughout the city until 8:30 PM (e.g. Barangaroo, the Domain, etc.).
7:00 PM – International Living Rosary, to be recited in multiple languages (StBND). 8:00 PM – Youth Festival (Concerts): Street Party, featuring the Catholic Underground band (StBND). 10:00 PM – Youth Festival events conclude for the night.

Friday, July 18th
Morning – Breakfast provided at accommodation site. 8:00 AM – Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament and Morning Prayer (StBND). 9:00 AM – Catechesis Animation. 10:30 AM – Bishops’ Catechesis. 11:30 AM – Holy Mass at catechetical site (StBND). 1:30 PM – Lunch. 3:00 PM – Stations of the Cross, held at venues throughout the city. 6:30 PM – Evening meal served throughout the city until 8:30 PM (e.g. Barangaroo, the Domain, etc.). 8:00 PM – Youth Festival (Spiritual): Eucharistic Healing Procession (StBND). 10:00 PM – Youth Festival events conclude for the night.

Saturday, July 19th
Morning – Breakfast and a lunch pack to carry on the Pilgrimage Walk. 8:15 AM – United States WYD Pilgrims Gathering (Domain) 9:00 AM – Holy Mass: Principal Celebrant and Homilist, Francis Cardinal George, OMI, President of USCCB (Domain) 10:30 AM – Meet with Bishops (Domain) 11:00 AM – Pilgrimage Walk: depart for Randwick Racecourse. Collect meal pack for Saturday evening, Sunday breakfast, and Sunday lunch on the way to Randwick. 12:00 PM – Youth Festival commences at Randwick. Refreshments may be purchased until the start of the Vigil.
2:00 PM – Bridge closes to pilgrims; those still walking will be confined to pedestrian walkway (Page 24 of Pilgrim Guide). Last pilgrim leaves North Sydney as part of Pilgrimage Walk.
7:00 PM – Evening Vigil begins. 9:00 PM – Evening Vigil concludes, with prayerful reflection and adoration continuing into the night.

Sunday, July 20th
6:00 AM – WORLD YOUTH DAY 8:00 AM – Morning prayer commences from the main stage at Randwick. 9:00 AM – Papal flyover Southern Cross Precinct, followed by Papal motorcade. 10:00 AM – Final Mass, celebrated by the Holy Father. Mass will be followed by the Angelus. 12:30 PM – Announcement of the location of and invitation to the next World Youth Day. 12:45 PM – Youth Festival events recommence. It will take several hours for everyone to leave the site, so be patient and take the time to enjoy the Youth Festival performances. 5:00 PM – Youth Festival events conclude.

Monday, July 21st
TBD – Assist Sisters of Life and World Youth Day volunteers to close the Love & Life Site (StBND).

Tuesday, July 22nd
Morning – Depart for airport. Day spent in transit. Pray for a safe and pleasant journey home.

.........................Cookie out.........................

My time in College Station comes to a close...

My lease on my apartment is up, my finals are OVER (thank the sweet baby Jesus!), I have said my goodbyes and now it's time for SUMMER! WHOOP! I am sooo excited about this summer! Throughout May and June, I will be working as much as possible mowing lawns with Cooke Bros. Lawn Service and hopefully find another part time job! I will also be making several trips back to College Station to visit my friends, to attend a court date for a speeding ticket (stupid cops, who have nothing better to do than set speed traps and pull over as many poor college students as possible!), and to attend my friend Chris' Wedding! In July, I will work for the first week of the month and then on July 9th, I will be traveling to Sydney, Australia to Volunteer at World Youth Day where I get to meet and hang out with millions of my fellow Catholic brothas and sistas as well as see Pope Benedict XVI and attend his Papal addresses and Masses.....YEAHHHH! After my trip of a lifetime to Sydney, I will work a bit more, spend time with family and friends, and then start my new journey at seminary where I will begin my Priestly Formation! If you are free at all this summer, call me up, we should hang out! I will probably not be here next summer, so let's make it happen this go around!

.............Cookie out...........................................

And So It Begins...

And so it begins..... My life up until now has been a GREAT one! I have had experiences that some people never have the chance to experience at all in their lifetime. I have the most AWESOME family any guy could ask for, I have the best friends in the entire world, and I have God walking with me hand in hand, step by step, stumble by stumble in this JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE! By the grace and love of God, I have finally found my vocation in life and finally understand why God put me on this earth! It has been a difficult journey, but it has been a journey that I wouldn't have changed for the world! After much prayer and reflection, I have decided to apply for entrance into the Seminary in hopes of one day being ordained a Catholic Priest! I began to feel this quiet call from God about 4 years ago and over time, that quiet call became louder and more persistent. As you can well imagine, my initial thought and answer to God was “absolutely NOT!” A call like that is both daunting and uncommon; therefore, I avoided God’s call for me like the plague. However, God works in mysterious ways and He is not one to ever give up, even when we push Him away. After a while I began to dialogue with him in prayer and I began a discernment journey that grew deeper and deeper as time went on. After more than four years of discerning and continuous debate with God, I guess you could say He finally won - He revealed to me why I’m here on this earth – why I exist. In order for me to become the man I was created to be, I believe the path to Priesthood is the path that I must now follow. So my new answer to God became a faith filled YES! I believe God is calling me to come and follow Him in this way and I just can’t say no to Him anymore. In 21 years of life, I have never been surer about anything than I am now. My faith is where I have achieved my greatest happiness and I want nothing else in my life than to help lead others to that same happiness in Christ! I believe that our world needs a deeper relationship with Christ and I want to give of myself to help in anyway that I can. Believe me, I have thought about and understand the tremendous personal sacrifices that I will be making to follow this path and I am more than ready to accept these sacrifices. I have begun the application process to enter the Seminary and if it is God’s will, I will be entering Seminary in the Fall to further explore this new direction in my life. This will end my long pursuit of attending Texas A&M University and I will complete my undergraduate education at one of the seminary colleges for the Diocese of Austin, either in Dallas or Louisiana . I will always remain a Fightin’ Texas Aggie at heart! WHOOP! This is going to be a long process and I am surely going to be tested in ways that I have never experienced before, but I believe I am more than ready for the challenges that I will face. I can’t do this alone, so I’m asking for your love, support, and prayers throughout this new journey that I am about to embark on. OHH GOD IS GOOD! Cookie out.........