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WORLD YOUTH DAY

World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Roman Catholic Church event celebrated all over the world. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, invitation to attend is non-denominational.

World Youth Day (or WYD, as it is commonly referred to) was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1986. It is celebrated on a diocesan level annually and at a week-long international level every two to three years in different, hosting cities. The international level events attract hundreds of thousands of youth from almost every country on the planet. Participants gather for activities over the span of the five-day festival, ultimately leading up the most anticipated event of all: a Sunday morning mass, said by the Pope himself.

The youth of St. Thomas a’Becket have had the privilege of attending the past two international World Youth Day festivals: WYD 2005 (celebrated in Cologne, Germany) and WYD 2008 (celebrated in Sydney, Australia.) We are currently planning our next pilgrimage, set to take place in August of 2011 in Madrid, Spain (with a stop in Rome on the way!).

Interested in attending WYD 2011? Registration is happening now! All those ages 16 and over are welcome. Those under the age 16 must be accompanied by an adult chaperone. For information regarding the trip, please contact Stephanie Tierney as soon as possible to discuss the details. The trip will close on December 31, 2010 - so don’t delay!