This financial success, announced by Cardinal Américo Aguiar, the event's chief organiser, marks the highest recorded in WYD history.

WYD 2023 attracted over 400,000 pilgrims.

This number significantly exceeded expectations, contributing to the robust financial outcome.

The result contrasts with previous WYDs which often struggled with financial transparency and deficits.

"I don't want to judge others" said Aguiar.

"But from the beginning we made a commitment to be as transparent as possible, both to Rome and to the next WYD, and here is the result.

"Everything that went well — and everything that went less well — is registered and available to learn from in the future.

"We hope this can be a legacy for future events."

A central theme of the 2023 WYD was financial transparency.

Cardinal Aguiar emphasised the importance of clear and detailed financial reporting.

The commitment has been praised, especially given the Church's ongoing financial challenges.

Economic impact on Lisbon

The Lisbon School of Economics and Management conducted a study revealing that WYD 2023 generated at least €350 million in gross added-value for the Lisbon region, primarily in 2023.

The event also created approximately 10,000 short-term jobs.

It resulted in €48 million of lasting investment, transforming areas like the final vigil and Mass venue into a park.

The surplus from WYD 2023 will be used to support projects for children and youth in cities impacted by the event.

The newly appointed president of the WYD 2023 Foundation, Fr Alexandre Palma, will oversee the allocation of these funds.

Palma affirmed a commitment to transparency and ethical investments, focusing on education and the arts.

"One thing has to be completely clear, though. This money belongs to the youth. That is our guiding principle" stressed Palma.

Future use of surplus funds

Organisers acknowledged several challenges, including managing refunds for pilgrims who could not attend due to visa issues.

Aguiar pointed out the need for improved systems to handle such administrative tasks in future events.

Fr Pietro Yang Ju Yul from the Archdiocese of Seoul, who will oversee WYD 2027, noted the high standards set by Lisbon.

Yang Ju Yul plans to adopt similar transparency and organisational strategies, despite the different socio-religious context in South Korea where Catholics are a minority.

The next WYD is scheduled for 2027 in Seoul, South Korea.

Sources

The Pillar

Essential Business

CathNews New Zealand

The controversy erupted after images circulated on social media depicting plastic containers placed on tables inside a white tent, with young individuals kneeling in front of them.

These containers were reported to house the Blessed Sacrament, prompting outrage and discussions about whether this was an appropriate manner to handle such a revered element of Catholic faith.

This follows from an instance earlier in the week when photographs of ciboria full of consecrated hosts and covered in cellophane began to circulate online.

According to some, these were "Ikea potato chip bowls" that had been purchased at the last minute to distribute Communion.

However, the Ikea ciboria were used during a Mass organised by the very large Spanish contingent — not in a Mass organised by World Youth Day itself.

Fr Nuno Coelho, a pastor in Cascais, who was a World Youth Day liaison to the Spanish pilgrims, told The Pillar that the group brought their own ciboria to Portugal.

"From what we gathered, these are the ciboria that the Spanish [bishops' conference] youth apostolate generally use for large outdoor Masses. They look a little like breakfast bowls," he said.

"The official WYD ciboria were designed by artisans, they are made of silver plate and they have a sliding articulated lid, to protect the consecrated hosts from the wind during distribution. The Spanish ones had no covering, but there was a very strong wind in the park, so they had them covered in plastic film to protect the hosts."

Protection from dust and wind

The second controversy surrounded the overnight storage of the Blessed Sacrament in plastic containers.

One participant, who wished to remain anonymous, shed light on the situation. According to the volunteer, consecrated hosts were initially placed in metal ciboriums, which were then encased in plastic containers.

These measures were undertaken to facilitate safe transportation and protect the Eucharist from outdoor elements like wind and dust. The crates, situated within various tents across the campsite, were intended solely for safeguarding purposes, not for adoration.

The situation escalated when curiosity among attendees led to inquiries about the plastic boxes' contents. Upon learning of the presence of the Eucharist, pilgrims began to engage in adoration. This likely marked the moment when photographs capturing young individuals kneeling before the containers went viral.

The controversy has led to debates about the organisation and communication surrounding the event.

While smaller tents housing the ciboria were scattered throughout Campo da Graça, their contents remained largely unknown without inside information or direct investigation. The official WYD app listed the papal vigil as the sole scheduled Eucharistic adoration session.

Sources

The Pillar

Where Peter Is

The Church has a duty to accompany gay people on a personal path of spirituality, providing that accompaniment is within the framework of the Catholic Church rules, he told reporters on the plane returning to Rome from World Youth Day (WYD) in Portugal.

He made the comment after a reporter reminded him that during WYD he said the Church was open to "everyone, everyone, everyone".

The reporter challenged the sense of that statement about openness when some Catholics, like women and gay people, did not have the same rights and could not receive some sacraments.

That comment seemed to refer to women not being allowed to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders to become priests of the Catholic Church.

It also referenced same-sex couples not being allowed to contract marriage, which is also a sacrament.

"The Church is open to everyone but there are laws that regulate life inside the church," Francis explained to the reporter.

