“When Mr McGeehan asked me to attend Scotland’s Rio, I was a bit sceptical. Hundreds of questions went through my mind – What was it ? Will we pray the whole weekend? Was I religious enough? How can Scotland have World Youth Day without the rest of the world? These thoughts were firmly planted in my mind until we arrived at the Stirling University Campus. Then they all disappeared as I very quickly realised, no one was going to enrol me into a convent (against my will), I wasn’t going to have to say the creed alone in front of everyone or even go to confession on a stage in front of an audience and tell them all my sins. There were 299 other people in exactly the same boat as me and this was made clear to me as soon as I stepped off the bus.
The weekend was non stop, there was everything … From Christian rock concerts to arts and crafts, Brazilian nights to ceilidhs, sports to faith and worship and catechises. It was the busiest weekend of my life, and despite all the running back and forth and the universal exhaustion we all felt, everyone got on very well as we experienced something that not many people are ever fortunate enough to experience – 300 young people, from all different dioceses coming together with a common thread of faith and having the opportunity to pray together as one. It has to be said that before attending Scotland’s Rio, I was worried about the future of the church, as it depends on us, the youth of today to carry it through tomorrow, and I never thought we’d be up to the task but after my experience at Scotland’s Rio – I can say that I think we’ll do a great job and we can be trusted to hand down the church one day to our children, just as our parents gave the gift of the church to us.
Although I enjoyed the entire weekend, my favourite part of it was the Saturday Vigil, which included a rosary procession and a blessed sacrament procession, and in true Scottish style, the heavens opened and it poured the whole time. But I have never experienced anything as moving as seeing so many people, and young people at that, holding candles high in acknowledgement of our faith, in the pouring rain and singing hymns as we followed the blessed sacrament, it was something no one can describe, the level of serenity and hope and reverence was truly breath taking and I am honoured to have been a part of it.
So although sceptical at first, I am so pleased to have experienced Scotland’s Rio, to have met such lovely people and formed new friendships but also to have reaffirmed my faith in God, in myself and the youth of today.”
Sarah McIlwham (6a5)
