World Youth Day USA Guides Stateside Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 22

Evangelizing Service

Church to deepen this discipleship, and to

When a pilgrim experiences the witness of

follow the Gospel. Those who are baptized as

compassion and acceptance, this often leads

infants have this choice made for them.

to a desire to do the same for another person.
The mercy and healing experienced in Christ

The people participating in the stateside

strengthens both the pilgrim and the leader to

World Youth Day pilgrimage have chosen to

evangelize and serve. As the Holy Father said,

be there. Therefore, the opportunity is ripe

“Our personal experience of being

for these young men and women to deepen

accompanied and assisted, and of openness to

their lives as disciples of Christ Jesus, making

those who accompany us, will teach us to be

their personal choice to do so in response to

patient and compassionate with others, and to

their encounter with the Lord and others who

find the right way to gain their trust, their

are witnessing Christ to them.

openness and their readiness to grow.”20
Effective ministry leaders witness this
From its start, the international World Youth

discipleship in all that is said and done on the

Day has offered participants an opportunity

pilgrimage journey – from simple email

to be evangelized and to evangelize. This is no

communication and announcements prior to

different for the stateside World Youth Day

and during the event to answering the same

pilgrimages. Leaders and pilgrims embark on

question from the pilgrims for the fiftieth

the journey with the hope that they will have a

time. It is a service to the pilgrims, one that is

deeper encounter with Jesus Christ and

freely given for the sake of Christ and the call

others. Often they experience personal

to serve those he has placed before us.

transformation, reconciliation, and renewed
The experience of pilgrimage and the

life in Christ. This cannot be kept to oneself.

encounter with the pilgrims and others will
The leader and pilgrims accompanying one

also help the leader grow as a disciple. A

another are “missionary disciples”; they are

service that all can give to each other on

both followers of Christ (disciples) and sent

pilgrimage is living discipleship in a full and

by him (missionary). In baptism, we become

intense way, witnessing through word and

disciples, followers of Christ, and Christians

especially deeds the joy found in life in Christ.

accompanying one another in and through the
20

Evangelii Gaudium, 172.

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