"According to the legislation, they cannot partake in (some) sacraments. This does not mean that it is closed. Each person encounters God in their own way inside the Church."

Ministers in the Catholic Church must accompany everyone with the patience and love of a mother. That includes those who don't conform to the rules, he explained.

Church law

The Catholic Church teaches that women cannot become priests because Jesus chose only men as his apostles.

Neither does the Church allow same-sex marriage or blessings for same-sex couples. Same-sex attraction is not sinful but same-sex acts are, it teaches.

However, Francis supports civil legislation giving same-sex couples rights in areas such as pensions, health insurance and inheritance.

A welcoming Church for everyone

During one WYD event, Francis said the Church has room for everyone - "including those who make mistakes, who fall or struggle".

He then led the crowd in a chant of "Todos, todos, todos!" (Everyone, everyone, everyone!).

"Who among us has not made a moral error at some point in their lives?" he asked.

Since the start of his papacy 10 years ago, Francis has consistently tried to make the Catholic Church more welcoming and less condemning.

He has sought to welcome all people, including members of the LGBT community, while not changing Church teachings which urge people with same-sex attraction to be chaste.

While pushing through a series of reforms, Francis has constantly walked a delicate line between appealing to more liberal believers and upsetting conservatives.

Among these reforms, he has given more roles to women, particularly in high-ranking Vatican positions.

Pope rejuvenated

On the plane, the Pope said he was rejuvenated by what he had seen at WYD Portugal.

About 1.5 million people attended his closing Mass at a park in Lisbon on Sunday.

Francis said he was impressed with both the size of the crowds at WYD and their behaviour.

He also told reporters who asked after his health, that he has been well since his surgery for an abdominal hernia in June.

Source

• US News

It would be better, one girl said, if the church were "more inclusive of all relationships, gay rights and all that."

A boy holding a portable speaker playing pop hits added he would be all for "girls being priests."

Another girl, with an Irish flag draped from her shoulders, said that she would like to hear "women say Mass."

"More people would then practice the Catholic faith," said Alexandra Beattie, 17, who like the others was a student at St Ciaran's College in Ballygawley, County Tyrone, Northern Ireland.

"Yeah," said Niamh Quinn, also 17, "people would come in and it would only produce good things because the message is good — love one another."

Francis, 86, has sought to breathe fresh air into the church during his decade as pontiff, and at the World Youth Day celebrations this week in Portugal he has stressed that "the church has room for everyone."

"Todos, todos, todos," he said, using the Spanish and Portuguese word for everyone, and then urged a boisterous crowd of 500,000 people on Thursday evening to say those words together in their own languages.

But at such a vast gathering, the ideological translation of "everyone" shifted markedly depending on who uttered it.

For all the pope's calls for unity and fraternity, World Youth Day emerged as yet another picture of a fragmented global institution with often contradictory interests pulling at its future.

Some young people, like the Irish teens, said concrete changes needed to happen.

Others said the church needed only to shift emphasis to inclusivity, while keeping its same rules.

Others, especially from Africa and other parts of the global South where the church's future seems to be unfolding, wanted to avoid changes altogether.

How the views of young people mesh with those of the broader Catholic following was another question looming for the church.

Much of what the Irish teens wanted to see would amount to a revolution for a 2,000-year-old institution.

Surveys in the West have shown young people increasingly comfortable with gay marriage and other cultural shifts contrary to church doctrine.

In recent years, with Francis' health ever fragile, he has introduced overhauls that give more roles to women and lay people, while still walking a fine line of keeping the church's traditionalists in the fold.

He has also ordered a global polling of the issues his flock cares most about ahead of a major multiyear meeting of bishops from around the world in October.

A working paper for the meeting, released in June, outlined a broad discussion that reflected Francis' vision for a more inclusive, decentralised and transformed church, that broached issues such as priestly celibacy, outreach to LGBTQ+ communities, and the possibility of women becoming deacons, an ordained position in the church.

"It's just a matter of time," said Tim Wenzel, 25, a pastoral worker in the church from Saxony-Anhalt in Germany. He held a tall German flag as he watched the pope's address to pilgrims outside the Parque Eduardo VII, where Francis was visibly delighted by the dancing, singing and expressions of enthusiasm bursting around him.

Mr Wenzel expressed optimism that the upcoming meeting in Rome would make lasting changes and agreed with many in the German church, among the world's most liberal, that gay relationships should be blessed by priests.

"We are blessing everything, but not people who love one another?" he said. "This will happen."

Like many here, he also said that holding bishops accountable for their role in enabling sex abuse was a prerequisite for the church's survival moving forward, and he hoped the role of women in the church would expand. "Women as deacons," he said, "as a minimum."

But that was far from a universal view. If anything, the stronger current running through the sea of young people was a reluctance to open the door too wide.

To "accept the doctrine of the gays," said Edward Fuday O'Neil, 31, from Sierra Leone, would be suicidal for the church in Africa. "For us Africans, it doesn't work, it is not in the picture of our culture."

He said the most important thing was for the church to "regain its momentum and popularity" against the challenge of rising Pentecostal and Evangelical churches in the region.

