By Teresa Chan
We are a group of youth from the parish in Tseung Kwan O encompassing St Andrew’s Church and St Vincent’s Chapel.
From July 24 to August 7, Father Flavien Bouame, CICM, and Sister Teresa Chan along with 13 of us went to World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal. We also went on pilgrimage to Assisi and Rome in Italy.
Our first stop was Assisi, where St. Francis and St. Clare spent their lives responding to the Lord’s calling. We were very blessed to have been hosted by the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of Assisi.
On the second day, we celebrated Mass at the Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. We also offered prayer intentions collected from our brothers and sisters at St. Andrew’s Church and St. Vincent’s Chapel. After that, we visited the tomb of Saint Francis, which is one of the most sacred places there. We wrote our own prayer intentions. We also visited the Basilica of St. Clare and were amazed by her devotion to God. Meanwhile, we also enjoyed the spectacular views of the hill town and its scenery.
On the third day, we did our meditation two by two. We were asked to freely choose the churches and chapels where we would do our meditations. Many of us chose the Papal Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, where St. Francis rebuilt the church in response to the calling of the Lord through his dream. This is also where St. Francis founded the Franciscan Order.
On our final day, we visited Santa Maria Maggiore, where the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis [1991 to 2006] are kept. Blessed Carlo is one of the newest saints of our time. We asked for his intercession for the youth in Hong Kong.
After Assisi, we took a fast train to Rome. We visited the four major papal basilicas during our three day visit: St. John Lateran, St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City, St. Paul Outside the Walls and St. Mary Major. We had miracle ice cream, which is one of Pope Francis’ favourites, at St. Mary Major. No wonder some of us could see Pope Francis close up in Lisbon!
On our first day at World Youth Day [WYD], we began by visiting Christo Rei, a magnificent statue of Christ overlooking Lisbon. The atmosphere was electric with the energy of fellow pilgrims. We couldn’t help but dance and sing beneath the towering statue, expressing our joy and admiration for Jesus. It was an unforgettable experience that filled our hearts with gratitude and excitement.
Afterwards, we made our way to the Church of São Domingos to join with the brothers of Taizé in prayer. Together, we sang songs and prayed with other pilgrims. The songs we sang still echo within our souls: “Bless the Lord my soul, and bless his holy name. Bless the Lord my soul, who leads me into life.”
The highlight of the day was undoubtedly the opening Mass of WYD 2023. We walked together to Colina do Encontro where the place was filled with colours, languages, and flags. The sight of so many pilgrims coming together for a massive mass was truly inspiring. “Since we believe in Jesus as a path to God, we walk with him to bring him to others,” said Manuel Cardinal Clemente, Patriarch of Lisbon.
On our final day, we visited Santa Maria Maggiore, where the relics of Blessed Carlo Acutis [1991 to 2006] are kept. Blessed Carlo is one of the newest saints of our time. We asked for his intercession for the youth in Hong Kong
As we walked back to our accommodation, I felt so glad that we made it all the way here. Thank you God for choosing us to follow your path.
Over the following three days, our mornings started with the “Rise Up Meetings” followed by Mass. We were so glad to have Cardinal-designate Stephen Chow Sau Yan, sj, leading us and discussing various topics including, “Integral Ecology, Social Friendship and God’s Mercy”. We took away many valuable lessons.
“Many scientists say that global warming is unchangeable, it’s impossible to save the world now. However, we still have God. We as people, need to start doing everything we can to save the world. With God’s help, everything is possible”. “God creates humans because he wants to share eternal love with us.”
We engaged in vibrant discussions and heartfelt reflections. Thank you God for your guidance.
Throughout WYD, we also participated in other events including the welcoming ceremony of Pope Francis where he told us, “The Lord has called you, not only in these days, but from the very beginning of your days.”
We ended our journey with the Evening Vigil event followed by the missioning Mass. It was a quiet evening where we gathered together in a peaceful atmosphere, preparing our hearts to adore the Blessed Sacrament. Pope Francis concluded this journey by asking us to Shine, to Listen, and to be not afraid. As Jesus is with us and he knows each one of us well, we just need to follow his path, and everything will be okay.
For some of us, it was truly a blessing to have met Pope Francis during World Youth Day in Lisbon. Thank you God for showing your love and care when we are in need. Let us repeat the phrase “Do not be afraid. Jesus knows the hearts of each one of you, the successes and the failures, he knows your hearts.”
Here, I would like to express a big “Obrigado” to all the incredible volunteers of WYD 2023 for this wonderful and amazing journey.
We truly believe that the World Youth Day journey doesn’t end here but starts here. We, young people, will continue to follow Jesus’ path and create a loving world that the world needs right now. Thank you Jesus.
