Encounter, Accompany, Send: The Role of the World Youth Day Pilgrimage Leader
Coordinating a stateside gathering for World Youth Day can be daunting. With all the logistics to worry about and the responsibility of spiritually accompanying young disciples, WYD can fill you with anxiety. Yet, thousands of people continually step forward and take on the mantle of the pilgrimage leader, both those internationally-bound and at-home in their native countries, in communion with the bishops and the Holy Father.
Co-Workers in the Lord’ s Vineyard
“ The Lord does not keep his distance, but is near and real. He is in our midst and he takes care of us …” 8
Pope Francis preached these words at the Shrine of Czestochowa at WYD 2016. He reminded the young people that Jesus Christ comes to encounter us in real and personal ways. He accompanies us, and sends us on mission to do the same in the lives of others. Jesus Christ is in our midst, encountering, accompanying, and sending. But the choice to engage in the encounter, to be accompanied, and to be sent is ours. It is never forced; it is a free choice in response to an invitation from Jesus Christ.
The invitation from Jesus Christ comes in many ways. The ministry of a stateside pilgrimage leader is invaluable for assisting that invitation.
Stateside leaders serve WYD pilgrims in a unique and privileged way, by helping open the door to Jesus Christ through the experience. God has called many ministry leaders to the important service of being coworkers in his vineyard. The stateside leader, then, is engaged in the evangelizing work of the Holy Spirit in and through the Church that sends the baptized on mission to encounter, accompany, and send others. Facilitating a deeper encounter with Jesus Christ and his Church, and sending missionary disciples forth into the world, is the goal of any Catholic pastoral leader.
ENCOUNTER There are a variety of encounters that take place in a WYD pilgrimage, stateside or otherwise: with Jesus, with the Church, with other pilgrims, and with anyone who is
8 Pope Francis, Homily for Mass on the Occasion of XXXI World Youth Day, Kraków, July 28, 2016, 5.
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