To do that, he said it was key to "indoctrinate young kids coming up" in Catholic schools.

Mr. O'Neil spoke outside the Catholic University of Portugal, where Francis on Thursday morning urged students to "work for a more just and inclusive — that is, truly progressive — society," by rejecting the perpetuation of the "present global system of elitism and inequality."

The school has inaugurated a new academic chair dedicated to the "Economy of Francesco" which embraces the pope's view of promoting an economy emphasising social good over profit margins.

Marta Sousa Coutinho, 24, a researcher in social innovation attached to the new chair, said that Francis' view that economic questions were inseparable from issues of sustainability and protection of the environment "was not radical." It just needed young people "to make it real."

But she suggested change might be slower inside the church on other issues like gay marriage and the role of women. "People need to talk more before change," she said.

Others were even more reluctant.

Eliana Louredo, 26, a volunteer from Lamego, Portugal said she was in a group that met with the pope on Wednesday and said he emphasised that the church accepts "all, all, all." But she said that acceptance meant listening, not necessarily changing church laws.

Yadimir María Crespo, 22, from the Dominican Republic balked at the mere mention of women taking on more official roles in the church, and said she preferred to support the existing nuns.

"The women in the church are doing what they have to do," she said, adding that the nuns could be helped by laywomen like herself "in the places they cannot be. Like in a pub. You can be evangelised in a pub."

Or on Lisbon's streets. In a small square in the Graçia neighbourhood, Giulia Fabbretti, 26, an Italian set designer who had been living in Lisbon for four years, watched with bemusement as a Christian-themed rapper sought to rile up a handful of young pilgrims.

"This next song is called ‘Thank You God,'" he said. "It's a banger. Here we go."

Ms. Fabbretti said she was raised Catholic in Perugia and that her grandmother was devout, but she heard nothing from the church that spoke to her, and that "they are not really open to discuss the problems inside the church, LGBTQ stuff — they are saying they are open, but they are closed to it. If they are trying to talk to other people they can't do it. It's for themselves."

For the church, the meeting was a chance to connect young people from different countries to strengthen their faith. A Spaniard gave high fives to the Italians in the streets. Some pilgrims from Africa rested shoulder-to-shoulder with Americans in the park. Chants of "this is it, the youth of the pope" reverberated around the park as a break dancer spun on the stage.

Still, some noticed that not all Catholics were welcomed to the party.

"It's still not really open for everyone," said Sameule Martini, 17, from Treviso in Italy. His cousin Valentina Martini, also 17, agreed. "Gay people," she said. "There are a lot of old people running the church and they have an old mentality and say no to them."

They talked about other changes they would like to see in the church including, Ms. Martini said, a bigger role for women, even at the top. "I wouldn't mind seeing a papessa one day." Continue reading

They come from Ternopil, in the western part of their country devastated by the war imposed by Russia since February 24, 2022.

The three young women are among the approximately 300 young Ukrainians - 15 of whom met the pope on August 3 - participating in the World Youth Days (WYD) with the support of L'Œuvre d'Orient, a French Catholic charity.

In the midst of the pilgrims, the Ukrainian flag acts like a magnet. Many rush to take a photo, shouting "Slava Ukraïni!" ("Glory to Ukraine!").

"We are warmly welcomed by everyone here, after a very long journey," said Mariia.

"When the people hear us speaking Ukrainian, they come to us."

The young woman travelled to Lisbon to "rebuild unity" with all the young Catholics from around the world, a unity that "constitutes the strength of Ukrainians.

"In our prayers, we constantly carry our families, our friends who remained in Ukraine," she continued.

"We pray for all the young people who went to battle to defend our lives."

"God will lead us to victory," she asserts, with the cold gaze of those who are going through the worst.

While their city of origin is far from the frontlines, Natalia wants to be able to testify about her life disrupted by the Russian invasion and the "horrors" caused by the war.

"We receive internally displaced people, and we are bombed. We pray for our safety and raise our cries to Heaven," said the young Ukrainian who participates in the World Youth Day to "encounter the living God again," far from the death sown by the war.

"I want to return to Ukraine animated by this spirit of encounter," Natalia said.

Reminding that Ukraine's fight concerns all of Europe

In Lisbon, the 300 Ukrainians regularly carry out actions aimed at 'not letting the world forget the evil that Russia has brought'.

"We must constantly remind the world that if Ukraine were not fighting on the front lines," this evil could spread to "all of Europe," Natalia said.

Standing beside the young people for whom he is responsible, the Greek-Catholic Father Roman Demush, with his black beard and penetrating gaze, echoes the young woman's words.

"Speaking about the war, about those who suffer, is not a political question," he declares, as if addressing potential critics. "It's a matter of life."

It is safe to say that the priest is protecting his young people. When asked about the presence of a group of young Russian Catholics at the World Youth Day, the young women let Father Demush respond on their behalf.

"It is essential not to add more suffering to our young people," he said firmly.

Fear of the pilgrims' reactions

A few hours earlier, a few kilometres from Belém, on the square in front of the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, a rare calm reigns during these World Youth Day events.

