Starting August 13, well over one million young adults will be arriving in Madrid, Spain for World Youth Day. Archbishop Naumann, Fr. Mitchel Zimmerman (vocation director) and 22 seminarians will be traveling with youth from the Archdiocese to this great event.They will arrive with USA and Kansas flags, many patriotic items to trade, and a booklet of songs to sing.

The Vocation Office has set up a blog which seminarians will use to share stories and photos of what they are doing so you can be a "virtual pilgrim" with them. Click right here to be connected to the blog. Then you may want to bookmark it so it's easy to check as the trip progresses.

NEWS UPDATE! Click on this link to watch a short video of Pope Benedict XVI at Mass with seminarians.

The first three days the seminarians will be taking day trips to Segovia to see the burial place of St. John; to Toledo to visit famous religious sites; and to Avila to visit monasteries and convents.

Beginning August 16 World Youth Day will officially begin with an evening Mass. The days are packed full of activities, and seminarians from all over the globe are privileged to join Pope Benedict XVI for a special Mass on Saturday, August 20. Before leaving Spain they will stop in Lisbon to visit Fatima, where the Blessed Mother appeared to three children in the early 1900's. They return on August 23rd. Please pray for their safe travels and for many blessings during this pilgrimage.