More than 60 pilgrims from the Diocese of Sacramento will be making history when they attend World Youth Day in Cologne, Germany this month, an event which will mark Pope Benedict XVI’s first foreign trip as pope.

Young people from nine parishes will join more than 24,000 U.S. pilgrims and 70 bishops at the Aug. 16-21 World Youth Day celebration.

Victor Alvarez, youth ministry coordinator for the diocese, said this event, started by Pope John Paul II in 1985, offers youth the opportunity to pass on a legacy of love begun by the late pope.

“There is a great amount of love and respect for Pope John Paul II, who used to tell young people the church loves you and I love you,” he said. “So this is youth’s chance to say to Pope Benedict we love you and intend to be active in the life of the church.”

Alvarez, a member of St. Rose of Lima Parish in Roseville, knows from personal experience how World Youth Day can be a life-altering experience.

The Chico native will never forget the 1993 World Youth Day in Denver, which he attended as a member of a delegation of young people from St. John the Baptist Parish.

“I wasn’t fitting in at school or with my peers,” said Alvarez, who was going through a rough time dealing with his parents’ separation. “I was pretty much saying, ‘OK God, if you’re real, if you’re out there, this is your last chance.’”

He remembers being in Denver, seeing hundreds of thousands of young adults and youths excited about their faith.

“I felt God’s presence, his love, and I felt welcomed by my peers, something I hadn’t experienced before,” Alvarez said. “I saw how the Holy Spirit was moving within the church.”

A senior in high school at the time, Alvarez soon began working as a peer leader in St. John the Baptist’s youth group. Later he was an adult leader for youth groups at both his parish and Our Divine Savior Parish and was active in the Newman Catholic Community in Chico.

Traveling with the World Youth Day delegation from the diocese, which is teamed up with youth from the Archdiocese of San Francisco, are youth from St. Lawrence Parish in North Highlands, Sacred Heart Parish in Anderson, St. John the Evangelist Parish in Carmichael, Saints Peter and Paul Parish in Rocklin, and St. Mary Parish in Sacramento.

Youth from three other parishes, St. Joseph Marello Parish in Granite Bay, St. Rose of Lima Parish in Roseville, and St. Catherine of Siena Parish in Vallejo, will also attend.

Retired Bishop Joseph J. Madera, director of the St. John Vianney House of discernment and formation in Sacramento, will accompany the youth.

Alvarez said that most of the youth from the diocese have never attended a World Youth Day but all have been involved in some serious fund raising for over a year. The cost of the trip is $3,000 per person.

Elliot Foley, 16, a member of St. Rose of Lima Parish, one of about 40 young people from his church going to Cologne this month. He had originally signed up with the hope of seeing the late pope.

“(Pope John Paul II) had a huge impact on my family’s life. He pretty much brought my mom back to the church and because of that I’m where I am today,” said Foley, who is equally excited about seeing Pope Benedict XVI.

“There’s no better way to accept a new pope. I’m really excited to see how many kids are there and just on fire,” he said. “I can’t wait for that.”

Kira Creighton, an incoming senior at Shasta High School in Redding, is a youth group leader at Sacred Heart Parish in Anderson. While this will be her first World Youth Day experience, she hopes to return from the trip spiritually renewed to help her church’s youth community grow.

“We have two youth groups and one of our goals is to make the two groups one,” Creighton said. “I hope World Youth Day will make me more aware of different views and more aware of my own faith.”

To raise funds needed to make the World Youth Day journey, youth from St. Mary Parish in Sacramento did everything from holding pancake breakfasts to selling Fourth of July fireworks.

One of seven youth attending the event from the parish is Anna Palmer, a senior at California State University, Sacramento.

“Everybody I’ve talked to says (World Youth Day) is a life-changing experience,” said Palmer, who also raised funds for the trip through bake sales and a car wash at her home parish, Our Lady of Mercy in Redding.

“I’m part German, I’m going with my two best friends, and I’m getting closer to God,” she said. “I’m totally excited, just seeing so many fellow Catholics.”

The diocesan delegation will leave on Aug. 11, beginning the trip with tour of Munich, Dachau Concentration Camp and Neuschwanstein Castle.

Alvarez said tours of cultural and historic sites, Catholics churches and a prayer experience at the concentration camp will add “a great educational and catechetical aspect to the trip.”

The delegation will then travel to Cologne Aug.16 to attend the opening vigil and the papal Mass on Aug. 21.

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