You have to pass through the first door of the building and have a keen eye to spot the information panel, recounting the history of this Manueline-style church.

The explanations are written in Portuguese, French, Spanish, English, and... Russian.

This is where the catechises are given for the 16 young people who came from Russia.

Although they all come from Moscow, only a small dozen are of Russian nationality, with the rest being foreign students. Here, the national flag is not displayed.

"We had it up on the first day," said Vera, who asked to not be quoted under her real name.

"Most people reacted positively, treated us like human beings and not like Russians might be treated these days. But some had very negative reactions, and now we hesitate to display it."

As a sign of the tension within the group, two young people cancelled their trip at the last moment, fearing reactions from other pilgrims.

Others did not obtain the necessary authorization from the Russian authorities. The war is never explicitly mentioned; it is a taboo subject. They barely talk about a "difficult situation."

"Faith is the last thing that keeps us going," confided another Russian pilgrim of Ukrainian origin, some of whose family still lives in Ukraine.

"We crossed paths with the Ukrainian pilgrims, but we didn't dare to approach them; we were afraid of their reaction," the young woman said.

"Still, I would like to try to talk to them."

All "members of the universal Church"

Despite their fears, Vera does not regret having come to Lisbon.

"As young Catholics, it is also our mission to heal wounds through dialogue and encounter," she said.

"We must build bridges for the future. Without taking major actions, we pray for peace as members of the universal Church."

This attempt at outreach finds no response from the Ukrainian side, which indirectly opposes it.

"Let's not worsen the wounds of the young Ukrainians," said Father Demush.

"First and foremost, these young Russians must take a position and name the evil. If they do not, they endorse the abuses committed by their army."

Such a public declaration could lead to legal action against the Russians upon their return, due to the repression carried out by Vladimir Putin's regime, which has tightened its control over the media since the beginning of the war.

• Matthieu Lasserre is a journalist at La Croix.
• First published in La Croix. Republished with permission.

Pope Francis encouraged the half-a-million young people who warmly received him on Thursday evening at Lisbon's Edward VII Park to repeat this word numerous times.

The Pope appeared revitalized and invigorated by the contagious enthusiasm of the girls and boys who, together with their pastors and educators, travelled to Portugal from all over the world.

"For everyone, para todos," exclaimed Pope Francis. His message neatly epitomizes the first ten years of his pontificate—a pontificate that began under the banner of mercy.

What does it mean to reiterate that there is room for everyone in the Church?

By way of explanation, the Pope said,

"No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone.

'Just as we are, everyone... ‘But Father, I am a wretch; I am a sinner: is there room for me?'

"There is room for everyone.

"For, 'God loves us; God loves us as we are, not as we wish to be or as society expects us to be: as we are.

"He loves us with our flaws, limitations, and desires to progress in life.

"God calls us in this way: have faith because God is a father, and he is a loving father, a father who love us."

In a time when everyone gives their opinion, and no one listens, when so many try to appear as something they are not, there is no message more attractive and revolutionary than what the Pope is reminding us of: God loves us just as we are, always forgives us, awaits us with open arms, and extends His mercy.

This awareness represents a logic that goes beyond human capacity and reaches the divine, one we learn from the Gospel episode of Zacchaeus, the sinful publican disliked by all in the city of Jericho.

Despite the opinions of others about him and feeling curious about the Nazarene prophet, Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore tree and waits for Him to pass, half-hidden among the leaves.

Jesus looks at him first, loves him first, and invites Himself to Zacchaeus's home, regardless of the scandalized comments from onlookers.

There are no prerequisites to receiving Jesus' merciful embrace. There are no "instructions" to follow, no preparatory courses to attend, nor techniques to learn.

It is enough to be present when He passes by, surrender to His gaze filled with love and mercy.

We need only to remove our barriers and allow Him to embrace us, recognizing Him in the faces of the witnesses He places in our path every day.

The Church has room for everyone, just as it did for Zacchaeus, who had the privilege of hosting the Nazarene at his own table in his own home.

His was an unprecedented surprise, a free gift, bestowed purely by grace.

Jesus' gaze, His call, turned Zacchaeus's life upside down: because he was loved like never before, he could comprehend the depths of sin and corruption in his existence.

However, conversion for Zacchaeus wasn't a prerequisite for receiving love and forgiveness. Continue reading

• Andrea Tornielli is an Italian journalist and religious writer. He is the manager of the editorial department of the Dicastery for Communication. Here he offers his thoughts on Pope Francis' impassioned appeal for the Church to welcome everyone.

Earlier that same day, Pope Francis spoke at three different venues, telling the half a million WYD pilgrims that the Church must be a home for everyone.

Despite the Pope's clear directives in this respect, it seems not everyone took his words to heart.

The protest

When the two dozen Catholics gathered for Mass, the protest group began to chant "a reparatory prayer" in an effort to disrupt the prayers.

Noted British theologian and openly gay priest Fr James Alison was one of three concelebrants of the Mass.

He says the 12 protesters, who wore long mantillas and held crucifixes, increasingly raised their voices in an effort to drown out the priests and congregants during Mass.

