I was having a look at some of the photos I took during the WYD Rio 2013 and remembering special moments. One of them was at the opening gathering when a number of faces appeared on the screen. These were the faces of some of the people who registered for the gathering. As were asked to send a photo to register, some found themselves appearing on the main screen and it was a source of great joy.
During the vigil on Saturday, flags were displayed. The South African flag was just in front of me. When everything was over I went to greet the girl who displayed. She was delighted to know I was a bishop in that country.
A very special one happened during the final Mass. At the moment of peace we heard people shouting and we could not understand what was happening. Then we saw with great joy that people from the different buildings wanted to share that moment of peace with us. Some had dropped white cloths from their windows and others were waving at us.
The constant presence of Our Lady Aparecida. Like in the Gospels, it was a kind of silent presence but always underlined by Pope Francis in his words and prayers.
