What is World Youth Day?
World Youth Day was established by Pope John Paul II in 1986 as an annual event to reach out to the youth of the world. The first WYD was held on Palm Sunday in 1986 in Rome. Every year since, it has been celebrated at a diocesan level on Palm Sunday. Every two to three years, WYD is taken to an international host city for a week-long series of events attended by the Pope and millions of young people from all over the world. Organised by the Catholic Church, WYD brings together young people for a pilgrimage in faith where they can meet and experience the love of God.
Where have previous World Youth Days been held?
There have been 12 International World Youth Day celebrations held so far, in the following host cities:
YEAR HOST CITY / COUNTRY
1984/85 Rome, Italy
1987 Buenos Aires, Argentina
1989 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
1991 Czestochowa, Poland
1993 Denver, USA
1995 Manila, Philippines
1997 Paris, France
2000 Rome, Italy
2002 Toronto, Canada
2005 Cologne, Germany
2008 Sydney, Australia
2011 Madrid, Spain
When and where will the next World Youth Day be held?
The next international World Youth Day will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from 22–28 July 2013. It will be held in the middle of the Brazilian Winter - the average temperature at that time of year is 17-23 degrees and it will be attended by an estimated four million pilgrims and organised in a vibrant South American way!
What can I gain from attending World Youth Day?
WYD offers something for everyone – from silent prayer to daily Mass, from big concerts to cultural events. At WYD, you will discover that you are not alone in your faith journey. Young people from all over the world are practicing the Catholic faith in so many ways and the Pope invites them to come together as one. While the week can be loads of fun and adventure with other young people, it is not a holiday. WYD is a pilgrimage of faith and challenges you physically, mentally, socially, and emotionally.
What is the theme for World Youth Day?
Every WYD has a theme given by the Pope. The themes for the next two World Youth Days are:
WYD 2012: “Always be joyful in the Lord” (Ph 4:4)
WYD 2013 (Rio): “Go and make disciples of all nations.” (Matt 28:19)
What themes have they had for past World Youth Days?
1986 “Always be prepared to make a defence to anyone who calls you to account for the hope that is in you” (1Pt 3:15)
1987 “We ourselves have known and put our faith in God’s love towards ourselves” (1Jn 4:16)
1988 “Do whatever he tells you” (Jn 2:5)
1989 “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Jn 14:6)
1990 “I am the vine, you are the branches” (Jn 15:5)
1991 “You have received a spirit of sonship” (Rom 8:15)
1992 “Go into all the world and preach the Gospel” (Mk 16:15)
1993 “I came that they might have life, and have it to the full” (Jn 10:10)
1994-1995 “As the Father sent me, so am I sending you” (Jn 20: 21)
1996 “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68).
1997 “Teacher, where are you staying? Come and see” (cf. Jn 1:38-39)
1998 “The Holy Spirit will teach you all things” (cf Jn 14:26 )
1999 “The Father loves you” (cf. Jn 16:27)
2000 “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14)
2001 “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me” (Lk 9:23)
2002 "You are the salt of the earth ... you are the light of the world" (Mt 5: 13,14)
2003 "Behold, your mother!" (Jn 19,27)
2004 "We wish to see Jesus" (Jn 12,21)
2005 "We have come to worship Him" (Mt 2,2)
2006 "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path" (Ps 119, 105)
2007 "Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (Jn 13, 34)
2008 "You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1, 8)
2009 "We have set our hope on the living God" (1 Tm 4:10)
2010 "Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" (Mk 10:17)
2011 “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith.” (Col 2:7)
Can I go to the next World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil?
The Archdiocese of Melbourne invites all young people across Victoria aged 16-35 (as of July 2013) to join us on our way to WYD in Rio de Janeiro.
How can I go to World Youth Day?
The Archdiocese of Melbourne will be travelling as part of the Official Victorian Pilgrimage Group. We are expecting many young people from all over Victoria to be joining our pilgrimage to the next WYD! To register your interest please click here.
What pilgrimage options are Victoria offering?
