We are pleased to bring you testimonials from some of our pilgrims who attended WYD 2023.
I chose to take a few minutes to myself to sit outside the Sanctuary in Fatima to journal my thoughts and experience thus far. I expected it to be a moment of quiet reflection and meditation, but I was surprised to find an enormous crowd of youth exiting the Church in chants and song. World Youth Day hadn’t officially begun yet, but the energy was high and spirits were lifted. The unity and excitement in the crowd of people from countries all around the world, gathered together in faith and love for our Lord, brought tears to my face. I knew exactly then that I was right where I needed to be. God called me to Lisbon to reinvigorate my spirit, and bring me closer to him. My heart is forever changed.
Even in my seminary years, it has always been my dream to go to World Youth Day and I was blessed to attend one in Lisbon. It did not disappoint. It deepened my connection to our Blessed Mother, to the saints and to the Lord in ways that I could never have imagined. Every moment that we had, it was a reminder that God is real, that he was never far off from us.
One of my most favourite moments happened during the final night when 1.5M pilgrims gathered together with Pope Francis. Just imagine how chaotic it could be after putting 1.5M youth and young adults together. There was commotion everywhere, people were dancing, singing, eating, snoring, screaming, and fighting, trying not to step on others’ sleeping space. It was not quiet. Not until the Blessed Sacrament was exposed then 1.5M people went into silence to adore Christ in the Eucharist. It was like a sea of people, it became calm and quiet, some were on their knees. It was so insane to see and experience it with your own eyes. It was a great witness for me because their silence was a testament to their love and care for Christ. People are saying, “There are no young people in the Church”. Well, here they are enjoying adoring the Lord’s presence in silence.
World Youth Day was amazing. I tried not to imagine what it would be like, but instead, I trusted that whatever God had in store for World Youth Day was going to be amazing and awesome. He did not disappoint.
I loved seeing all the joyful and lively young people gathered in the same place to praise and adore God. I also enjoyed the Stations of the Cross, seeing the pope, the pilgrimage to the field where the missioning Mass would take place and the silence of 1.5 million people in front of the Blessed Sacrament. The moments I enjoyed the most were the ones that made me feel at home, the ones spent in the beautiful churches of Lisboa with new friends from Canada and from around the world.
I befriended a group of pilgrims from the Peterborough Diocese and with them I visited 5 churches, each with different relics of saints, our friends in heaven. At each church, I felt the distinct presences of the saints calling out to me and accompanying me in different areas of my life. We started with the skull of St Thomas Aquinas exposed at Igreja de Sao Jose by Dominican Friars from Switzerland. All I could say was ‘O to the skull that housed and protected the brain, the fount of knowledge and wisdom of this great doctor of the church’. We stumbled upon the next relic, a bone fragment of St. Therese de Lisieux exposed at the Igreja São Luís dos Franceses by a group from Paris, France. We travelled far to see the relic of Pope St. John Paul II and of Blessed Giorgio Frassati at Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosario de Fatima. There, we were greeted by our Lord at the altar in the Blessed Sacrament, the perfect end of our day. The relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis was another day at the Basilica de Nossa Senhora dos Martires and finally the relic of St. Anthony of Lisboa was in the church in the location of his childhood home.
Making time for personal prayer in the busyness of World Youth Day and in the indirect presence of the saints and directly in God’s presence when the Blessed Sacrament was exposed was so restorative and invigorating. The moments of prayer and the friends I made along the way made WYD so special and meaningful, an experience of a lifetime.
World Youth Day was a wonderful experience. It was wonderful to experience the beautiful country and culture but the also the religious opportunities of the pilgrimage. There were so many beautiful churches in Fatima, Nazare, and Lisbon that I had visited and prayed in. The fact that we were in the same area to see as Pope Francis was an experience in itself! Even now when I listen to the official theme song for WYD 2023, it brings me back to Portugal and the main events that we attended.
Fatima was such a beautiful city. We were able to attend the evening vigil both nights we were there. We were able to pray with other pilgrims from around the world. It was such a sight to see flags from the different countries and the candles we held to pray for the intentions in our hearts. I also found visiting the village of the shepherd children and the apparition site of Mary to be a highlight of the pilgrimage. Having the experience to see how and where the children lived back then was such a blessing.
