World Youth Day USA Guides International Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 38

6. Be open to the Holy Spirit,

prompting organizers to move those
concluding events to Copacabana Beach.

wherever he may be leading you.

Pilgrim groups needed to adapt to the change
The World Youth Day experience has many

in their walking routes on Saturday and Sunday

“unexpected” moments – from life-changing

and to the inadequate number of toilet facilities

ones to minor frustrations and surprises.

at the new site. Yet, in the end, the event was

Pilgrimage leaders should anticipate these

incredibly memorable, the setting ideal, and the

unexpected events and help pilgrims learn to

pilgrims largely satisfied with the venue,

adapt to sudden changes to the itinerary. Some

especially among those whose leaders fostered a

of the most memorable moments, both positive

culture of adaptation and openness to change.

and negative, cited by past World Youth Day

While such drastic changes in the main

participants have included surprise occasions

schedule are rare, it is helpful for groups to

that were not planned or scripted.

consider all the possibilities when on an
international pilgrimage. Such adaptability

This awareness does not mean abandoning

would not be possible without supportive

careful or strategic planning on the part of

teams and prayerful preparation, realizing that

leaders or pilgrims; however, it is important to

God is ultimately in charge.

remember that adaptability can be one of the
key values learned in the preparation process.

Unexpected moments can also include chance

On a theological level, the surprises and

encounters with other pilgrims, with catechists

sometimes “messiness” of the World Youth

and confessors, with strangers on the way and

Day experience are helpful as we lean on the

local residents of the host nation, and most

Holy Spirit to bring some sense of meaning

importantly, with Christ. Consider walking

and order to the challenges and even seeming

pilgrims through a parable like the Good

“chaos” that leaders and pilgrims encounter.

Samaritan (Lk 10:29-37) – as the passers-by on
the road to Jericho unexpectedly encounter a

These unexpected moments may mean a

beaten man along their way. Or the account of

change in the location or timing of central

the Final Judgment (Mt 25:31-46) when the

events. At World Youth Day in 2013, the heavy

righteous people cry out to God, “Lord, when

rainstorms in Rio de Janeiro during the week’s

did we see you hungry and feed you, and thirsty

events caused flooding and safety concerns at

and give you drink? When did we see yo R