World Youth Day 2019 USA Leader Guides Stateside Leader Guide | Page 14

While they will have distinct experiences, they
can be united as one community, seeking
closeness to God. Recovering the historical
relationship between pilgrim and community
helps focus the planning for stateside pilgrims
and put it in its proper context. The recovery
of the pilgrim/community relationship is not
only a benefit to the Church in the short term
but is essential in an age where media
consumption is hazardous if left unguided and
disconnected.
Social media envy, and its resulting isolation,
are just part of the division that can occur
between those who can and cannot attend
World Youth Day. Intentional work on the
part of dedicated pastoral ministers, in
particular those called to lead stateside World
Youth Day gatherings, can cultivate the
relationship between all young pilgrims and
their communities, and in so doing,
strengthen the Church.
This responsibility, then, rests with the
pastoral leaders of Catholic communities
across the country. They are called and asked
to intentionally draw more people into the
experience of World Youth Day – and open
wide the doors to Christ.
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