Pilgrims, family members and the faithful gathered at St. James the Less Catholic Church, Perris on Saturday July 22, for a special sendoff Mass intended to bless those about to journey to Lisbon, Portugal to attend World Youth Day (WYD).
“Today we are excited to celebrate the sending off of these young people who are going to the World Youth Day, representing us and being a part of that beautiful moment with hundreds of thousands of other young people from around the world and the pope,” Bishop Alberto Rojas said.
WYD is a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated about every three years in a different country. It is a unique way for young Catholics to deepen their faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, together with hundreds of thousands of other young people.
The Mass began with the pilgrims processing in, followed by their families, Knights of Columbus, then Bishop Rojas.
“That’s a beautiful thing and a beautiful experience that we hope that all of you who are going will enjoy and also learn from the moment for your own spiritual life and for the future of the Church and the world as well,” said Bishop Rojas, who will join the diocesan pilgrims in Portugal for a portion of the event.
Near the end of the Mass, those in attendance watched a video message from Pope Francis saying that he would be present with the pilgrims during WYD. Then, they invited a few pilgrims to speak before the congregation.
“World Youth Day should therefore prepare all of us to accept the gift of the love of God by which we are transformed, and we are saved,” WYD pilgrim, Jocelyn said. “The world anxiously awaits our witness of love, a witness born from a personal conviction, and a sincere act of love and faith in the risen Christ, this is what is meant by experiencing love and believing in it. So even if you are not going to World Youth Day, lets arise with hast and serve Christ through every human we come across as they hold Christ in their hearts.”
At the altar sat a relic of Blessed Carlo Acutis, a Catholic Italian teenager who died of leukemia in 2006 at the age of 15. He was a gamer and computer programmer who loved soccer and the Eucharist, with a particular devotion to Eucharistic miracles. The Blessed Carlo Relic had been touring the Diocese of San Bernardino in honor of the National Eucharistic Revival; however, he has also proven to be a symbol for the Catholic youth.
To conclude the Mass, Bishop Rojas gave the pilgrims a special blessing and took the Blessed Carlo Relic in his hands and used it to complete the prayer with the sign of the cross over the pilgrims.
“May the God of travelers bless you on your journey,” Bishop Rojas said. “May you be guided and protected in your travel on the road, on your flight, by air and your crossing of seas.”
The 20 pilgrims then departed for Portugal on Tuesday July 25 and arrived on Wednesday July 26. They will spend their first week in the Diocese of Lamego, one of the oldest and most emblematic dioceses in Portugal. Their time in Lamego, called “Days in the Dioceses” will be spent getting better acquainted with the host region and encountering and exchanging an array of cultural and religious wealth.
Then from August 1- 6, the pilgrims will travel to Lisbon, Portugal, the location of WYD. During that week, Pope Francis will meet with Catholic university students, preside over a prayer vigil, lead the prayer of the Rosary at the Chapel of the Apparitions, accompanied by young individuals who are ill at the Shrine of Fátima and conclude with a Solemn Mass for WYD at “Campo da Graça” (Parque Tejo) on August 6th.
Elena Macias is the Managing Editor of the Inland Catholic BYTE.