In her first three days covering World Youth Day activities in Madrid, Spain, Tablet reporter Antonina Zielinska logged only six hours of sleep.
Instead of relaxing, she has been taking photos and writing stories about the almost 600 pilgrims from Brooklyn and Queens who are attending the week-long gathering that culminates Sunday, Aug. 21, with a Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI.
Some of Antonina’s photos and copy can be found throughout this issue of The Tablet. More photos can be accessed by going to our website www.thetablet.org.
We go to press as World Youth Day is officially beginning, so the bulk of our coverage will be printed in next week’s edition.
Meanwhile, we are staying up-to-date with live broadcasts of WYD events on The NET and our nightly news show Currents has been reporting each day on the local pilgrims’ activities for that day. Encore presentations of the day’s events follow Currents each night at 8 p.m.
Special broadcasts of Currents also will air this Saturday and Sunday as our diocesan media staff works overtime to bring you all the action as it takes place in Madrid. Of special interest will be the live broadcast of the vigil and Eucharistic adoration at the Cuatro Vientros aerodrome. During the day on Saturday, pilgrims will be trekking to the site outside Madrid. At 8:20 p.m. (2:20 p.m. EDT), the pope will arrive to lead the service,
Pilgrims will sleep outdoors overnight until the Holy Father returns the following morning for celebration of the Eucharist, at 9:20 a.m. (3:20 a.m. EDT). Again the Mass will be carried live on The NET.
As the ceremonies wind down, pilgrims will make their way back to the city and departures for their homes around the world. Pope Benedict is scheduled to leave Spain on Sunday at 6 p.m. (12:00 p.m. EDT).
On Monday, Aug. 22, Currents will have a special show wrapping up the week in Madrid.
Tablet reporter Marie Elena Giossi is anchoring our Currents shows as regular anchor Matt McClure takes a well-deserved vacation.
Much of the video that you will see on Currents is footage being shot by Melinda Collins and George Simon, winners of the national I-Confess video contest that was conducted by the three dioceses in the New York metropolitan area. The two victors are from California where they attend John Paul II University.
Thrown into the real world of global communications, Melinda and George have been chronicling our local pilgrims as they make their way through the events in Spain this week.
The week was not without its pitfalls. Melinda contracted a bit of food poisoning and George sprained his ankle while participating in the Way of St. James in preparation for World Youth Day. Still our stalwart reporters displayed the fortitude and perseverence of WYD pilgrims as they rebounded and have been filing daily packages for distribution on Currents.
If you’ve missed any of our coverage, you can catch up by logging onto The NET’s website at www.netny.net. The material has been archived there for your perusal. We’re excited about the new communications opportunities happening in our diocese. We hope you’ve been along for the trip.
