Fall Winter 2023 Newsletter Chairman'S Reflection

By: Most Revered Arturo Cepeda | Auxiliary Bishop of Detroit | Chairman of the Committee on Cultural Diversity The WYD of 2023 in Lisbon, Portugal, was a moment of grace and renewal. I have been privileged and blessed to attend ten of them, and always looking forward to the next. Each one of them brings grace to my life, ministry, and mission. Lisbon was not the exception! Millions of young people around the world gather around the city and the region to celebrate our faith, and to become protagonists of the Church in the world. In the words of Pope Francis during the closing liturgy he invited them "not to be afraid" – this message resonates with the words of Pope St. John Paul II, who initiated these gatherings. As I was looking at our young congregation, I was so moved by their engagement and enthusiasm, no doubt for me a moment of grace and hope. Indeed, WYD 2023 in Lisbon continues the legacy of having our youth become evangelizers, celebrating our faith out in the streets, in the marketplace plazas and most importantly within themselves and among others. During their time in Lisbon, they had the opportunity to celebrate the Holy Eucharist, to celebrate the sacrament of Reconciliation and to have the opportunity for quiet time before the Blessed Sacrament. In my conversations with them one of the highlights they shared was about the experience of knowing and experiencing the universal nature of our Catholic Church. They were very excited about sharing our common faith with people of other cultures and languages. They became evangelizers! They had the opportunity to freely share their stories about our risen Lord! Without realizing, they were already making a statement in the city of Lisbon – "we are young, and we are Catholic." – The streets were inundated by their presence and young energy. One local person said to me: "I have never seen anything like this in my life." My answer: "They are young evangelizers." WYD is an excellent example of how to engage our young people on how to celebrate their faith and how to proclaim the Good News. Our mission is to have them engaged within our own parishes and dioceses. They have the energy and the openness to become truly joyful missionary disciples and the experience of grace and hope will continue to be alive within our communities. Hope to see you in South Korea next WYD! #J-18808-Ljbffr