ILOILO City – The Archdiocese of Jaro and Jaro Archdiocesan Youth Commission (JAYC) were unable to send delegates for World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal slated from Aug. 1 to 6.
Reverend Father Angelo Colada, director of the Archdiocese of Jaro’s Social Communication Office, said they usually send delegates to the event, which only occurs every three years and in different countries. But this year, he said, the airfare and other expenses became more costly.
“Depende sa kalayuon kag expenses. Kung affordable ti damo eh. Kung medyo mahal, ang ma-volunteer lang or mapilian like two or three para ma-shoulder sang group ang expenses sang representatives,” Colada said.
The Archdiocese and JAYC also do fund-raising but they had limited time this year.
“This event is an opportunity for the youth to personally experience the universality of the Catholic church and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and His Church,” Colada also said, adding they hope to be able to send delegates for the next World Youth Day.
Colada added: “This is also a unique way to deepen sang ila faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, together with hundreds of thousands of other young people all over the world nga naga-share sang ila experience and life sa isa kag isa paagi sining gathering.”
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said at least 1,500 delegates from the Philippines were sent to World Youth Day 2023.
“The reliable data is with the local organizing committee in Portugal. But our estimate is between 1,500 and 2,000 pilgrims are from the Philippines,” Fr. Jade Licuanan, executive secretary of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Youth (CBCP-ECY), said in an article posted on the CBCP news website.
Of the number, about 270 are part of the CBCP-ECY delegation to the 37th World Youth Day.
The Lisbon edition of this international event was described as a “gathering of young people from all over the world with the Pope.”
This year’s World Youth Day theme is “Mary arose and went with haste” (Luke 1:39).
Asked why he chose Mary as the theme for World Youth Day, Pope Francis said: “Because as soon as Mary knew she was going to be the mother of God, she didn’t stay there taking a selfie or showing off. The first thing she did was to set out on a journey, in haste, to serve, to help. You too, have to learn from her to set out on a journey to help others.”
The Pope also highlighted the role of the youth in the Church, saying that it is not meant to cater exclusively to the elderly or the youth.
According to the Vatican, the Bishop of Rome would also take advantage of the trip to the Shrine of Fatima on Aug. 5.
The Catholic Church teaches that Mary appeared to three Portuguese children 100 years ago in what was then an impoverished farming village.
The Pope last visited the shrine in 2017, when he declared two of the children saints.
World Youth Day is close to Filipinos’ hearts since it was once held in Manila during the papacy of Pope John Paul II in 1995.
World Youth Day is celebrated every three years and hosted by different countries. However, due to the coronavirus pandemic, it was postponed in 2022. (With a report from Reuters/Rappler.com)/PN
