Visitting the ill, praying for the deceased, playing with children in nursery schools and children’s homes, tidying up cemeteries. Friday the 22nd was devoted to acts of mercy. The pilgrims had the chance to understand the essence of mercy by taking part in various charity events. What does mercy actually mean? Pity? Naivety? Unconditional sacrifice? Or maybe just the practice of love.
Young pilgrims have taken part in various events to help other people, which were prepared by the parishes having them staying. The youth from the parish of St. Joseph’s Care in Ołbińska Street divided themselves into groups. One of them went to the Monar Addiction Centre in Roosvelta Street. Another one went to the canteen belonging to Caritas in Słowiańska Street. Still another one tidied up the graves of discalced Carmelites at the cemetery in Bujwida Street. Finally, those who stayed in the parishes prayed for the ill in front of the Holy Sacrament.
Before noon in small rooms belonging to the parish of Charles Borromeo in Krzyki, the French started to prepare hand-made cards with greeting for the ill. After that, they went to a service led by the group from Senegal to pray for those afflicted by illnesses and other kinds of suffering. Then a team of several representatives of the groups from Senegal, Canada and France with the parish priest took the cards prepared to the residents of Lower Silesian Centre of Oncology in Hirszfelda Street, Wrocław.
At the same time in Leśnica, Wrocław, a mural with the words of St. John Paul II “Wrocław is a city of meeting, a city which unites” came into existence thanks to the cooperation of the members of the Centre of Children’s and Teenagers’ Activity and Development, the volunteers of the Days in Dioceses and the pilgrims from Cologne. “The principle behind the idea were simple,” points out Agata Murczak, the author of the mural, “We focused on meeting new people and elements of Wrocław, not necessarily on religious symbols. We wanted to show God in everyday life, in various colours. And why a mural? It is a socializing activity and will remain for a long time in the city.”
In the Millenium Park, Wrocław, groups of French, Spanish and German people took part in the campaign called “a place of reconciliation.” After praying together, young people shared their idea of mercy among one another. They wrote down their thoughts on pieces of paper, which were then hung on the tree of values. During the event called “Global mercy” dedicated to big groups from France Father Piotr Wojnarowski talked about his missionary work to help children who were abandoned and abused as workers in Africa, among others, Ghana. Also, young people from Ghana who came to Wrocław displayed an impressive play of the drums, which made all the guests move and dance.
The group of Panamanians from the parish of St. Jospeh the craftsman visited the 12 Integrated Nursery dedicated to Princess Diana in Wrocław. The children were initially a bit shy, but they got to like the guests quickly. The young people provided lots of fun for the children, most notably by leading a lively dance. However, the main part of the meeting consisted in organizing the garden. “The Panamanians got down to work so hard that they could not stop. They were laughing referring to the words from the Bible that the harvest needs labourers,” says Anna Skórnicka, one of the supervisors of the group. “One of the children got to like the visitors so much that they stated <If all people were like them, there would be no wars in the world>.”
Teresa Grabiec
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