COLOGNE, Germany -- A dozen young Catholic pilgrims from the South Hills began to count their blessings yesterday as they prepared to greet Pope Benedict XVI, who will arrive today.

The previous day they had been frustrated with the Cologne transportation system, which was thrown into gridlock and chaos by the thousands of pilgrims from all over the world here for World Youth Day. Although crowds had long been estimated to reach as many as 1 million for Benedict's Mass on Sunday, transportation officials said they were unprepared for the estimated 100,000 who tried to reach a Mass with Cologne's archbishop at a 50,000-seat stadium.

The teens and young adults from St. Bernard Church in Mt. Lebanon and Our Lady of Grace Church in Scott discovered yesterday that they were among a small minority of the 700 Pittsburghers at World Youth Day to have attended that Mass. Their arduous hike to bypass the overloaded trolleys now seemed worth it.

Despite continued transportation problems, "everyone was a lot more positive today about everything we were doing," said Jason Fabus, 23, the older brother of youth group leader Jessica Fabus, who served as its navigator.

Yesterday, they were among 10,000 English-speaking pilgrims to go to a catechism class and Mass at a stadium in outlying Leverkusen, where they are sleeping on the floor of a school.

Their teacher was Cardinal Theodore McCarrick, the down-to-earth archbishop of Washington, D.C.. He drove home a message that their youth leaders had long tried to explain, about the difference between a tourist and a pilgrim.

A pilgrimage, he said, is a joyful, yet sacrificial, journey in search of something really important.

"It's for figuring out who you are, where you are, where you want to be and how to get there," he said. "Each one of us is going to make decisions, and the biggest decision is whether you are going to walk with Jesus Christ. I think you are. That's why you are here."

McCarrick illustrated his talk with stories of people who have suffered around the globe.

A true pilgrimage, like the one the three kings set off on to find the baby Jesus, takes courage, he told them.

Immediately after his talk, some of the young people questioned his perspective. Rachel Smokonich, 17, a senior at Mt. Lebanon High School, felt he was accusing teens of cowardice if they didn't wear their faith on their sleeve, and she objected.

"It's not that we're afraid. It's that society makes it so hard. They prevent you from doing it," she said.

No one wants to be considered weird, said her classmate, Alyssa Patton, also 17.

"It's a fear that you will be ostracized and made fun of," she said.

But somehow, attitudes changed at Mass, also held in Bay Arena.

They clapped and rocked and sang along to familiar American songs. One of the musicians was Tony Melendez, who plays the guitar with his feet because he was born without arms. McCarrick's homily was a variation on the same theme, and everyone came away singing his praises as a preacher.

Although Lauren Witter, 17, of Dormont, is deeply religious, she had expected the catechism to be boring. She came away thrilled.

"It didn't go over my head. I got what he was trying to say," said Brad Walkowiak, 17, a senior at Mt. Lebanon High School.

The group was making plans to try to get a good view when Benedict arrives by boat today. They were also planning to have T-shirts made when they return home, with "We saw the pope" written in German.

"I'll wear it to every party I go to, to meet new people," Patton said.

Jessica Fabus was feeling good about her novice pilgrims.

"It's finally starting to take hold. It takes something like what we had this morning before they know why they are here," she said.