What is World Youth Day?
This August, over a million youths from around the globe congregated for a religious pilgrimage in Lisbon, Portugal, to celebrate and strengthen their faith in the Catholic Church in an event called World Youth Day. As a single body, united by God’s presence rooted deeply in each of their hearts, these youths discovered, explored, and practiced the new and exciting aspects of their faith every day. While traveling through the city on foot, they had the opportunity to celebrate mass and adoration with our Holy Father, Pope Francis, participate in cultural and religious festivals, and discuss important topics about the Catholic faith.
The true gift of World Youth Day is the ability to do these remarkable activities while surrounded by diverse, like-minded young people from every corner of the world who are just as eager to share their unique character and beliefs.
*Email responses provided by Father Luke and two students have been edited for space.
A Reflection from Our Chaplain
“This event is like nothing else I have ever experienced. From the moment you arrive, you are taken aback by all of the flags waving in the air, being carried by all the different groups. The 13 Gibbons students made immediate connections with so many other cultures.All the young people brought bracelets or stickers or pins, representing their countries so they could exchange them with others and make friends with people from every continent.
We tagged along with a bigger pilgrimage group called Mission Youth during our time there. They organized our itinerary, which generally consisted of daily mass, attending a conference or small discussion on some faith topic, visiting the beautiful churches and sites around Lisbon, and then each day we would join in larger events organized by various church organizations. One of the events that stands out to me was a gathering organized by the United States’ bishops. They had a series of speakers, and after, they began a procession which followed a Bishop who carried the Eucharist in front of him in the gold, cross-shaped monstrance. In the midst of the crowd of about 10,000 pilgrims, our Gibbons group, quite miraculously, stayed all together for the remainder of the evening. The students asked to remain at the park venue where the event took place and have a group sharing moment. One after another, the students opened up about what they believed God was doing in their hearts, and how our Lord had been speaking to them during these first few days of the trip. It was awe-inspiring to witness their genuine openness to both God and each other. It was evident that their faith was being strengthened and that God was awakening in them a profound desire to follow Him more closely.
It was so special to bring the students, and even more so to know that our entire Gibbons community was following the event, and united with us in their thoughts and prayers. The students have returned with a great desire to continue living with that same joy that they experienced at World Youth Day, and I think they are very convinced that through daily prayer and supporting one another, this is possible.” –Father Luke Rawicki, Cardinal Gibbons Chaplain
Student Impression
In which part of your experience did you feel most connected to God and your faith?
“I felt most connected to God through the power of music… it was so beautiful to hear our voices doing exactly what God had created them to do.” –Molly Green, Class of 2024
“I felt God the most in the people around me. It seemed like God was working through them every day, in their words and in their actions. They were my signs of God on Earth.” –Blaise Bello, Class of 2025
How did being surrounded by millions of other young people there for the same reason benefit your experience?
“I thought it was beautiful to have moments where so many voices joined together to praise our Lord, but also to observe the silence that spread across the crowd during reverent moments.” –Molly Green, Class 2024
“Age, occupation, nationality, ethnicity, or whatever the case, God loves each and everyone of us, and we were able to see exactly that at World Youth Day.” –Blaise Bello, Class of 2025
What was something that surprised you about the experience?
“The biggest surprise for me would have to be the relationships I formed with so many people from many different places… It was so affirming to meet people from other cultures who had the exact same passion as me.” –Molly Green, Class of 2024
“I didn’t expect it to be life changing or anything like that. I was so wrong. I had no clue that those 10 days would be the best days of my life. I have never felt so close to God before.” –Blaise Bello, Class of 2025
