Catechesis

Catechesis followed by Mass with the Archbishop of Canberra, Australia. Fiat Festival: music and dancing. Pope Francis arrived today. This little country is ecstatic. The people of Panama are SO friendly. They are genuinely excited to have us here and are very welcoming. Random people on the street routinely stop us to welcome us. ¡Bienvenidos!

WYD Opening Ceremonies

Our JMJ Guide, Catherine, leading us on a tour of historic Panama before the WYD Opening Ceremonies. Making friends with LOTS of people. The girls are in there somewhere. Mass with the Archbishop of Panama. Dancing with a nun. Lots of energy!!!

Touring Panama City

Playing a game while waiting for the canal visitor center to open. Mrs. Wyman watching a ship come into the first lock. Outside the Biodiversity Museum, looking towards modern Panama. Outside the Biodiversity Museum, looking at the Pacific entrance to the canal. The Biodiversity Museum. Ruins of a convent in Panama Viejo. Our guide, Glenda, […]

Having fun with the groups from Central Catholic while we wait for the Mira Flores visitor center to open. So cool to drive through the old Panama Canal Zone this morning.

Rise and Shine!

We enjoyed a lovely breakfast at the hotel. Everyone got a good nights sleep and we are presently on the tour bus with a group of girls from Illinois headed to tour the Panama Canal. We just finished morning prayers on the bus and now our guide is explaining the geography and canal. We are […]

End of a delightful (though rather long) day

We finished off a long first day with Mass at Parroquia Sanctuario National del Corazón, a beautiful church around the corner from our hotel. We followed that with dinner together. We are up early tomorrow for breakfast and then a visit to the canal.

We made it safely to Panama! We can feel the humidity as we wait in the airport for our bus to the hotel. There is a buzz of excitement withWorld Youth Day banners and signs. Many friendly guides are lining the path out of customs. Luckily, the bilingual speakers in the group helped us monolinguals […]

we made it to LAX! Copa Airways has asked us to wait outside for 15 minutes. We are compliant. The weather is perfect.

last family goodbyes and we are on our way!

In our typical fashion, we are here more than half an hour early. All we need now are students and Fr Kevin. Panama here we come!