Police, who were aware of a potential disturbance, quickly escorted the protesters out of the church. The Mass continued without further incident.

Alison says the interruption highlights the challenges LGBTQ Catholics face in trying to practise their faith.

Building the roadblocks

Roadblocks to prevent the Mass began several days earlier.

The Global Network of Rainbow Catholics and a local Portuguese LGBTQ Catholic group organising the Mass had to find a new venue hurriedly. That was because their original hosts had become anxious after calls for protests began to circulate online.

Alison says a the protesters were motivated mainly to disrupt the Mass because they mistakenly believed Jesuit Fr James Martin would concelebrate it.

Martin — a prominent LGBTQ Catholic advocate — had been in Portugal for Jesuit-related events ahead of World Youth Day. However, he had already left the country before the Mass.

Pope's message

Alison says he has no ill will toward the ultra-traditionalist protesters. They're not to blame for their views.

"I was terribly sorry to see these people who have been led to this terrible ideology of hatred. They live in a weird, alienated world and did not look happy. We were principally sad for them.

"I don't blame them. I blame the intellectual authors who seem to bear the responsibility for this."

Alison says the Mass for LGBTQ pilgrims was "clearly in line with the Holy Father's message."

This message repeatedly emphasises that everyone has a home in the Catholic Church.

Since the start of his pontificate in 2013, Francis has walked a tightrope on LGBTQ issues.

He continues to uphold traditional church teaching, which prohibit gay relationships. At the same time, he repeatedly offers calls for everyone to be welcomed in the church. He has personally befriended a number of openly gay Catholics.

On 4 August, the Spanish Catholic news weekly Vida Nueva published an interview with Francis. In this, Francis reflects on his meetings with transgender people.

"The first time a group of transsexuals came to the Vatican and they saw me, they came out crying, saying that I had given them a hand, a kiss … as if I had done something exceptional with them," the magazine reports.

"But they are daughters of God!"

Source

• NCR Online

Crux reports on August 5 that during a semi-private meeting, a Russian Orthodox bishop expressed regret for the Ukraine war, thanking Francis for supporting the Ukrainian people.

"I would like to thank you very much for all you have done for the Ukrainian people," the Russian Orthodox bishop told Pope Francis.

The comment was made during a private meeting with interreligious leaders and was translated by Portuguese Father Peter Stillwell, director of the Portuguese bishops' Department of Ecumenical Relations and Interreligious Dialogue.

However a report from the Pillar, the American news website, makes it clear the politics of a private meeting did not translate to the World Youth Day public devotion where there was a notable absence of any reference to the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The meditations there centred generally on problems that youth typically face, such as uncertainty about the future, issues with mental health and the scourges of drugs, pornography and alcohol, but also conflict and a lack of religious freedom.

While there were general references to the suffering caused by war, there was no mention of the conflict that has the world on edge.

The Vatican's handling of the Ukraine issue has been fraught with tension.

During the past two Via Crucis observances on Good Friday in Rome, the Holy See insisted on including a symbolic gesture for peace in Ukraine, involving both a Ukrainian and a Russian.

Neither time was Ukraine amused, leading to strained relations between the Vatican and Kyiv.

According to a source within the WYD organisation, Rome initially insisted on a similar gesture though it was unclear if it was intended for the Via Crucis devotions.

The Ukrainians made it clear that there would be diplomatic repercussions this time, and local organisers managed to dissuade the Holy See from repeating the gesture.

A compromise was reached including a visit to Ukraine by Bishop Américo Aguiar, who headed the WYD task force, to assure local Catholics that they had not been forgotten.

It is unknown whether Pope Francis' decision to hold a private audience for Ukrainian pilgrims, during which he prayed with them, was also part of the compromise.

The delicate handling of the Ukraine issue underscores the Vatican's complex position in a conflict that has strained international relations.

The Pope's actions continue to be scrutinised as the world seeks a peaceful resolution to a crisis that shows no signs of resolution.

Asked en route to Rome why he skipped the peace prayer at Lourdes, the Pope said he did not want to give publicity to a public prayer.

"I prayed! I prayed! I prayed to the Madonna and I prayed for peace. I didn't make publicity. But I prayed. And we have to continually repeat this prayer for peace."

A Vatican official, speaking on condition he not be named, denied that any ecclesial-diplomatic considerations entered Francis' decision-making.

Sources

• Crux
• The Pillar
• Associated Press

During the 37th World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon, the Pope commended representatives of aid and charitable centres, urging them to continue making life a gift of love and joy.

Addressing the gathering, Pope Francis emphasised the significance of "concrete love" and rejected the notion of "abstract love."

Francis passionately remarked "Concrete love is that which gets its hands dirty, and each one of us can ask: is the love I feel for everyone here, what I feel for others, concrete or abstract? When I shake hands with a person in need, with a sick person, with a marginalised person, do I do it quickly so that they do not 'infect' me?"

He called on individuals to ask themselves if I am disgusted by poverty, and warned against living what he described as "distilled lives" which exist only in our imaginations and not in reality.

