The Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi will be present at World Youth Day Lisbon 2023 with encounters and activities for everyone
Many affirm that World Youth Days were the most beautiful invention of John Paul II. It was 1984 and the Pope wanted to organize a meeting on Palm Sunday, in Rome, to celebrate the jubilee of young people on the occasion of the Holy Year of Redemption 1983-1984. 60 thousand pilgrims were expected. More than 250 thousand from many countries responded to the call, as described by the official site of WYD Lisbon 2023.
Impressed and surprised by the reception, the Pope said to the young people: «What a magnificent spectacle your assembly offers from this stage. Who claimed that today’s youth no longer has interest in values? Is it true that one can no longer count on them?» Along with his words, Pope John Paul II gave the world a symbol: A large wooden cross called the “World Youth Day Cross“
Photo: Archive
The gathering was so successful that it was decided to replicate it the following year. This is how more than 300 thousand young people went to various churches in the city to participate in moments of prayer and catechesis. In that same 1985, John Paul II writes an Apostolic Letter to young people throughout the world and announces, on December 20, the institution of World Youth Day.
What is a World Youth Day?
World Youth Day is the pilgrimage of young people and a celebration of encounter and solidarity for the new evangelization. Watch the video prepared by WYD Lisbon 2023 to learn more about its missionary and evangelizing purpose.
Message of Pope Francis for the XXXVII World Youth Day 2022 – 2023
«Mary arose and went with haste» (Lk 1,39)
Dear young people:
The theme of WYD Panama was: «Behold the handmaid of the Lord: may it be done unto me according to your word» (Lk 1,38). After that event, we resume the path toward a new destination —Lisbon 2023—, letting God’s urgent invitation to arise echo in our hearts. In 2020 we meditated on Jesus’ word: «Young man, I say to you, arise!» (Lk 7,14). Last year we were inspired by the figure of the apostle Saint Paul, to whom the Risen Lord said: «Arise! I make you a witness of the things you have seen» (cf. Acts 26,16). In the stretch that still remains before reaching Lisbon, we will walk alongside the Virgin of Nazareth who, immediately after the annunciation, «arose and went with haste» (Lk 1,39) to go help her cousin Elizabeth. The verb common to the three themes is to arise, an expression that —it is good to remember— also takes on the meaning of “to resurge”, “to awaken to life”.
Journey of World Youth Days (source: Vatican News)
Pope John Paul II
• March 23, 1986 – I WYD – Diocesan
• April 11-12, 1987 – II WYD – Buenos Aires, Argentina
• March 27, 1988 – III WYD – Diocesan
• August 15-20, 1989 – IV WYD – Santiago de Compostela, Spain
• April 8, 1990 – V WYD – Diocesan
• August 10-15, 1991 – VI WYD – Częstochowa, Poland
• April 12, 1992 – VII WYD – Diocesan
• August 10-15, 1993 – VIII WYD – Denver, USA
• March 27, 1994 – IX WYD – Diocesan
• January 10-15, 1995 – X WYD – Manila, Philippines
• March 31, 1996 – XI WYD – Diocesan
• August 19-24, 1997 – XII WYD – Paris, France
• April 5, 1998 – XIII WYD – Diocesan
• March 28, 1999 – XIV WYD – Diocesan
• August 15-20, 2000 – XV WYD – Rome
• April 8, 2001 – XVI WYD – Diocesan
• July 23-28, 2002 – WYD – Toronto, Canada
• April 13, 2003 – XVIII WYD – Diocesan
• April 4, 2004 – XIX WYD – Diocesan
Pope Benedict XVI
• August 16-21, 2005 – XX WYD – Cologne, Germany
• April 9, 2006 – WYD – Diocesan
• April 1, 2007 – XXII WYD – Diocesan
• July 15-20, 2008 – XXIII WYD – Sydney, Australia
• April 5, 2009 – XXIV WYD – Diocesan
• March 28, 2010 – WYD – Diocesan
• August 16-21, 2011 – WYD – Madrid, Spain
• April 1, 2012 – XXVII WYD – Diocesan
Pope Francis
• July 22-29, 2013 – XXVIII WYD – Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
• April 13, 2014 – XXIX WYD – Diocesan
• March 29, 2015 – XXX WYD – Diocesan
• July 26-31, 2016 – XXXI WYD – Krakow, Poland
• April 9, 2017 – XXXII WYD – Diocesan
• March 25, 2018 – XXXIII WYD – Diocesan
• January 22-27, 2019 – XXXIV WYD – Panama
The Legionaries of Christ and Regnum Christi at WYD Lisbon 2023
On August 1st, the Parque da Quinta das Conchas e dos Lilases will be the venue for the International Gathering of Regnum Christi Youth. The objective is to dedicate a morning to being together to sing, pray and share the joy of wanting to meet Jesus and having been called to make him present: to be Heaven Spoiler, that is, a spoiler of Heaven.
It is a way of expressing the mission of Regnum Christi that is launched on the occasion of WYD at an international level and that will continue after it.
Regnum Christi has a mission: it is called to make the Kingdom present. And Christ is the Kingdom in person, He is Heaven itself in person. Therefore Regnum Christi is called to make Christ present, to be a spoiler of Heaven: an experience of that Heaven here and now which is the encounter with the living Christ who comes out to meet us, reveals his love to us, gathers us, forms us and sends us to be… Heaven Spoiler!
Program of the Gathering at “Quinta das Conchas e dos Lilases”
The program for that morning of August 1st at the Parque da Quinta das Conchas e dos Lilases will be as follows:
- 8:30 -9:30: Welcome, delivery of Regnum Christi WYD Kit
- 9:45-10:45: Eucharistic Hour. Led by: Kénosis RC Spain. Blessing with the Blessed Sacrament
- 10:45-11:15: Break and snack
- 11:15 – 12:30: Concert. Kayrós. Ft: RC Music Collective
- 12:30: Farewell and departure
As a preview, two Legionaries of Christ and several Regnum Christi youth had a meeting with Pope Francis at the Santa Marta house in the Vatican. See the complete news here.
Photo: Regnum Christi Communications Office of Northern Mexico
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