During the evening hours of this upcoming Wednesday, April 9, a special international meeting will be held in Rome for the delegates for the World Youth Day, organized by the Youth Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, which is the part of the Church serving most directly in the organization and preparation of the World Youth Day events.
Bishops, priests, laity, and youth from all parts of the world make up the delegations that represent close to 100 countries (dioceses, communities, and ecclesial movements), and they will be together until April 13, participating in communal prayer and fraternal time together, to reflect upon the previous World Youth Day that took place in August 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. The delegations will also discuss ideas regarding the next World Youth Day in Poland to take place in 2016.
The meeting will close on Palm Sunday with mass celebrated by Pope Francis in St. Peter’s Square, which is the day traditionally celebrated as the “Diocesan Youth Day”.
Representing the Shalom Community as delegates at the meeting will be the International Assistant Cristiano Pinheiro as well as the Apostolic Assistant Gabriella Dias.
Fr. João Wilkes Chagas, member of the Shalom Life Community, and currently the Director of the Youth Section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, will working along with the team of the dicastery to organize the event.