Be an "inspiration to others"

The Pope instead called for living in a way that "leaves a mark" and can be an "inspiration to others."

Expressing gratitude to the charity workers for their invaluable contributions, Pope Francis encouraged them not to lose heart and to persevere in their mission. He offered a touch of humour, saying "And if you get discouraged, have a glass of water and keep going," as he deviated from his prepared speech to connect with the audience on a personal level.

Love, the Pope emphasised, is a path to happiness in the afterlife and a source of joy on Earth. By embracing love and compassion, individuals can expand their hearts and find meaning in their lives.

Pope Francis urged young people to embrace this approach, stating "All of us can do it and everyone needs it, here and throughout the world."

The Pope then appealed for people to get close to the most vulnerable.

"While we are all fragile and in need, the Gospel's compassionate outlook leads us to see the needs of the most vulnerable. It likewise impels us to serve the poor - the excluded, the outcast, the discarded, the little ones, the defenceless - those most beloved of God, who made himself poor for" the Pope said.

The Pope called on the faithful to live their lives by offering a gift of love. "Loving is a gift for all! Please, carry on making life a gift of love and joy."

Sources

Independent Catholic News

Vatican News

CathNews New Zealand

Vatican spokesman Matteo Bruni says there's no cause to think the Pope's eyesight is failing. Francis prefers to speak without notes, Brunei adds. It's a pastoral preference.

"The pope always addresses the people he meets firstly as a shepherd, and speaks accordingly" Bruni says.

"The problem with his sight yesterday [Friday] morning was due to the lighting which produced a reflection on his glasses".

Prepared speeches set aside

Questions about the pope's eyesight were floated last Friday. During a visit to a charitable centre in Lisbon, Francis read only the first few paragraphs of his prepared speech.

He then set it aside, saying the lighting made it difficult for him to read. The prepared text would be published, he promised the small crowd.

He also mostly ignored two other prepared texts during the major international event.

One of those was for a Way of the Cross ceremony. Observers noted he appeared to look down at the prepared text from time to time but did not read from it.

The other text is described as "a highly-anticipated message" for a gathering in Fatima on Saturday morning.

Expectations were reportedly high ahead of the pope's visit to the Marian shrine. May observers anticipated Francis delivering a message of peace amid the ongoing war in Ukraine.

However, after praying the rosary with sick young people and prisoners, Francis again delivered the first few lines of his prepared speech but then deviated.

He went on to offer the crowd a brief, off-the-cuff reflection on the Virgin Mary.

Francis also set aside his prepared prayer at the end of the rosary. He asked attendees to join him in praying the Hail Mary instead.

Burni says although the pope did not make a public appeal for peace at the Fatima shrine, he "prayed with pain for peace" in the world. He made this prayer during a moment of silence during the rosary, the fourth decade of which was dedicated to peace.

Pope's general health

Besides confirming Francis's eyesight is not failing, Bruni says he is well. He was no more tired than anyone else in his delegation given his busy WYD schedule.

Concern over the pope's health has increased following two hospital stays this year. One of those was for a serious bout of bronchitis and the other for surgery to repair an abdominal hernia. He also had surgery to repair cataracts last year.

Chronic sciatica and knee pain have often confined him to a wheelchair during the past year.

Reports say Francis seemed resilient and alert during his "fairly gruelling" WYD itinerary in Portugal and his voice was strong during his public addresses.

Francis returned to Rome on Sunday at the end of the 1-6 August WYD event.

Source

• CruxNow

With approximately 3,000 or more young Australians set to make the pilgrimage, this delegation will be one of the largest representing the country at WYD. Joining them will be 19 Australian bishops, nearly half of the total bishops in the country.

This event is seen as a critical moment in the life of the Church in Australia, especially in a society that is becoming increasingly secular and disconnected from matters of faith.

Malcolm Hart, Director of the National Centre for Evangelisation at the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, believes that WYD is an exciting journey of faith and pilgrimage for young people.

"The commitment they have shown is really exciting" Hart affirmed. "It's also a great opportunity. There is a lot of learning that happens between young people and the bishops.

"The opportunity to go to World Youth Day and meet millions of other young Catholics is a really critical moment in the life of the Church in Australia and particularly for young people" Hart said.

Strong online presence

While most of the participants will be physically present in Lisbon, the event will also have a strong online presence.

Almost every group has set up social media pages to share their experiences, allowing families and friends back home to follow their journey. The time zone issues will be overcome with live broadcasts from Portugal being replayed the following day.

For young Australians, the experiences at WYD represent a moment of faith exploration and growth in their lives. The chance to meet millions of other young Catholics from around the world creates a sense of community and strengthens their connection to their faith.

World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly

Notably, before the main WYD event, there was a special World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly celebrated by Pope Francis at St Peter's Basilica in Rome.

The theme of this day emphasised the relationship between the elderly and young people, underscoring the importance of the bond in shaping the faith experiences of the youth.

In a heartwarming story, Koe Evangelista, a 22-year-old Australian pilgrim representing young Catholics from Oceania, had the extraordinary opportunity to meet Pope Francis during the World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly.

