I remember well the strange things God did at the Madrid World Youth Day, the Rio de Janeiro World Youth Day and now has done at the Philippines. I read these things as God saying He is not happy with these massive gatherings and masses where Holy Communion is given to everyone from cheap vessels and on the hand (standing) and to youth dressing extremely immodestly.
MADRID (AP) — “A freak thunderstorm has forced Pope Benedict XVI to cut short his speech to an estimated million young pilgrims gathered for the church’s world youth festival, giving the outdoor prayer vigil at a Madrid airfield a dramatic climax. Organizers said six people were slightly injured when a tent collapsed during the storm.” USA Today Aug. 21, 2011
Earlier in the day, the youth were roasted by a 104 degree day. That same night a storm came and took care of the planned sacrilegious handling of Holy Communion for the next day’s mass.
 A priest distributes Communion to pilgrims during the closing Mass of World Youth Day celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI at Cuatro Vientos airfield in Madrid Aug. 21. Because of logistical problems, only 100,000 of the more than a million pilgrims at the Mass were able to receive Communion. (CNS/Paul Haring)
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Without the hosts in the tents, where organizers had 5,000 ciboriums holding 200 hosts each, Communion was distributed at Mass Aug. 21 only to pilgrims in the section closest to the altar.” If you can read the whole article, it is good. Catholic News Service
After three days of rain in Rio de Janeiro, World Youth Day planners have decided to change the location of the overnight prayer vigil and closing Mass to Copacabana beach.The final World Youth Day events had originally been planned to take place July 27-28 in Campus Fidei – which means “Field of Faith” – in Guaratiba, some 30 miles away. However, the dirt field has become a giant mud pit due to the heavy rains, and it would pose problems for the expected crowds of more than one million.” Catholic News Agency
Ted Aljibe/Agence France-Presse — Getty Images
“Most of those in the crowd at the mass wore plastic yellow raincoats against the worsening weather, a move that was copied by the pope as he addressed the crowd from a makeshift altar with walls made of bamboo sheets amid lashing winds and a downpour from the incoming Typhoon Mekkhala.
Stage Toppled
A 21-year-old woman working as a volunteer at the mass was killed as the storm winds toppled some steel scaffolding that hit her chest, pinning her to the ground, Agence France-Presse reported on Saturday. Portions of the makeshift stage were felled by the winds, GMA News reported separately. The incident occurred after the pope completed the mass and departed.” Jan. 17, 15 Bloomberg Businessweek
And do not forget what happened when Pope Benedict abdicated.
The original author of this blog passed away in July of 2016. RIP Father Carota.