World Youth Day 2019-Panama

World Youth Day in Panama will be held from January 22 to 27, 2019. The theme for the 34th World Youth Day comes from the Gospel according to St Luke.

“I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” (Lk 1:38)

What’s the happs at WYD Panama?

Youth Festival

The Youth Festival is part of the programme of activities that will take place during World Youth Day (WYD) Panama 2019. Its purpose is to bring young people from around the world together through the sharing of their artistic and religious talents, as well as through faith and life experiences. There will be many events, including music, theatre, dance, exhibits, gatherings, and much more. The Youth Festival will begin before the Main WYD events, on Monday January 22, 2019, and will continue until Sunday, January 27, after the Final Mass. There will be events on various stages and at various locations throughout Panama City during the afternoons and evenings.

Vocations Fair

It’s a WYD event, where the youth will have the opportunity to deepen their vocational discernment through workshops, stands, moments of prayer, games, vocational orientation encounters, conversation and interaction. It shall take place during WYD in Panama on 22 to 25 January, 2019.

Renew Me

It is a joyful and liberating experience which pilgrims will live when they go through each one of the steps which have been prepared for their encounter with Jesus Christ, through the sacrament of Mercy during WYD 2019. “Renew Me” is rooted in Ezekiel 36:26 “I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you” and also in Luke 1:49 “The Mighty One has done great things for me”.

“Renew Me” will be located in Omar Park, on the path to the tennis courts. You should take advantage of this specially prepared path.

Draw near

The heartfelt and warm welcoming by brothers and sisters in Christ, a gesture which reminds us of the joy of God the Father who sees his child drawing near on the way home. Some volunteers will be available to interpret sign language. There will be a description of each step in the path until the end where we have the opportunity to make a promise to care for God’s creation.

Review:

The Marian Grotto, a place for making an examination of conscience with the Mother of God and, in her presence, peacefully examining our life, and particularly our shortcomings, and opening ourselves to conversion, without forgetting that the Lord has done wonderous things in each of our lives with the best yet to come. We will provide audio and video guides for you at this moment.

Open:

The entrance to the confessionals. Priests and bishops will be there as instruments of God to pour out mercy to the open and well-disposed heart. Confessions will be heard in the official WYD languages from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. There will be volunteers to assist those with special needs.

Rejoice and Promise:

The celebration of joy and commitment to the creation of God. Here pilgrims will receive mementos of their visit and will leave a written promise to do something concrete to care for our common home as a fruit of your experience during “Renew Me”. There will be volunteers to guide you to the Adoration Chapel, if you desire to visit it.

The Virgin Mary accompanies each priest who hears confessions and each penitent who humbly asks for forgiveness. Her presence permits us to enter into the realm of God, who did great things in her and pours out his mercy from generation to generation (cf. Luke 1:48-50), which reaches us also through the Sacrament of Reconciliation.

Official website to find out more information: https://panama2019.pa/en/home/

New Zealand Pilgrims:

There is a national pilgrimage with 20-25 young people from all over Aotearoa New Zealand who will be making the pilgrimage to Panama early next year. Accompanied by Bishop Charles Drennan and Fr Alister Castillo, the young people are now in the process of preparing for this pilgrimage. Please do keep all those attending WYD in Panama in your prayers over the next few months.

New Zealand pilgrims will depart from Auckland on Thursday 17 January and will return on Saturday, 2 February. The cost of the pilgrimage is approx $8000 NZD that includes:

Flights
WYD Package
Days in Diocese contribution to host diocese
Coach transport and accommodation
Other associated costs (eg cost of prep materials)

For more details, check out the WYD Panama New Zealand website (http://worldyouthday.nz/). If you are keen on going, there may be one or two spots that have become available on the pilgrimage. Please contact Rochelle (rochelled@cda.org.nz) if you are keen to know more. Below is a photo of the pilgrims from Auckland with Juan who is from Panama and was sharing about his homeland!