WYD Krakow 2016: sowing seeds of faith, hope, charity

(Vatican Radio) World Youth Day celebrations are underway in Krakow, with pilgrims continuing to gather in the ancient Polish city. They are participating in some of the hundreds of catechetical, spiritual, and formative programmes being offered in different languages all throughout the city in the days ahead of the culminating prayer vigil and World Youth Day Mass on Sunday.

One of the lead catechists for the English-speaking pilgrims is Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Ct.

Vatican Radio’s special envoy in Krakow, Lydia O’Kane, asked Bishop Caggiano about his hopes for the experience over the long term. “In many ways, World Youth Day plants a seed in the hearts of all, who attend,” he said. “That is a precious gift,” continued Bishop Caggiano. “That seed is meant to grow: that seed is meant to strengthen their faith, their hope, and their desire to love.”

Click below to hear our extended conversation with Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Ct.

Young people, however, are not the only ones receiving the seeds sown at World Youth Day.

Bishop Caggiano went on to say that his own experience of World Youth Day has borne this out. “I feel enormously blessed to have participated in the last three [World Youth Days], and now this one in Krakow: because, quite frankly – I think I could speak for all priests, religious, and bishops – we all have the same experience – we leave far more blessed, and far more encouraged, and far more hopeful for the Church at the end of [WYD], than – perhaps – when we arrived.”