WYD: Youth discover they are not alone in the faith
(Vatican Radio) With World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro just around the corner, hundreds
of thousands of young people from around the world have begun to descend upon the
Brazilian city. Around 320,000 people have registered to take part in the week-long
celebration. Pope Francis is due to arrive in Brazil on Monday to preside over
the main events, beginning what will be his first Apostolic Journey since his election
to the papacy. Millions of young people have celebrated World Youth Day (WYD) since
it was initiated by Blessed John Paul II in 1985. For many of them it has been a life-changing
experience. “Probably the most significant moment for me was in the year 2000”
recalled Helen Wagner, one of the directors of the Emmanuel School of Mission (ESM)
in Rome, as she shared her own personal experience with Vatican Radio. That year,
WYD was held in Rome with Blessed John Paul II. “I remember looking around at the
crowds, and thinking ‘I’m not alone. I have people from all over the world who share
the same beliefs in faith with me.’” She said until that moment, she had felt
isolated in her faith. “Looking around, I couldn’t see the end of the crowds, and
for me, I thought: ‘The Church is alive, and it’s young, and I’m not alone.’” In
her work with the youth, such as students of the ESM, she has seen the impact of WYD
has had on young people over the years. “I think it really helps people to have conviction
in their own faith, and also to have the courage to proclaim that faith to others,”
she said. “When they see that there are so many young people from around the world
who also highly value the faith and the Catholic Church, and the importance of the
Pope, that it gives them courage to say: ‘Yes, I’m Catholic, and I want the world
to know about it.’” Listen to Ann Schneible’s full report: