WYD LISBON 2023, Stefanie Rottler • In Lisbon there are only two directions: Up or down. Whoever wandered through the charming alleys of Lisbon from August 1 to 7, 2023, may have encountered us, a group of 150 young people from the Schoenstatt Movement from Germany, Austria and Australia. — The big international Schoenstatt festival at the chapel in Lisbon was our impressive opening event, where the Portuguese Schoenstatt family spared no expense or effort in giving us a colorful welcome to the vibrant city. From there we went to
Read More WYD Lisbon 2023, Maria Fischer • It feels like going through withdrawal. The thousands of young people are missing, the hectic pace of press releases and photos offered by the WYD Lisbon 2023 press center, the live transmissions, the work against the clock of the schoenstatt.org team to cover the experiences in Lisbon… What will the youth of this World Youth Day take with them? And what about us? What about the many critics who were not there, but “know” that there was a lack of critical press, that everything
Read More WYD Lisbon 2023, Maria Fischer • “Dear Pope Francis, why did you choose the theme “Mary arose and went with haste” for this WYD?”, a young woman asks Pope Francis in the “Pope Video” for August 2023. “Because as soon as Mary knew she was going to be the mother of God, she didn’t stay there taking a selfie or showing off. The first thing she did was to set out on a journey, in haste, to serve, to help. You too must learn from her to set out on
Read More PORTUGAL, WYD LISBON 2023, Lena Castro Valente – In an interview with Rádio Renascença, Bishop Américo Aguiar explained that for the first time in the history of World Youth Days, all the countries of the world will be represented, only the participation of a representative from the Maldives has yet to be confirmed. – Don Américo Aguiar, Auxiliary Bishop of Lisbon, who will succeed Cardinal Patriarch Manuel Clemente after World Youth Day and will be elevated to Cardinal at the Consistory on September 30, is chairman of the World Youth
Read More WYD Lisbon 2023; Lena Castro Valente • Portugal is already experiencing WYD 2023 to the full with the arrival of thousands of pilgrims and volunteers. World Youth Day requires the involvement of many different areas of society, both civil and law enforcement (police, military). It was necessary to close the land, sea and air borders (Portugal is part of the Schengen area with free movement) because the times in which we live do not allow us to believe that all those who arrive come for good. — From the Vatican,
Read More WORLD YOUTH DAY LISBON 2023, Maria Fischer • Following the invitation of Pope Francis, “Queridos Avós“, Dear Grandparents, an initiative of the Schoenstatt Family Movement in Portugal, launched the “Grandparents’ Initiative for WYD23” to create a strong prayer chain of all our grandparents and the elderly for WYD: they can join in prayer for their “grandchildren” who are working, volunteering or participating in this great upcoming world event! — The initiative of Schoenstatt Portugal has been taken up by WYD and has also been shared on the social media of
Read More PORTUGAL, Lena Castro Valente • World Youth Day, which will take place in Lisbon from 1 to 6 August, is fast approaching. There is not much time left! World Youth Day is always preceded by international meetings of Schoenstatt youth. In Lisbon, 1400 young people are expected. It is necessary to welcome them and provide them with everything they need. For this purpose, different activities will take place in the Shrine of Lisbon (Cenacle of the Family of the Father) to experience family moments and to collect donations to cover
Read More PORTUGAL, Lena Castro Valente • At the beginning of 2022, an article of mine appeared on schoenstatt.org about the establishment of an Independent Commission commissioned by the Portuguese Episcopal Conference to investigate the abuse of children by priests, pastoral workers, scouts and others “in the life and work of the Church in Portugal over the last 50 years.” A year has passed and, as promised, the Independent Commission has submitted its report to the Portuguese Episcopal Conference (CEP). — On February 13 of this year, in a press conference, the
Read More WYD 2023 • With 200 days to go until World Youth Day (WYD), thousands of young volunteers, team leaders and members of WYD reference points had their first meeting of the year at the Sacred Heart Church in Lisbon, which began with a Mass presided over by Auxiliary Bishop Joaquim Mendes, of Lisbon. — The meeting brought together volunteers who are already preparing for World Youth Day (WYD), which will be held in the Portuguese capital from August 1 to 6 this year, with the theme “Mary arose and departed
Read More Portugal, Lena Castro Valente • As part of the spiritual preparation for World Youth Day 2023 in Lisbon, the Pilgrim Mother Campaign of the Patriarchate of Lisbon has been visiting all the parishes of the Patriarchate with the Auxiliary since May 22, 2022; the theme is the renewal of the crowning of the Auxiliary as Queen of Encounter and Mother of Visitation. On November 6, it was my parish’s turn to receive this visit; the Auxiliary was passed to the parish of Paço de Arcos, also a great diocesan bastion
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