World Youth Day 2016's international English-language catechetical and youth festival site July 26-30.
The Sisters of Life have the great privilege of walking with women seeking perspective, peace, and reconciliation after an abortion experience. Some of the women attend special days of prayer offered by the sisters to support this journey. At the end of these days the women have the opportunity to place a rose in front of an image of Jesus, the Divine Mercy image. It is often a very powerful moment of grace, where they have a tangible way to entrust their child, and their own lives to He who is Mercy.
The National Religious Vocation Conference (NRVC), VISION Vocation Guide, and VocationNetwork.org is sponsoring the Vocations Café, an inviting, relaxed, and comfortable environment where pilgrims can meet and speak one on one with priests, brothers, and sisters about their faith, vocation discernment, hope for the future, joys, sorrows, or whatever is on their heart. Using Pope Francis’ concept of building a “culture of encounter” within our Church, the Vocations Café is intended to assist pilgrims in their prayerful discernment of their life choices and decisions by introducing them to men and women religious from various congregations and charisms who have integrated discernment as part of their vowed life.
Programme:
Tuesday, July 26
8:00 am Doors Open
8:30 am Blessing of Mercy Centre By Archbishop William E. Lori Followed by Mass for Staff and Volunteers
10:00 am - 12:00 pm AUSTRALIAN NATIONAL GATHERING
Hosted by the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference
All Australian pilgrims attending World Youth Day are invited to join the Australian Bishops for the Australian National Gathering. This gathering will feature prayer, Scripture, witness, celebration and musical performances by Fr. Rob Galea and Genevieve Bryant. Following the gathering, pilgrims are invited to meet and greet their bishops in and around the Mercy Centre grounds.
12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Krakow City of Saints Panel Reflection, Including Procession of Relics: Join George Weigel, Fr. Thomas Rosica and Mother Agnes Mary Donovan, S.V. for a panel reflection on Krakow’s most influential saints. The relics of St. Maximilian Kolbe, St Albert Chmielowski, Bl. Jerzy Popieluszko, St Faustina Kowalska and St John Paul II will be processed from the small arena to the large arena for veneration.
1:00 pm - 2:30 pm CANADIAN NATIONAL GATHERING
Hosted by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
All Canadian pilgrims attending World Youth Day are invited to join the Canadian Bishops for the Canadian National Gathering. This gathering of prayer, Scripture, witness, celebration and song will be presided by Cardinal Gérald Lacroix of Quebec City who will be joined on stage by the nine bishops from Canada taking part in World Youth Day Krakow. Following the gathering, pilgrims are invited to meet and greet their bishops in and around the Mercy Centre grounds.
Wednesday, July 27 | FREEDOM
8:00 am Doors Open
8:30 am Pre-Catechesis programming with Real Life Catholic’s Chris Stefanick
9:00 am - 12:30 pm Catechesis Session featuring a special guest cardinal (TBA); Sr. Bethany Madonna, S.V. speaks on authentic freedom and our unique call to love; Jason and Crystalina Evert share their marriage witness on the courage it takes to love authentically and the freedom and joy experienced through this selfless love. Catechesis will conclude with mass.
12:30 am - 1:30 pm School of Mercy breakout sessions (see times and locations here)
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Divine Mercy Talk & Chaplet
3:45 pm - 5:00 pm Panel Discussion on Religious Freedom featuring: Archbishop William E. Lori, George Weigel, Jacqueline Isaac, Archbishop Bashar Warda of Erbil, Iraq and a special guest Christian refugee.
5:00 pm - 6:30 pm USA NATIONAL GATHERING
Hosted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops
“Mercy from the Mountaintop”
All U.S. pilgrims attending World Youth Day are invited to join the U.S. bishops for the USA National Gathering and Prayer Experience. This gathering will feature prayer, Scripture, music, witness, and celebration – all focused on how to bring the message and the works of mercy home to the United States. Pilgrims will also be able to access the live video feed of the Holy Father’s arrival to Poland. Following the gathering, pilgrims are invited to meet and greet their bishops in and around the Mercy Centre grounds.
7:00 pm - 11:00 pm Night of Mercy Youth Festival
Featuring XLT by Life Teen with Word on Fire's Bishop Robert Barron, Life Teen's Joel Stepanek and music by Matt Maher and Audrey Assad. Festival concludes with Credo: I Believe in Mercy, a musical performance by Cenacolo Community on the outdoor stage. Join us for this special night of adoration, prayer, teaching and song.
Thursday, July 28 | SOLIDARITY
8:00 am Doors Open
8:30 am Pre-Catechesis programming with Real Life Catholic’s Chris Stefanick
9:00 am - 12:30 pm Catechesis Session featuring a special guest cardinal (TBA); Curtis Martin, founder of FOCUS, addresses the power of our solidarity as Christian disciples to affect change in today’s secular culture; Jeff and Emily Runyan give witness to the beauty of married love and how in the struggles of life, there is great joy. Catechesis will conclude with mass.
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm School of Mercy breakout sessions (see times and locations here)
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Divine Mercy Talk & Chaplet
9:30 pm - 11:00 pm Credo: I Believe in Mercy, a musical performance by Cenacolo Community on the outdoor stage.
Friday, July 29 | THE CROSS
8:00 am Doors Open
8:30 am Pre-Catechesis programming with Real Life Catholic’s Chris Stefanick
9:00 am - 12:30 pm Catechesis Session featuring a special guest cardinal (TBA); Sr. Gaudia Skass of the Congregation of the Sisters of Our Lady of Mercy reflects on encountering the love and mercy of Christ through pain and suffering; Scott and Annie Powell share how God invites us to live courageously in love and to be witnesses of his love to the world. Catechesis will conclude with mass.
12:30 pm - 1:30 pm School of Mercy breakout sessions (see times and locations here)
2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Divine Mercy Talk & Chaplet
Saturday, July 30
8:00 am Doors Open
9:00 am - 11:00 am USA NATIONAL PILGRIM MASS Hosted by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Before embarking on the walking pilgrimage to Campus Misericordiae, the site of the Evening Vigil and Closing Mass with the Holy Father, U.S. pilgrims are invited to join together in worship at the National Pilgrim Mass for all World Youth Day participants from the United States. All U.S. bishops and priests are invited to concelebrate. Following the mass, pilgrims are invited to meet and greet their bishops in and around the Mercy Centre grounds.
