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WORLD YOUTH DAY

World Youth Day is a youth-oriented Roman Catholic Church event celebrated all over the world. While the event itself celebrates the Catholic faith, invitation to attend is non-denominational.

World Youth Day (or WYD, as it is commonly referred to) was initiated by Pope John Paul II in 1986. It is celebrated on a diocesan level annually and at a week-long international level every two to three years in different, hosting cities. The international level events attract hundreds of thousands of youth from almost every country on the planet. Participants gather for activities over the span of the five-day festival, ultimately leading up the most anticipated event of all: a Sunday morning mass, celebrated by the Pope himself.

The youth of St. Thomas a’Becket have had the privilege of attending the past three international World Youth Day festivals, but have decided not to attend WYD 2013.

• WYD 2013 (to be celebrated in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)
• Read Stephanie's article about why our teens will not be traveling to Brazil in 2013, but will be attending the National Catholic Youth Conference instead.
• WYD 2011 (celebrated in Madrid, Spain)
• WYD 2008 (celebrated in Sydney, Australia)
• WYD 2005 (celebrated in Cologne, Germany)

JMJ 2013 (for Journees Mondiales de la Jeunesse = World Youth Day in French,
the official international lanuage)

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