After Fatima, we headed to World Youth Day in Lisbon. We first attended the Opening Mass. To be surrounded by all of the people from different countries was a little overwhelming but a great experience. The music throughout the week in different languages in addition to English, helped me centre myself in prayer.
Out of the entire pilgrimage, seeing the Pope was the best part. It was a little overwhelming to be that close to him and yet so far. Overall, it was a really powerful experience and I look forward to going to the next one in Korea 2027.
Sometimes life has a way of showing how our preconceived ideas are not accurate at all. I never expected to change my mind about the Catholic Church and to see Portugal the way I experienced it leading up to and during World Youth Day.
I was invited to attend World Youth Day by my brother Carlos Mauricio. To get to World Youth Day, we had to begin fundraising, which started the Tiny Saints keychain sales. With time, selling these Tiny Saints became my obsession to sell them. However, some of my preconceived ideas were wrong, children weren't always attracted to the shape and cuteness. What surprised me was how others would share with me the stories of the saints, and what they are know for. As I continued to fundraise, I discovered how altruist and generous individuals could be. Strangers supported me in ways I never thought was expected. These unexpected moments of generosity helped me get to Portugal.
The pilgrimage itself
Thanks to my brother and others, we arrived safely in Lisbon. Our first destination was Fatima. In Fatima we spent time in prayer went to Mass. After Mass, I had a rosary blessed for a friend who helped me get to World Youth Day. These gestures of faith allowed my friend to receive a bit of the faith experience I received.
I am really grateful for the group of pilgrims I travelled with. They are the most empathetic, patient and nicest people I have met in my life. The friendships I made with the other pilgrims will last a lifetime.
A highlight from me was listening to Pope Francis. Listening to him, I could tell he spoke from his heart. He is a man that wants the best for us Catholic. The journey leading to World Youth Day and the pilgrimage it self reminded me of something Pope Francis said. Not everything is easy in life, but small sacrifices along the way helped me experience and reach out to God while in Lisbon.
The anticipation of a pilgrimage holds feelings of both excitement and worry. Travel is one thing, but a pilgrimage forces you to be open to the graces and plans only God knows. Lisbon was not my first World Youth Day; I also attended Krakow in 2016. As I look back and experience a second World Youth Day, I have seen so many Holy Spirit moments in the past seven years because of the encounters I had at World Youth Day. The opportunity to grow personally and spiritually turns up at every stage of planning and attending a World Youth Day. From packing to the arrival home, growth is experienced. At each turn, God is there reminding me of who He is and nudging me of what needs to be discerned.
When I arrived in Portugal, I had encounter after encounter of prayer and opportunity to sit with God and listen to what has been stirring inside of me. The theme for World Youth Day 2023 was “Mary arose and went with haste.” Over the last year, I have prayed with this line of scripture and reminded myself of what Mary had to fulfill. This time of preparation allowed me to go with haste, take risks, make changes, and lean on the people in my circle a lot more than before. Although I could make time for God at home, something profound happens during World Youth Day. It may be the fact there are over a million other young people gathered, or religious men and women witnessing their faith every where you turn, or being in the presence of sacred relics of holy men and women who have lived a life of holiness; it is hard to say. The atmosphere of World Youth Day has a sense of belonging, renewal and hope.
As I leave the “young adult” demographic, I can attest, that the Church is alive and well and World Youth Day confirms this. It astonished me, the silence a large gathering of young people can bring. At each of the Papal Events, people were singing, talking, celebrating, but when it was time for Mass or prayer, silence enveloped the entire crowd. Being involved in the local Church here in Hamilton, I sometimes forget the powerful impact the Catholic Church has on the world and the individual person. Attending World Youth Day validates within myself that the Church is alive and there is something powerful happening. At the commissioning Mass, Pope Francis left us with three tasks. Young people are to “shine brightly, listen and not to be afraid”. Pope Francis reminds me, that regardless of what God has planned for me, I need to shine, listen to those around me, and not be afraid. Although World Youth Day has come and gone, I know the Holy Spirit will be guiding me to experience the plans He has laid out for me.
