28th World Youth Day 2013

Go  and  make  disciples  of  all  nations!  [Mt 28:19]

SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATION IN THE PHILIPPINES With the exhortation from His Eminence, Stanislaw Cardinal Rylko, DD, President of the Pontifical Council of the Laity, the Episcopal Commission on Youth of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines invited youth ministers in its network of 86 diocesan youth ministries and in the Federation of National Youth Organizations (FNYO) to hold local celebrations of the World Youth Day 2013, simultaneous to the event with the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. I. YOUTH MINISTRIES WHICH REPORTED The following youth ministry offices sent reports about their WYD2013 local celebration: Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro

Immaculate Conception Parish Youth Apostolate

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 2 of 10

St. John Marie Vianney Youth Apostolate

Archdiocese of Cotabato (Archdiocesan Pastoral Team of Cotabato)

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 3 of 10

Archdiocese of Jaro (Jaro Archdiocesan Youth Commission)

Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan (Archdiocesan Youth Council)

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 4 of 10

Diocese of Bacolod (Diocesan Commission on Youth)

Diocese of Butuan

St. Michael the Archangel Parish Youth Council

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 5 of 10

St. Vincent Ferrer Parish Youth Ministry

Apostolic Vicariate of Tabuk (Commission on Youth)

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 6 of 10

And the joint efforts of the Regional Youth Coordinating Councils of the National Capital Region (10 dioceses), Military Ordinariate and Federation of National Youth Organizations

Thus, there were simultaneous celebrations in parish, diocesan and inter-regional levels. The celebrations were held within the weekend of 27-28 July 2013, with sessions that lasted from five (5) hours to overnight affairs. In general, venues were parish churches and halls. Three were held in Catholic schools, i.e. De Paul College, Notre Dame of Salaman College and Don Bosco Technical Institute.

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 7 of 10

II. WHAT THE CELEBRATIONS ACHIEVED The CBCP-ECY proposed a set of objectives to the organizers for this celebration; the organizers themselves have come up with their own objectives aside those. The following, in general, were the objectives, both from the ECY and from the reports:

• Become a youth gathering relevant to the ongoing Year of Faith

• Gather young people for a festive experience of solidarity with their fellow youth from around the world in Rio

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 8 of 10

• Simulate for the young people significant elements of the WYD, such as catechesis, fellowship and prayer

• Provide an inspiring experience of being challenged by their friendship with Christ and the message of the Holy Father

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 9 of 10

• Have a deeper understanding of God’s call to discipleship and mission

• Make the young people feel that their presence is appreciated and given importance in today’s generation

Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines – Episcopal Commission on Youth SIMULTANEOUS CELEBRATIONS OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2013 IN THE PHILIPPINES

Page 10 of 10

• Empower the young people to become responsible agents of new evangelization

All of the organizers have met the objectives mentioned above. III. SUCCEEDING STEPS IN THE MINISTRY Most of them have resolved to organize a local celebration of the next WYD. Some decided to review their program, and will probably do revisions should they do this local celebration again. The organizers have also come up with the following succeeding steps:

• The Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan decided that its entire youth ministry program will center on discipleship. This will culminate on April 2014 through its four-day Archdiocesan Youth Day celebration with the same theme as WYD.

• The Diocese of Bacolod will reverberate the missionary calling by way of WYD elements and components and the faith-experience of the young people in its Diocesan Youth Gathering this year.

• The St. John Marie Vianney Sub-Parish of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro will invite more youth and will co-organize future with other ministries in the parish.

• The Federation of National Youth Organizations will plan the local celebration for the next WYD earlier and organize this event as a region.

Prepared by the

Secretariat of the CBCP-Episcopal Commission

on Youth