World Youth Day USA Guides Stateside Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 19

happening, then it is very difficult for the

young people to witness the unity of the

leader to be able to assist someone else. Pope

Church in the midst of its diversity.

Francis in his 2015 World Youth Day
Message gave a few ways to renew this

Who has not been moved by the scene of

encounter daily: through participation in the

hundreds of thousands of young people from

Sacraments, particularly Eucharist and

all over the world together with the Holy

Reconciliation, reading Sacred Scripture,

Father in silent adoration before the Blessed

personal prayer, and serving those in need,

Sacrament? All ministry leaders need to be

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particularly the poor. Ministry leaders are

prepared and help prepare pilgrims for this

encouraged to tend their relationship with

encounter with the Church. The preparation

Christ on a constant basis. Once they commit

can begin with the stateside pilgrimage leader

to doing this regularly, they can then invite

learning more about the variety of cultures in

their pilgrims to do the same before, during,

his/her local community. Reading, asking

and after the time of pilgrimage.

questions, and participating in Masses of
different cultural groups can assist in this

An Encounter with the Church

preparation. Learning more about the diverse

The encounter with Jesus Christ is always

spiritual lives of the people of one’s diocese is

done in and through his Church. We

critical in being able to authentically in

are a community of faith that is diverse,

celebrate and share that experience as part of

international, and multicultural. The leader

a stateside celebration.

will need to be prepared for this encounter
with the Church Universal and her chief

An Encounter with Fellow Pilgrims

shepherd, the Holy Father.

The stateside pilgrimage leader may not
physically encounter many of their pilgrims

The Pope, who is Vicar of Christ, “is the

until the day of the celebration. However, this

perpetual and visible source and foundation

does not mean that a leader cannot help

of the unity both of the bishops and of the

prepare stateside pilgrims prior to the event.

whole company of the faithful.”14 World

Opportunities for learning and reflection can

Youth Day—both internationally and

be a regular part of pre-event communications

stateside—is a very public opportunity for

as well as integrating catechesis in social media

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14

Pope Francis, Message for the 30th World Youth Day, 3.
Lumen Gentium, 32, Catechism of the Catholic Church, 882.

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