Gay and transgender Christians are to set up an unofficial ministry for World Youth Day in Poland later this month. Leaders of the Warsaw-based “Faith and Rainbow” LGBT organisation say they want to minister to the thousands of gay, lesbian and transgender people attending the event. They will do this through an “LGBT Pilgrim’s Haven” Read more
Posts Tagged ‘WYD’
John Paul II patron saint of World Youth Day 
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Tuesday, February 11th, 2014
John Paul II will become patron saint of World Youth Day. The announcement came from Pope Francis in his message for the 29th World Youth Day. “He will be the great patron of the World Youth Days which he inaugurated and always supported,” Pope Francis said. “In the communion of saints he will continue to Read more
Beatitudes to focus youth on preparing for WYD 2016 Comments 0
Tuesday, November 12th, 2013
Pope Francis is asking youth to prepare for 2016 World Youth Day in Krakow, Poland by reflecting on the Beatitudes. As Catholic dioceses around the world prepare for the international World Youth Day, the Holy Father is asking the dioceses in 2014, to reflect on Matthew 5:3, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is Read more
The downside of WYD at Rio Comments 0
Tuesday, August 20th, 2013
“Who’s the church?” “We are!” “Where’s the church?” “Right here!” “And?” “Everywhere!” The “youth animator” at the centre for English-speaking pilgrims in Rio de Janeiro was revving up the crowd of young adults, no small feat considering it was 9 o’clock in the morning. It was the Friday of World Youth Day, and attendees had Read more
Is World Youth Day worth it? Comments 0
Friday, August 2nd, 2013
My Facebook newsfeed in recent days has been filled with exciting stories and photos about World Youth Day (WYD)—which ended today with a Mass in Rio. Yet again, we have had some amazing quotes from Pope Francis on his visit to Brazil reminding us about the church’s social and ethical obligations towards the poor. However, Read more
Pope sends World Youth Day millions to evangelise Comments 0
Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
Pope Francis has sent out three million World Youth Day participants to be missionaries — a task he said was mandatory, not optional. “Jesus is speaking to each one of us, saying: ‘It was wonderful to take part in World Youth Day, to live the faith together with young people from the four corners of Read more
On papacy and royalty Comments 0
Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
As I watched, read and heard untold stories about the birth of a new member of the British royal family, who becomes the third in line to the throne, it was somewhat disappointing that the news overshadowed so markedly the news of Pope Francis’s arrival in Brazil for the start of World Youth Day festivities Read more
Next WYD will be in JPII’s Krakow archdiocese Comments 0
Tuesday, July 30th, 2013
The next World Youth Day, in 2016, will be in the Polish city of Krakow — where the WYD founder, Pope John Paul II, was archbishop before he was elected to the papacy. After the announcement at WYD in Rio de Janeiro, thousands of Poles who were scattered across Copacabana Beach cheered loudly. The late Read more
Pope Francis knocks on Mary’s door before WYD Comments 0
Friday, July 26th, 2013
Returning to the Marian shrine where he oversaw the drafting of a crucial document on re-evangelising Latin America, Pope Francis said he wanted to “knock on the door of the house of Mary” before beginning his heavy World Youth Day schedule. Recalling the call for evangelisation issued by the Latin American bishops when they met Read more
Be ‘agents for a new world’, WYD youth told Comments 0
Friday, July 26th, 2013
More than 500,000 young people gathered on Rio de Janeiro’s famed Copacabana beach were urged to be “agents for a new world” in the opening ceremony of the 28th World Youth Day. In his homily on the WYD theme, “Go and make disciples of all nations”, local Archbishop Orani Joao Tempesta invited the young people Read more
