WYD Portugal

World Youth Day Bishop's Reflections

In partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' World Youth Day Office, the Catholic Apostolate Center, and bishops from across the country give you these audio reflections from the bishops that are serving those who attend Lisbon or virtually the World Youth Day experience. Please use these free materials and share with others a way to reflect and grow in faith as pilgrims on the journey of faith.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Bishop Burns of the Diocese of Dallas Texas, reflects on how he believes that World Youth Day is a gift of the Holy Spirit to the Church and provides experiences of universality for all those who attend.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Bishop Toups of the Diocese of Beaumont in Texas reflects on the Saturday Vigil for World Youth Day and emphasizes the day, and the week as a whole, as life changing experiences. World Youth Day is a time to experience the universality, the catholicity of the Church. Bishop Toups encourages all those who participate in World Youth Day to come down from these mountain top experiences with Jesus and bring him into your daily life.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Archbishop Sample of the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon reflects on the theme for World Youth Day: Mary arose and went with haste (Luke 1:39). Archbishop Sample discusses how we can model our lives after the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the Annunciation, celebrated on March 25th, Mary said yes to God and now conceived the Son of God in her womb. Naturally, Mary must have had plenty of questions. What Mary does next is to go to her cousin Elizabeth to care for her in her pregnancy and bring Christ to her. Archbishop encourages all to bring Christ to all those we encounter.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Bishop Knestout from the Diocese of Richmond, Virginia discusses the importance of prayer and discernment of the Spirit as a means of preparation for World Youth Day and encountering those on pilgrimage and on the peripheries so that we can gain a different perspective.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Archbishop Broglio of the Archdiocese of Military Services, reflects on the theme for World Youth Day: Mary arose and went with haste (Luke 1:39). Archbishop Broglio points out the need to be in haste to do the will of God, but note the words of Pope Francis who points out the need to be careful to not be hasty in one’s personal relationships and daily lives. Finally, Archbishop Broglio emphasizes the need to grow in relationship with Jesus through prayer and the Sacraments, like penance.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Archbishop Thompson of the Archdiocese of Indianapolis, reflects on the theme for World Youth Day: Mary arose and went with haste (Luke 1:39). Archbishop Thompson emphasizes the Mass and the Eucharist as the central aspects of our faith and how appropriate it is to begin the World Youth Day events with the Mass. Archbishop Thompson also promotes the first Rise Up Catechetical session, drawing from Laudato Si’ and Christus Vivit.

As part of a celebration of World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, Bishop Hanchon, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Detroit, reflects on the Tuesday themes for how World Youth Day is an opportunity for pilgrims to encounter other Christian faithful from around the world and from different cultures and as a means of growing in faith through that experience.

World Youth Day Preparatory Videos

In partnership with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops' World Youth Day Office, the Catholic Apostolate Center has developed videos talking about the importance of World Youth Day, the international Youth and Young Adult gathering in Lisbon, Portugal this year. Interviewing pastoral leaders in the United States about the impact their World Youth Day experiences in the past impacted their own and others' spiritual journeys, the Center hopes these perspectives will help people learn from the joy and excitement of the event.