The Shalom Catholic Community held the first of four catecheses at WYD Lisbon 2023, this Wednesday morning (2), at São Pedro do Prior Velho Church. With the theme “Mary arose and went with haste“, 1.500 young Portuguese-speakers gathered for today’s meeting, given by the community’s missionary of life Sândalo Júnior.
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The “Rise Up” meetings, the name given to the catechesis in this edition of WYD, take place in the mornings until August 4. The talks take place in churches near the pilgrims’ host locations, available in 30 languages. The content of the training revolves around the visitation passage, addressing themes such as total ecology, social friendship and mercy.
Being like Mary
For Sândalo Junior, a consecrated member of the Shalom Life Community, who was one of those responsible for the catechesis of the day, it is necessary to live the Gospel to imitate the Virgin Mary. “We talked about the young person who is in a hurry to communicate with the cell phone, while not hurrying to the will of God, as Our Lady did,” he says.
Within the meetings, it is possible to have a return experience with the formations. Sândalo comments that participating and presenting “Rise Up” was motivated by Our Lady’s “yes” to be the mother of Jesus. “It was an experience of trust. If God is asking me, I will trust that He will give me this grace too,” he says.
The catecheses take place at 9am and end at 12pm, with Holy Mass. After the meetings, the pilgrims are free for the program in the other spaces of WYD Lisbon, including the Halleluya Festival, in Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques.
Service
Halleluya Lisboa
When: August 1st to 4th, 2pm to 11pm
Where: Alameda Dom Afonso Henriques, Lisbon – Portugal
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