Come to World Youth Day with Caritas!

Caritas president, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga at a previous World Youth Day in Australia. Credit: James Alcock

Caritas president, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga with young people at a previous World Youth Day in Australia. Credit: James Alcock

Greetings of hope to all Caritas friends from all over the world!

We are living a time of hope and good news. One of them is that World Youth Day will take place in the beautiful city of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from 23rd to 28th July.

We from Caritas Brazil want to meet and get to know other Caritas youth from around the world and from our own region. With that in mind, we will hold an International Meeting for the youth of Caritas on 1415 July in the in the State of Minas Gerais. After that, the Missionary Week (prior to World Youth Day) will take place in several dioceses from 16th to 23rd July. The youth are invited to take part in both events to then travel to Rio de Janeiro on World Youth Day.

Steps / Actions

1 – Each country is welcome to send two young people to join in a Caritas official delegation.

2 – The International Youth Meeting will take place on 1415July, in preparation for the Missionary Week to be held in the dioceses. The young pilgrims – Caritas delegates from various countries – will be invited to tell about their experiences with Caritas in their respective countries whilst debating an array of themes, such as youth engagement, poverty, hunger and food security, and care of the Creation.

3 – The youth will then be sent to dioceses throughout Minas Gerais for the Missionary Week (pre-World Youth Day) on 16-22 July.

4 – After the Missionary Week, they will proceed to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day scheduled from 23rd to 28th July 2013. The WYD programme encompasses an opening and welcome celebration with the Pope, the Stations of the Cross, a vigil, a closing Mass presided by the Pope, catechetical meetings in various languages, cultural performances and great sightseeing throughout the city.

5 – All youth must sign up for WYD to get the package that covers accommodation, meals and transportation since we cannot provide for housing in Rio de Janeiro. We will be hosted by people recommended by the WYD organisational committee.

6 – On the first day of WYD Caritas will hold a world march against hunger, violence and poverty together with several Catholic youth ministries and other partners.

7 – Additional activities will take place at the Tent of the Mártires de la Caminada (Martyrs of the Journey), where Caritas will hold vigils, conversation circles and celebrations by language groups so as to meet language and culture requirements, including a farewell party to the youth delegation of Caritas.

8 – Post World Youth Day activities envisage the publication of a magazine and a video with an account of the experiences in three languages: Portuguese, English and Spanish.

9 – Board and lodging for the youth of Caritas will be financed by Caritas Brazil during the International Youth Meeting thanks to the funds generously provided by Caritas Spain.

We will be delighted to welcome youth from all over the world to this pivotal event. Please feel free to get in touch about your participation by writing to Alessandra Miranda at alessandramiranda@caritas.org.br. Send any questions, doubts and clarification requests in English, Portuguese or Spanish and we’ll be happy to assist you.

Fraternal greetings from Brazil,

Alessandra Miranda, Advisor Caritas Brazil

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