A large group of Legionaries participated in World Youth Day 2023, accompanying more than 4,000 Regnum Christi youth who attended one of the most massive gatherings of the Catholic Church.
As reported by the Regnum Christi website, 4,271 young people from around the world chose their proposal to participate in World Youth Day, Lisbon 2023. The country that contributed the most young people was Spain with 2,148, followed by Mexico with 827 and the United States with 251. In total, there was participation from 17 countries distributed as follows:
- Germany: 202
- Argentina: 103
- Brazil: 32
- Chile: 204
- Colombia: 101
- Costa Rica: 13
- U.S.A.: 251
- El Salvador: 37
- Slovakia: 16
- Spain: 2,148
- Philippines: 25
- France: 43
- Guatemala: 39
- Hungary: 13
- Italy: 171
- Mexico: 827
- Poland: 8
- Venezuela: 38
Heaven Spoiler
The gathering and all of Regnum Christi’s presence during WYD was linked to a central idea: Heaven Spoiler. This is a way of expressing the mission of Regnum Christi that was launched on the occasion of WYD at an international level, and which 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!
The Legionaries of Christ at WYD
As members of the Regnum Christi Federation, the Legionaries of Christ had a broad and prominent participation with Eucharistic celebrations, confessions, pastoral direction and accompaniment to the thousands of young people who were present in Lisbon, not only from Regnum Christi, but from many other spiritual realities, who found joy and warmth in the Legionaries.
As expressed in the Constitutions of the Congregation, the Legionaries have as their purpose “to give glory to God and seek that Christ may reign in the life of its members, in the hearts of men and in society” (Cf. Constitutions, 2), and what better space and moment than a WYD where young people, the future of the Church, gather to remember Christ’s presence in each person’s life.
The Regnum Christi Communications office has prepared videos that summarize what the Lisbon 2023 experience was like as a Heaven Spoiler.
Complete video
Summary video:
Images taken from Instagram: @legionariosdecristo
