World Youth Day 2016 in Poland

“Blessed are the merciful for they will receive mercy” is the theme of the 31^st World Youth Day. “Read the Beatitudes, they will do you a lot of good,” Pope Francis had said to the youth in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, and it was precisely along these lines of the beatitudes that the participants of the WYD are preparing for the event, as part of the Jubilee of Mercy, in a land which – through Sr. Faustina and John Paul II – is strongly linked to the devotion to the Divine Mercy.

Among the main events are the Opening Mass (26.07), Welcome Ceremony with the first meeting with the Holy Father (28.07), Stations of the Cross of the World Youth (29.07), to then get to the heart of the WYD: the Wake with the Holy Father (30.07) and Closing Mass (31.07). The programme will be enriched with the catechism sessions in various languages and the Youth Festival, with four spiritual soirees to be matched with artistic-cultural expressions.

Also the youth of the Focolare Movement are giving a hand in the WYD preparations, particularly with an event to be held in the context of a Festival in Kracow on 27 July 2016, Sports Club Plaszowianka ul. Stroza-Rybna 19 (tram stop 50, 20, 11).

The evening, according to Magda, one of the organizers, will be composed of two parts: “The first will start at 4 pm, with the integration that will help us to know each other better, with dances and game from all over the world. From 8 pm the wake will help us deepen the theme of the works of mercy through experiences, songs, choreographies and writings of Chiara Lubich. All will end with the adoration of the Eucharist.» Magda further explains: «The wake will be enlivened by the international Gen Rosso band – and we want it to be a moment of deep union with God and among us. We want this programme to be a moment of encounter, to overcome all the differences that may divide us.”

The organizers continued by saying that the youth of the Focolare will also manage a stand in the Vocational Centre (to be open all week at the Kracow Stadium), which will exhibit all the various initiatives of the ecclesial panorama, to help the youth ponder “what does God expect of me?”

“The WYD 2016 is quickly nearing!» Magda wrote, «And we also met last 30 April to 3 May in Kracow, to set out the programme of the Youth Festival. In this meeting we prayed to the Holy Spirit to guide us. We are looking forward to the next step in the Fiore Mariapolis (the Polish town of the Focolare) on 11/12 June, on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of our town. Please support us with your prayers!». Magda also invited all the youth saying: «If you intend to come to Kracow for the WYD and wish to give us a hand, you are most welcome! We shall await your proposals sent to the address: krakow2016@focolare.org. Let us allow the network of Mercy to enfold us all!”

Those who wish to go deeper into the WYD experience in the light of the Focolare spirituality will be able to do so by participating in the “post WYD school” in Slovakia (Jasná – Demänovská Dolina) with 550 youths coming from all over the world, among which will also be a group of 50 Orthodox youth.

Maria Chiara De Lorenzo