After days of immersion and activities in the archdiocese of Braga, in northern Portugal, more than 200 SH pilgrims left for Lisbon to meet Pope Francis at WYD Lisbon 2023. The young people of the community were distributed by parishes and participated in programs with masses, games and pilgrimages to Shrines in the city.
As part of the experience of immersion in Portuguese culture, the parishes and families organized the meals of the pilgrims with typical dishes, such as bifanas – sandwich with spicy pork -, caldo verde and pastéis de nata. For the missionary of the community of life Juliana Camilo, the welcome of the Portuguese family was an experience with the providence of God.
“We were four nationalities in the house and our hostess practically gave the house to us, we were taken care of like daughters, from comfort to affection,” says Juliana, “I did not expect to stay in the family home, but God’s providence gave me this experience of understanding more of the Portuguese people, from what I did not need, everything was given to us.”
The experience in the Archdiocese was essential to manifest the joy and identity of the youth of Shalom. Bertrand Wadi, youth advisor, reports that the group of SH pilgrims leaves Braga in the certainty that they have left their mark on Braga.
“We left a mark in the hearts of the people through the smiles of the young people, the joy that young people showed wherever they went, carrying the cross and thus crossing the city center,” Wadi details, “We also left a very positive mark with the local church and the clergy.”
Countdown to Lisbon
The first commitment of the SH pilgrim in Lisbon is the withdrawal of the kits in the accommodation, available from the 31st. The program starts only on Tuesday (1), with the opening mass at Eduardo VII Park.
Although the presence of youth in Braga was significant, with pilgrims from Italy, Switzerland, Nazareth, Argentina, Angola, Bolivia, the United States, among others, the expectation is that this will double in Lisbon. During the WYD program, the Community will animate five catecheses and promote the Hallelluya festival, during the Youth Festival.
“We have a lot of people who go only to serve, who have sacrificed several moments of the central acts to be able to help in Hallelluya, to be able to help in the catechesis”, says Bertrand, “it has been very good the trust also that the Church has given us, trusting our young people”.
WYD Lisbon 2023 takes place from August 1 to 6, with the presence of Pope Francis from the second day of the event. In addition to the central acts, the event features catechesis, concerts, theaters and a vocation fair.
Service
Shalom at WYD 2023
Date: from August 1st to 6th
More information:
Simão/ Youth advisory services: +55 85 8114-6942
Email: jmj@comshalom.org
@juventudesh_