World Youth Day USA Guides Stateside Pilgrimage Leaders Guide | Page 28

Hosting a Stateside World Youth Day Pilgrimage
Process and Sample Formats
The following is a process for planning a

The target age range for World Youth Day

successful stateside World Youth Day event.

internationally is from 16 to 35; however, for

It is divided into four sections:

stateside celebrations, these parameters
can fluctuate depending on the location,

(1) Setting a Vision,

leadership, and intended goals. For many

(2) Foundational Elements,

events, it makes sense to narrow the focus to

(3) Preparation Checklist, and

include a primary audience and a secondary

(4) Sample Schedules.

audience (as well as audiences that will not be
included). One example of this could be:

The USCCB Secretariat of Laity, Marriage,
Family Life and Youth is grateful to the

Primary Audience: Catholic emerging adults

Archdioceses of Chicago in Illinois and

ages 18-25 in a particular parish, diocese, city,

Washington, D.C. and the Dioceses of

or geographic region

Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, and WheelingCharleston, West Virginia, for their assistance

Secondary Audience: Catholic young adults

in the development of several of these

ages 25-35 in that area, plus those from

suggested plans. A short abbreviated guide is

neighboring parishes, dioceses, or locations

also available that outlines the planning

Audiences Not Included: Catholic youth

process in a simple “who, what, when, where,

ages 13 to 17 in high school from any area

and how” format for planners to consider.
SETTING A VISION

Note that the demographics listed here serve

Before event details and logistics are set, it is

only as an example and are not indicative of

essential to ask the question: “Why are we

who should be included in any type of

hosting a stateside pilgrimage?” Below are a

stateside celebration. For certain communities,

few questions and tools for answering this.

high school-age youth could be the primary

Target Audience

audience; while in others it might be limited to

In order to identify the goals and objectives

young adults in their late 20s or 30s. Cultural

for your stateside celebration, you need to

and language factors may also play into the

first identify the primary and secondary

identification of target audiences for certain

audiences to which your event is focused.

parish, diocesan, or apostolic communities.
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