When John Sondag says World Youth Day is a valuable experience, he would know. He recently returned from his 11th, this time held Aug. 1-6 in Lisbon, Portugal, an event that drew an estimated 1.5 million people from around the world.
Announcing the themes for the next three World Youth Day celebrations, Pope Francis called on young men and women to meditate on the path of Christian life that God has called them to walk.
Just before leaving the physical and human warmth of Panama Jan. 27, Pope Francis stopped to thank the thousands of official volunteers, young and old, gathered at the capital city's Rommel Fernandez Stadium to tell them that they had just participated in an event similar to one that took place early in Christianity.
Young men and women in the church can bring the joy of the Gospel to the world by showing that God's love extends to all people and excludes no one, Pope Francis said.
“[Hockey] was just sacred in my home. When I turn on a hockey game and I hear that sound of the ice . . . it’s transcendent. I always say that hockey is not a sport, it is an art form. It is like a chess game at lightning speed.”
World Youth Day celebrations are well-known for bringing together throngs of enthusiastic pilgrims from around the world and igniting the flame of faith in their hearts. This fall, the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis is hoping to bring a flavor of the international WYD experience to the Twin Cities.
