While WYD may seem like a one-time event reserved only for young adults, it speaks to universal truths that have powerful repercussions for the entire church:
- We are all pilgrims on the journey towards God and heaven.
- Mountaintop experiences of the Catholic faith and moments of encounter with Jesus Christ are fundamental to strengthening the life of the Church.
- We are called to become missionary disciples who share their faith.
- Community is an essential component of what it means to be part of the Church, the kingdom of God.
- Prayer is fundamental to strengthening our faith and giving us the wisdom and courage to share it.
Below are 10 videos from several types of shepherds who attended WYD 2016, as well as links to our various resources which will continue to form you in your faith—whether you participated in WYD internationally, stateside, or digitally. We invite you to watch these videos and reflect upon them in the aftermath of WYD so that your faith may continue to be rekindled. It’s time to come down the mountain. May our resources give you the extra push forward on your journey towards Christ. As Pope Francis reminds us, “Siempre adelante, let’s move forward!”
| 1. “Each time I’ve come, [World Youth Day has] renewed my faith and filled me with hope. I get to see the springtime of the church - our young people who are stepping up in leadership and who love their Catholic faith.” - Bishop John Quinn, Diocese of Winona Krakow 2016 was Bishop Quinn’s fifth WYD experience. What are some of the fruits of WYD? Bishop Quinn says:
Click here to view our Vocational Discernment Resources. |
| 2. “We really hope that this experience for [the young people] will empower them to go back to their parishes, to go back to their schools, to go back to wherever it is that they find a spiritual home and really live their faith - Evan Psencik, Pilgrim Leader, Diocese of Bridgeport For Pilgrim Leader Evan Psencik, WYD empowers young adults to become leaders in the faith back in their local parishes or communities. This is what St. Vincent Pallotti calls Apostles and what Pope Francis would call missionary disciples. What does it mean to be a missionary disciple? Click here to watch our webinar presented by Dr. Susan Timoney and Dr. Donald R. McCrabb - “Pope Francis and the Call to Witness” |
| 3. "It’s so important for us to realize that humanity is sacred and human dignity is sacred. This is something the church has always believed and is something the church continues to proclaim loudly.” - Bishop John Folda, Diocese of Fargo Bishop John Folda reminds us in this video that Auschwitz is important because it is a reminder of what humanity is capable of when not rooted in Christ. The painful reality of Auschwitz reminds us of the importance of valuing and respecting human life and dignity. We are called to work together for unity among all peoples of faith in order to promote peace and uphold the dignity of human life. Click here to listen to our podcast, “‘Unity is Greater than Conflict’ - Relationships, Resolution, Community Presentation” Click here to listen to our podcast, “Catholic Social Teaching - Dignity of Human Person” Click here to read "We Remember: A Reflection on the Shoah" from the Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews. |
| 4. “The young people have been all year doing the acts of mercy. So in this experience, they are deepening within themselves an appreciation of God’s work of mercy through the saints whom they are experiencing here…” –Bishop Robert Deeley, Diocese of Portland, Maine After encountering Christ at WYD, young adults are often filled with a desire for service. This is true of any encounter with Jesus. “We love because we were first loved.” During the Jubilee Year of Mercy, the church is invited in a special way to renew her commitment to the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. Click here to learn more about the works of mercy. How can you put mercy into action? Click here to learn more about faith-based service opportunities through our affiliate, the Catholic Volunteer Network. |
| 5. World Youth Day in Sydney left a "reinvigorated passion and energy, hunger and thirst for all things [related to] Catholicism." -Jo Hayes In this video, journalist Jo Hayes discusses the fruits of WYD Sydney on the Catholic Church in Australia. Even 8 years later, she says, these fruits of faith are still growing. Events like WYD are catalysts of the new evangelization—which is a call by the Church for all of the baptized to be missionaries wherever they find themselves. Click here to watch our webinar presented by Fr. Frank Donio, S.A.C., titled “New Pope, New Evangelization - New Way of Being Church?” |
| 6. “We are here to share our story, our charism, who we are, what we do.” - Fr. Kamil Wolan, S.A.C. Fr. Kamil Wolan, S.A.C., a Pallottine Father in Poland, discusses the Society of the Catholic Apostolate, Pallottine spirituality, and St. Vincent Pallotti—patron of the Catholic Apostolate Center. Click here to learn more about St. Vincent Pallotti and his spirituality. |
| 7. “It was as though the Holy Spirit descended…all of [the pilgrims] were blown away at the power of the Holy Spirit, the power of God at that moment. They’re already completely engaged.” – Msgr. David Toups, Rector, St. Vincent de Paul Regional Seminary Large faith-based events such as WYD show not only the global scale of the church, but are also opportunities for God to send down his Holy Spirit in profound ways. In this video, Msgr. David Toups attests to this experience and comments on the effects this has on his group of pilgrims. After an encounter with God, his pilgrims are left “completely engaged.” How can we continue to encounter God without a big gathering or international pilgrimage? Through daily prayer—which, when done intentionally, also leads us to become “completely engaged” in our faith. Click here to view our prayer resources and learn more about becoming more engaged in your faith. |
| 8. "It's been outstanding to walk into this arena and see it so full of so many people...to see the enthusiasm, the faith of everybody has been incredible." -Bishop David Zubik, Catholic Diocese of Pittsburgh In this video, Bishop David Zubik shares the excitement and enthusiasm of the church at WYD, citing a specific example of Pope Francis landing in Krakow as English pilgrims watched via livestream. “When we first walked in, there was the pope getting off the plane,” he said. “I felt sorry for him that he didn’t hear the cheers of everybody who was in the arena.” As the vicar of Christ and successor of Peter, the pope shepherds the flock of the Church and calls all of humanity into Christ’s fold. Click here to learn more about our Holy Father. |
| 9. "Let us become younger and younger in our faith so that we always live the joy of the resurrection of the Lord." -Bishop Mikael Mouradian, Eparchy of Our Lady of Nareg When Bishop Mouradian challenges us to become “younger and younger in our faith,” he does not mean in terms of immaturity or age. Instead, Bishop Mouradian is referring to a faith that is fresh, vibrant and constantly being renewed. Today we call the living out of our faith and proclaiming the Gospel in the modern world the New Evangelization. We profess the same faith and Gospel of Christ, but look for “younger” or “more vibrant” ways to do so—ways that will connect with our modern world. Click here to learn more about the New Evangelization. We invite you to watch our “Witness to the Gospel: Our Mission in the World Today” webinar series. Click here to watch “Evangelii Nuntiandi: A Living Document for Evangelization in the Digital Age” and click here to watch “Evangelii Gaudium: Moving the Church from Maintenance to Mission.” |
| 10. "This is not just part of a small experience...but it is a universal experience that touches the heart and opens us up to the mystery of the wonder of God." -Bishop Steven Raica, Diocese of Gaylord Events such as WYD, retreats, and pilgrimages can be life-changing experiences of the universal church and the wonder of God. Very often, they lead to moments of conversion and renewal. Experiencing the mystery of the wonder of God is something we can do each day through the sacraments, prayer, service, and church. Click here to read our blog post, “10 Ways of Finding God Through Life’s Simple Moments.” Click here to read a selection of our blog posts in “Ad Infinitum: Reflections from the Bloggers of the Catholic Apostolate Center” |