The Victorian Pilgrimage Group is offering three different pilgrimages to cater for a range of budgets, tastes and time availabilities. More information will be made available shortly so keep an eye out on our website or register your interest here for the latest updates.
Why should I travel with the Victorian Pilgrimage Group?
The Victorian Pilgrimage Group will be investing significant resources to ensure that we provide a safe, spiritual and successful journey to WYD. WYD2013 will be quite a different experience to previous WYDs, for both for pilgrims and coordinators. By travelling with the Victorian group you will be spared the hassles of trying to negotiate Brazil and WYD by yourself whilst meeting many young people from all over Victoria. We are especially excited to hear of different parish youth groups and movements who are intending to come with us!
What if I want to travel with my own group?
Due to the significant costs associated with attending WYD2013, most parishes will not have large enough pilgrim numbers to consider taking their own pilgrimage groups. We are encouraging all interested parish groups and movements to join the Victorian Pilgrimage Group.
What if I want to go to World Youth Day by myself?
Going to WYD is more than just being present in the host city at the time of the event. It is about a going on a pilgrimage. To get the most out of WYD it is recommended that you go with an organised pilgrimage group. This will help you grow in your faith and grow in relationships with others.
There are some particular challenges anticipated for WYD in Brazil.
o The organisers are expecting 4 million people (twice as many as Madrid 2011). This will likely mean many difficulties with crowds, transport, facilities and accommodation vacancies.
o The weather is likely to be very hot, increasing the chance for illness. An organised pilgrimage group will have trained first aid/medical staff to support the pilgrims.
o Due to the increased number of people in Rio de Janeiro during WYD assistance with emergencies may be difficult (e.g. lost passports etc.) The support of a leadership team means that there are people who know you and whose role it is to assist you in an emergency.
o Brazil is not known for its English speakers.
What/Who is the Official Tour Provider?
An official tour provider has been appointed by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference (ACBC) to provide logistical support through coordination of travel, accommodation, registration and critical incident response. After a selection process and detailed discussions, Catholic tour operator Harvest Pilgrimages was appointed the official tour operator to support Australian groups attending WYD2013 in Rio de Janeiro. Harvest Pilgrimages has previously organised Australian pilgrimages for the 2002, 2005, 2008 and 2011 World Youth Days.
How can I start preparing for the next World Youth Day?
o PRAY that God will prepare you to receive the abundance of graces He wants to give you! WYD is a pilgrimage and the aim is to deepen the faith of all the Pilgrims. What better way to prepare than to start talking to God now!
o REGISTER your interest for attending WYD by clicking here. That way you will be sure to receive the latest information about WYD.
o Start SAVING and fundraising! Yes, it is a large amount, but be comforted by the fact that you are not alone in this. Some parish youth groups have already started fundraising activities in their community to help off-set the costs. Why not connect with one of these groups to get some ideas or speak to your own Parish Priest about how your parish can support you. The AOY has produced a fundraising guide, so contact us if you are interested by clicking here or download it our resources page.
o JOIN with others preparing to go. WYD is a pilgrimage best experienced with other young people. It is a spiritual pilgrimage for young people and so it helps to have peers to support and walk with you as you prepare for the next WYD. If you are part of a parish, you can start talking about the possibility of others in the community joining you, and how the parish can support you. There are also lots of other groups that you can connect with around Melbourne. Click here to see a list of youth groups in Melbourne.
Who can I contact for more information?
Brendan Lindsay is the WYD Coordinator for the Victorian Pilgrimage going to World Youth Day and he also works for the Archdiocesan Office for Youth. He can be contacted on 03 9412 3306 or via email: wyd2013@cam.org.au
What other websites should I check out?
Check out:
o The official WYD website in English: www.rio2013.com/en
o Harvest Tours: www.wydtours.com
o The Vatican website: www.vatican.va/
Are there any Youtube clips I can show my friends?
This one has good footage: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNCeVxSc9Mw
A personal reflection on WYD2011, looking towards WYD2013: http://youtu.be/kDLG4KMhKy0
Announcement video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pWEtv7HV2cU
And another video: http://youtu.be/ySEVfL-s-FM