A freak thunderstorm prevented Pope Benedict XVI from delivering his full planned address at the Saturday night prayer vigil, held Aug. 20.

A group of 23 pilgrims led by Father Peter Karalus, pastor of Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Lake View, made a pre-World Youth Day pilgrimage to Lisbon, Portugal, where they celebrated a special arrival Mass at a church built over the house where St. Anthony of Padua was born. They continued on to the great Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima to tour the hometown village of three shepherd children visionaries. There they celebrated Mass and also participated in the candlelight rosary and procession.

Be open to new things and don’t have expectations. That was the plea given to 65 teenagers during their stay at the Christian Leadership Institute. It seemed to pay off for those who allowed themselves to be challenged by the concept of servant leadership.

Since Pope John Paul II celebrated the first World Youth Day in 1985, the world of digital communication has exploded. Computers that used to fit on a desktop now fit in a coat pocket. Through YouTube and Twitter, special moments can be shared globally, instantly.

Holy Angels Academy has developed a worldwide reputation. Not only do they have business partners in the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Dominican Republic, they are known as a force to be reckoned with when it comes to global competition. The school placed second in the SAGE Global Entrepreneurship World Cup. The competition of over 180 teenagers from 14 countries was held July 22-25 on the Canisius College campus. Nigeria took home the first place trophy.

Holy Angels Academy will celebrate its 150th anniversary by giving birth to a middle school. The North Buffalo institution announced on June 7 that it will expand into teaching sixth, seventh and eighth grade girls under the name of Holy Angels Prep beginning September 2012.

Dozens of people from the Diocese of Buffalo will be among the more than 1 million pilgrims in Madrid, Spain, for this year’s World Youth Day. The international event gathers people from across the globe to share, learn and experience Jesus Christ. WYD 2011 takes place Aug. 16-21 and is open to people of all ages, although the majority range from 18-25 years old.

The diocesan Youth Board passed the torch to a new crew of ambitious teens in a very literal sense. The 2010-2011 board welcomed their successors with a special candle lighting ceremony June 7 at the Catholic Center in downtown Buffalo.

On Easter Monday morning at 4:34, 15 Notre Dame students and three staff members boarded an Amtrak train in Buffalo bound for the Romero Center in Camden, N.J., for a five-day Urban Challenge program.

KENMORE — St. Joseph’s Collegiate Institute, located at 845 Kenmore Ave., will hold summer sports camps.