Pilgrimage to World Youth Day  

with archbishop Sample 

Summer 2023

It's a spiritual journey focused on Christ, simple as that.  It can be done at any time, by anyone, anywhere.  As followers of Jesus, it is much more than traveling to an exoctic place to get that selfie or just relax on a vacation.   It is a trip with a deeper and more spiritual meaning, with sacrifices and twists along the way.  It's not just about getting to the destination, but allowing God to guide us on the journey, through the process, and transform us along the way.  

We Catholics have a long tradition of journeying to holy places to pray, discern, repent, go deeper in our faith and strengthen our relationship with God.   Pilgrims seek to encounter the Lord in a new and deeper way.

A pilgrimage is an intentional journey that pilgrims make to a place that is considered holy, often where God has moved in the past.  It can be a place from scripture, somewhere Jesus lived, Mary appeard, or where the Saints prayed.  The word pilgrim comes from the Latin word “peregrinum” which conveys the idea of wandering over a distance.  But, a pilgrimage is not purposeless wandering.  Think of Exodus and how God freed the Isrealites from salvery in Egypt and slowly lead them to the promise land.  Pilgrimages help us in our wanderings and trials of life, to better listen and follow the Lord.
 

In response to Pope Francis' invitation, Archbishop Sample is leading a pilgrimage of Youth and Youth Adults to World Youth Day in Lisbon.  We are working with JMJ Pilgrimages to finalize plans for a 2-week pilgrimage including: Lisbon for WYD, Fatima, day pilgrimage on the Camino de Santiago concluding with Mass at the Basilica, St. Teresa's hometown of Avila, St. John of the Cross' tomb and Madrid.

Who:  Young Adults ages 18-35, Youth ages 15-17 with accompanying Guardian

When:  Summer 2023 - Tentative Dates:  July 30th - Aug. 13th

Where:  Lisbon, Fatima, Santiago de Compostela, Avila, Madrid

Why:  To grow closer to God, be transformed, experience the greater Church and other cultures, and intercede for our family, friends, and the archdiocese.

How:  Talk with your parish pastor or youth minister to stay up to date & start fundraising now!

Cost:  14 Day Pilgrimage $4449 (includes airfare, ground transportation, hostel housing, most meals, Archdpdx T-Shirt, WYD Registration).  *Lunches after WYD, Tips, and souvenirs after WYD be out of pocket.  

Payment Date Amount Due

$500 (Deposit)
Aug 1, 2022 25%of total
Oct 15, 2022 25% of total
Jan 15, 2023 25% of total
April 15, 2023 Balance

Cancellation Date Fee per person

As of Deposit $300
As of Aug 1, 2022 $800 + 50% of airfare
AS of Jan 15, 2023 $1,000 + 50% of airfare
AS of April 15, 2023 No refunds available

Questions?
Email Jason Kidd at jkidd(at)archdpdx.org

What is World Youth Day (WYD)?
World Youth Day (WYD) is the gathering of young people from all over the world with the Pope. It is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelization for the youth world. Although its Catholic identity is clearly evident, WYD opens its doors to everyone, no matter how close to or distant from the Church they are.   

It is celebrated at the diocesan level on Palm Sunday, and every two, three or four years as an international gathering in a city chosen by the Pope, with the presence of the Holy Father. It brings together millions of young people to celebrate their faith and sense of belonging to the Church.    

What happens at WYD?
Over the course of a week, young people from all over the world are welcomed and gather as one in Christ, mainly in public (gymnasiums, schools, pavilions …) and parish facilities or family homes.  In addition to the moments of prayer, sharing and leisure, the young people enrolled in this celebration participate in various initiatives organized by the WYD team, in different locations across the host city. The highlights are the celebrations (central features) for which the Pope is present, such as the welcoming and opening ceremony, the Way of the Cross, the vigil and, on the last day, the closing mass. 

The Popes and WYD
Established by John Paul II in 1985, his successors also welcomed the idea with enthusiasm and marked each WYD edition with their presence.  A few months after his election as Pope, Benedict XVI participated in the gathering in Cologne, Germany in 2005, interestingly his country of origin. At a later stage, he attended the event in Sydney, Australia, in 2008 and also in Madrid, Spain, in 2011.  In 2013, Pope Francis’ first apostolic trip outside Italy took him to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to attend WYD. He was also at the Krakow edition in Poland, and more recently presided over WYD 2019 in Panama City, Panama.  

Speaking at the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in 2010, Pope Benedict summarized pilgrimage: 

“To go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God where he has revealed himself, where his grace has shone with particular splendor and produced rich fruits of conversion and holiness among those who believe. 
Above all, Christians go on pilgrimage to the Holy Land, to the places associated with the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection. They go to Rome, the city of the martyrdom of Peter and Paul, and also to Compostela, which, associated with the memory of Saint James, has welcomed pilgrims from throughout the world who desire to strengthen their spirit with the Apostle’s witness of faith and love.”

A pilgrimage is a journey with a higher purpose.

Check out more at the official WYD WEBSITE HERE.