Evangelista felt honoured to be chosen to represent young people and saw it as a chance to bring the prayers and support of his community with him.

"I was bringing all those who I am tied to as well, and I wanted to bring them to Pope Francis and more than that, I wanted to bring all of them to God with me," he said.

Sources

Vatican News

Catholic Weekly

CathNews New Zealand

Catholic charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN) will be helping to create a WYD experience as close to the main event as possible for those unable to travel to Lisbon because of financial and other difficulties.

More than 1,000 young people will be attending the gathering on Mount Lebanon at the same time as Pope Francis is meeting pilgrims in Portugal.

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Homeless people and others sleeping rough in Almirante Reis Avenue, one of Lisbon's busiest thoroughfares, were recently given an ultimatum by the city council: vacate the premises by July 12 or face forced removal.

Many homeless individuals affected by this decision believe that the city council's actions are directly linked to Pope Francis' upcoming visit to Lisbon for the World Youth Day global gathering of young Catholics.

Rita Moreira (pictured), who suffers from poor health, stated "They (the city council) are sweeping the homeless under the rug... That's what they're doing to us - they're hiding us."

This is not the first instance where homeless people have been displaced due to major Catholic events. In 2015, the Philippine government faced criticism after admitting to temporarily relocating homeless individuals during Pope Francis' visit.

Ironically, Francis has spoken out for homeless people many times and established the World Day of the Poor in 2016 to bring focus to the challenges this group faces.

However, Lisbon's city council vehemently denies that its actions are motivated by the Pope's visit. It claims that the "interventions" are part of ongoing efforts to assist vulnerable populations and direct them towards shelters.

Alternative accommodation "horrible"

Comunidade Vida e Paz, a charity for the homeless, reported that the city council instructed their street team to inform homeless individuals in the Almirante Reis and Regueirao dos Anjos areas about the removal of their tents and belongings.

While the council offered shelter as an alternative, Moreira and others expressed dissatisfaction with the conditions, describing them as "horrible."

The city council insists that its objective is to provide accommodation solutions for the homeless.

However, Portugal's People-Animals-Nature (PAN) party has raised concerns about the urgent removal of the tent and belongings and its potential connection to Pope Francis' visit. PAN sought answers from the city council, but it has yet to respond.

PAN's leader, Ines Sousa Real, emphasised that concealing homelessness during the World Youth Day event will not solve the country's poverty problem. She stressed the urgency of implementing measures to address the ongoing housing crisis, which has resulted in many people living on the streets.

Marcio Achega, a 31-year-old construction worker who has been homeless for two years, expressed frustration, stating "They want to clean up (the city's) face because someone... who is very important will come here. If they want to forcibly remove us because of the Pope, they have to give us a house."

Sources

US News & World Report

CathNews New Zealand

Regardless of his impending cardinal appointment, Bishop Robert Barron has made it clear to Américo Aguiar that he intends to evangelise during his visit to Lisbon.

Aguiar, a youthful 49-year-old auxiliary bishop of the Patriarchate of Lisbon, is the primary coordinator of World Youth Day 2023 (WYD) and was recently appointed as a cardinal by Pope Francis.

Aguiar stirred up a debate when he allegedly stated that the WYD with the pope is not about converting people to Christ.

He made the comment while discussing Pope Francis' encyclical 'Fratelli tutti' on Portuguese television.

Aguiar stated that the WYD is not meant to "forcefully convert young people to Christ, to the Catholic Church or to anything else."

Regrettably, his interview snippets were disseminated on news websites and social media platforms.

Often taken out of context, these fragments have incited confusion and disapproval among Catholics who feel their leader abandoned them in their evangelisation mission.

The controversy surrounding the bishop's remarks was ignited primarily by the headline of an article published by the Catholic News Agency (CNA), a service of EWTN.

In response to the criticism, the news agency altered the headline.

Controversy unfortunately enflamed

The comment, when viewed in isolation, sparked controversy among many WYD participants including Barron who, in a recent column, wrote:

"When any Catholic institution, ministry or outreach forgets its evangelical purpose, it has lost its soul."

Barron concluded his column in a somewhat 'stroppy' tone, writing:

"I'm scheduled to give five presentations at World Youth Day in Lisbon, and I want to assure Bishop Aguiar that each one is intended to evangelise."

Regrettably, Barron took the CNA report at face value and seems to have overreacted.

The Pillar, a Catholic media agency, also strongly criticised Aguiar's misquoted remarks, with author Filipe D'Avillz branding him a "raging heretic."

WYD is not Catholic World Youth Day

Aguiar confirmed that World Youth Day is not exclusively for Catholics.

"Popes have never invited only young Catholics; they have always invited youth from all over the world," he said.

He emphasised the importance of the youth who come to Lisbon to meet other young people from different parts of the world, different backgrounds, different faiths and understanding that this diversity is a richness.

He concluded the interview by expressing his hope that the pilgrims would appreciate the mutual contribution of differences:

"'I think differently, I feel differently, I organise my life differently, but we are brothers and sisters and we will build the future together.' This is the main message of this encounter with the living Christ that the pope wants to give to young people" he said.

