Caroline Davis, a student at Saint Joseph’s University, shared this photo of Magis pilgrims departing Loyola via the Maryland Jesuits' Twitter feed.

“It’s hard to believe we’re in the airport! After signing up in Sept and meeting thru the year we’re really leaving!” exclaimed Fordham University junior Andrew Bevilacqua.

“Grateful we’ve all landed safely in Madrid. Currently resting at a cafe waiting for our bus,” reported Boston College junior Kimmi Vo. Later, from Loyola, she checked in with “Blessed with a beautiful day. Lots of fun kicking off #Magis2011 last night. Pumped for today!”

Caroline Davis, a junior at St. Joseph’s University, let everyone know she was “leaving Loyola after an amazing Magis experience. Met so many great people; pumped for Arenjuez!”

Twitter has given today’s Magis pilgrims a new way to communicate to their friends and family back home and to share with them their experience in real time – granted, in 140 characters or less! But, it was something that pilgrims just three years ago in Sydney, Australia would not have found possible.

Their short messages, using the #Magis2011 hashtag, have allowed other Twitter users to follow along with the pilgrims as they boarded planes, landed in Madrid, took buses to the Sanctuary of Loyola and now have headed off to their 10 day Magis experiences across Spain, Portugal and North Africa before gathering together once more in Madrid to experience World Youth Day 2011 together.

You can follow along with this team of U.S. student reporters by following @MarylandJesuits on Twitter.