Loyola Academy Theology Teacher Reflects on World Youth Day

World Youth Day (WYD) is a worldwide encounter with the Pope which is typically celebrated in a different country every three years. In 2016, WYD was celebrated in Krakow, Poland. The most recent WYD was held in Panama City, Panama, in January, and was attended by Loyola Academy Theology Teacher Mr. Samuel Carlson.
Below, Mr. Carlson reflects on his pilgrimage to Panama where he stayed with a host family and engaged with other young adults from around the globe.
 
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World Youth Day comes around every 2 or 3 years and is hosted at a different country. This year’s theme was a Marian theme: “He Aqui la sierva del senor; hagase mi segun tu palabra” or “Here I am, the servant of the Lord; speak your word in me and let your will be done.”
 
This theme is meant to emphasize the “yes” of Mary and help us focus on servant leadership. Since returning, I have been reflecting on how to apply the lessons of this week to the Jesuit-Catholic experience here at Loyola Academy and below are some of my thoughts:
 
The Kingdom of God is Global
When I asked our gracious guide, Carmen, what she had learned from World Youth Day, she said: “My experience is that no matter where you come from, it does not matter language, race or culture. What matters is that I saw the love of God through all of you.”
 
The fact that I had already planned to begin this list with the universal nature of the Gospel teaches us that the Good News of Jesus transcends language and culture while being simultaneously communicated through them both. Throughout the week, each moment was saturated with the experience of being surrounded by the diversity of the entire world, each proclaiming in harmonious unity the love and the joy of the one Catholic faith!
 
Faith is an Incarnational experience
So much of my experience in Panama made us intimately aware of our bodies. Certainly walking 30 minutes each way to my Catechesis class every morning helped me realize both the power and the limitations of being a person with a body (my ankles are still in pain). However, what was truly inspirational was the bodily experience of worshipping God throughout the week. At the Youth Festival, so many of the musical performances involved music which tapped into a raw human energy which brings to life the body of the human person. Whether it was Las Siervas, Fr. Rob Galea or others, the worship of God through song was a bodily experience that is rarely found in the U.S.
 
How do we enliven our worship of God to not only be a phenomenon of the spirit, but also of the body?
 
Freedom is the Beginning of Piety
Throughout the week, I noticed an incredible devotion and piety among the youth and young adults present which was truly inspirational. During the vigil, whether during Eucharistic Adoration, the Rosary or other forms of prayer, people assumed various postures of prayer— some knelt, others stood, some sat up, a few even lied down. The freedom to approach Christ in whatever manner one saw fit allowed for a more authentic piety that reflected each individual’s relationship with God.
 
Often times, especially when working with youth, adults try to enforce religious devotion and piety. This is often well meaning, but it seems that a forced religiosity might in fact hinder the relationship with God that enlivens such piety. Allowing more freedom among the youth in worship might allow them to develop their own relationship with Christ.


Now that I have returned, I look forward to continuing this mission at Loyola Academy to ultimately bringing our young people closer to Christ through encounter, prayer and service.
 
God Bless,
Samuel Carlson

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Timeline of Word Youth Day 2019

Tuesday, January 22
  • Official welcome for pilgrims
  • Opening ceremonies and Holy Mass. Click here to read the Opening Mass Homily by Mons. Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, OSA
  • Evening show, music, prayer and reconciliation
 
Wednesday, January 23
  • Catechetical sessions with Bishops
  • Evening show, music, prayer and reconciliation
 
Thursday, January 24
  • Catechetical sessions with Bishops
  • Arrival of the Pope and welcome address. Click here to read the opening address of His Holiness Pope Francis.
  • Evening show, music, prayer and reconciliation
 
Friday January 25
  • Catechetical sessions with Bishops
  • Evening show, music, prayer and reconciliation
  • Stations of the Cross
 
Saturday, January 26
  • Walking pilgrimage to vigil site
  • Evening show, music, prayer and reconciliation
  • Evening vigil with the Pope
 
Sunday, January 27
  • Closing ceremonies
  • Morning prayers
  • Holy Mass celebrated by the Pope. Click here to read the Homily of Pope Francis at the concluding Mass.
  • Announcement of the next host diocese—Lisbon, Portugal! 

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