World Youth Day 2023
The Archdiocese of Hobart will be taking a group of young pilgrims to the next World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon, Portugal in 2023.
The pilgrimage was officially announced on 6 August and will be led by Archbishop Julian Porteous and Director of the Office of Youth Evangelisation, Sam Clear.
Archbishop Julian said he had been on many WYD pilgrimages and found them to be wonderful experiences of faith and joy.
“I encourage all young Catholics to consider coming to Lisbon,” Archbishop Julian said.
“It will be an experience never forgotten. You will see the face of the Church as alive, young and full of hope and energy.”
Mr Clear said the Archdiocese was looking to take a group of around 40 young pilgrims, aged 18 to 35, to World Youth Day in Lisbon taking place from 1 to 6 August next year.
The group will visit Rome and Vatican City prior to arriving in Lisbon, and following the week of WYD celebrations will spend time on retreat in Fatima, the site of Our Lady’s appearance to three shepherd children in 1917.
“The World Youth Day includes a week of catechesis and praise in both English hubs and in conjunction with the millions of pilgrims from around the world,” Mr Clear said.
“It culminates with Mass with Pope Francis. To then have the opportunity to travel to Fatima to process our journey whilst on retreat is amazing. We’ll probably need a retreat just to process the Fatima retreat!”
The 2023 WYD has a distinctly Marian flavour with the theme being, “Mary arose and left with haste” (Luke 1:38).
Mr Clear encouraged any young people interested in joining the pilgrimage to attend one of the information sessions being held in Hobart on 26 August, Ulverstone on 27 August, and Launceston on 27 August.
“The World Youth Day pilgrimage has always been the highlight for me, travelling in prayer as a group to the tombs of the Saints, to the living history of the Church,” Mr Clear said.
“To have the opportunity to travel back to Rome and the Vatican City is so exciting – I’ve only ever been once, and whilst for each person different places and moments strike deeper, I’m particularly looking forward to again visiting the Basilica of St Paul Outside the Walls; I’d never felt so close to St Paul, and so utterly confronted with what faith in Christ is.”
Archdiocese of Hobart’s WYD pilgrimage 2023
To view the full WYD 2023 pilgrimage itinerary, click here.
For more information please contact the Office of Youth Evangelisation at (03) 6208 6096