A chaplain in charge of World Youth Day in a diocese in France affirmed that "WYD is a source of conversions."

"The invitation is sent to all young people, it's not WCYD (World Catholic Youth Day)" the priest continued.

Yes, the Pope's Catholic

Cardinal-designate Aguiar has met Francis several times in the run-up to World Youth Day and quotes extensively from the pope's work.

"The world will be objectively a better place if we are able to put the certainty of Fratelli tutti in the hearts of all young people," Aguiar told RTP during the July 6 interview.

The encyclical, published in 2020, is dedicated to fraternity and social friendship.

In terms of substance, the cardinal designate's comments are not at odds with the Jesuit pope's teachings. During his visit to small Christian communities in Morocco in March 2019, Francis warned against any temptation to "proselytise" to swell the ranks.

"The paths of mission are not those of proselytism, which leads always to a dead end," the pope said.

"The Church grows not through proselytism, but through attraction and through witness."

Before Aguiar became a priest he was a politician, a fact he has never hidden and is proud of.

Aguiar is still known in Portugal for his political acumen. He has used it to some effect as he manages preparations for the upcoming World Youth Day in Lisbon — the largest public event in Portuguese history.

When asked by The Pillar if he is flattered or offended when people say that he is like a politician in a cassock: "That all depends on the tone with which they say it," Aguiar replied.

Sources

• La Croix International
• The Pillar
• Word on Fire
• CathNews

"I realised that God was always with me. He doesn't give up on us, so we can't lose hope," he said with the smile of someone who believes he is about to start a new life.

WYD 2023 will take place in Lisbon, Portugal, from Aug 1-6 and Pope Francis will attend during the event.

The initiative to involve prisoners in building the confessionals was a collaboration between the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation and the Directorate-General for Reintegration and Prison Services.

Prisoners constructed a total of 150 confessionals across three Portuguese prisons. The aim was to provide inmates with valuable professional skills and promote their reintegration into society.

Pope to hear confessions

The confessionals will be located in "Reconciliation Park," a designated area in the Belém district of Lisbon, where pilgrims from all over the world will have the opportunity to confess and seek reconciliation. Pope Francis himself will hear confessions in the park on the morning of 4 August.

Upon learning of Silva's desire to contribute to the project, the WYD Local Organising Committee was thrilled to include him.

"We are very interested in complying with his wishes, and we will take all the necessary steps so that he can participate in the setting up of the confessionals," assured the WYD Lisbon 2023 Foundation spokeswoman, Rosa Pedroso Lima.

The confessionals, fabricated from recycled wood provided by the JMJ Lisboa 2023 Foundation, are a simple and elegant design. Silva worked alongside a fellow inmate who was an experienced carpenter and taught him carpentry skills in the prison workshop.

Project a positive impact on inmates

Orlando Carvalho, the director of the Coimbra Prison, expressed his pride in the institution's involvement in the confessional project. He emphasised the transformative power of such initiatives, citing the positive impact on inmates' lives.

Carvalho believes that providing prisoners with meaningful experiences and opportunities for social reintegration is crucial. He called for more projects like this, stating that society should support and empower inmates rather than casting them aside.

Silva affirmed the project's financial aspect also motivated him. "When I found out that we were going to receive 10 euros a day, I immediately thought that it would be a good help so that, when I was released, I wouldn't be so dependent on my family," he said.

Sources

Catholic News Agency

CathNews New Zealand

The guide seeks to present Holy Scripture in an engaging manner to younger individuals who may not typically engage with the Bible.

The guide, a brainchild of the Bible Society of New Zealand, is a unique response to the Synod on Youth that was held in 2018.

The Bible Society describes Identity:Identified as "unique" and a practical tool to help everyone, especially young people, follow Jesus as they navigate life's challenges and trust him as a true friend and companion.

Beyond featuring hundreds of inspiring and uplifting Biblical passages, Identity:Identified offers 96 pages of curated content across 24 inserts, each addressing key challenges facing today's youth.

Among the topics included are

• navigating loneliness
• peer pressure
• living in a highly sexualised society
• coping with online bullying, and
• understanding life's deeper meaning

Adding a modern touch, the guide features 32 QR codes linking to video testimonials on the transformative power of Scripture in life. An accompanying app enhances the utility of the guide by offering access to insert materials, videos and daily readings.

The New Zealand Bishops have expressed their unequivocal support for Identity:Identified.

They believe the guide will be a powerful reminder to young people of God's enduring love and unfailing support, especially during their most challenging times.

They are optimistic that this innovative approach to spiritual guidance will resonate with young individuals navigating the modern world.

Among the contributors of the Catholic teaching materials are Bishop Steve Lowe, Emeritus Cardinal John Dew, Bishop Michael Dooley and Australia's Archbishop Mark Coleridge, alongside other prominent Catholic figures from Asia-Pacific such as the late Cardinal Sim from Borneo, Archbishop Simon Poh from Malaysia and Bishop Broderick Pabillo from the Philippines.

Source

• Supplied - Bible Society