Diocesan youth undertake fundraising efforts for pilgrimage to World Youth Day

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SALT LAKE CITY — Numerous Catholic youth from all over the Diocese of Salt Lake City are preparing now to embark on a pilgrimage for an encounter with Pope Francis at the World Youth Day that will take place in Lisbon, Portugal in August.

WYD is a festive encounter centered on Jesus Christ for all young people that gives them an opportunity to experience the “universality of the Catholic Church, and to share with the whole world the hope of many young people who are committing their lives to Christ and his Church. … World Youth Day is a unique way to deepen their faith and grow closer to Christ, through prayer and the sacraments, …” states the official WYD page.

Youth from three Utah parishes: Saint Thomas Aquinas in Logan and the Cathedral of the Madeleine and Our Lady of Guadalupe in Salt Lake City, are making every effort to be able to attend WYD. One of the primary obstacles is cost, so they have begun fundraising to help pay for travel expenses.

One of their fundraisers took place at the Cathedral of the Madeleine following the Jan. 29 Masses. Despite the snow that made travel almost impossible, the youth from Logan drove to Salt Lake City to sell breakfast burritos, quesadillas and other food.

Sofia Palestino and GianCarlo Gazani, the local WYD coordinators who are helping the youth with their efforts, said about 20 Utah youth between the ages of 18 and 25 are traveling to WYD.

For the fundraiser, the youth carried all the supplies into the cathedral’s basement kitchen and prepared the food, while Gazani and Palestino prepared a table and set up a cash register.

Shortly after the first Mass ended, people began to fill the basement. Natasha Holwick, a cathedral parishioner, enjoyed some food and left, but returned a few minutes later with a family that she had just met and paid for their meals.

“It is always important to lend a hand,” Holwick said, adding that earlier she had seen “a homeless guy outside and someone invited him to have a meal here. … So I think that created a domino effect in me, and I decided to invite these folks.”

Holwick attended WYD some years ago when she lived in Los Angeles, “and this is my way to give a bit back to all that I received,” she said.

Attending WYD can change lives, she said, and “If this [participating in WYD] is going to change someone’s life for the better, and  bring your relationship closer to God, I am all for it.”

The youth of St. Thomas Aquinas and Our Lady of Guadalupe parishes have been doing fundraiser events at their parish every weekend, but the Jan. 29 effort was the first effort of the three groups who are going to WYD from the diocese.

“The simple fact that people are contributing for the benefit of others is something very beautiful,” said Gazani of the response at the cathedral.

“To see firsthand the youth stepping up and working hard to be able to participate in WYD is just inspiring,” Palestino added.

Pope John Paul II instituted the tradition of World Youth Day; the first official event was celebrated in 1986, when bishops worldwide were asked to schedule an event for youth in their diocese on Palm Sunday. The first international event took place in 1987 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There have been 12 international WYD celebrations since then, each in a different country and each with a theme based on a Scripture passage. This year’s theme is “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39).

Pilgrim Prayer

Our Lady of the Visitation,

you who left in haste towards the mountain to meet Elizabeth,

lead us also to meet all those who await us

to deliver them the living Gospel:

Jesus Christ, your Son and our Lord!

We will go in a hurry, with no distraction or delay,

but with readiness and joy.

We will go peacefully, because those who take Christ take peace,

and welldoing is the best wellbeing.

Our Lady of the Visitation,

with your inspiration, this World Youth Day

will be the mutual celebration of the Christ we take, as you once did.

Make it a time of testimony and sharing,

fraternization, and giving thanks,

each of us looking for the others who always wait.

With you, we will continue on this path of gathering,

so that our world will gather as well,

in fraternity, justice and peace.

Help us,

Our Lady of the Visitation,

to bring Christ to everyone, obeying the Father, in the love of the Spirit!