Join the diocesan celebration of Lisbon WYD in Corpus Christi on Nov. 20

Heeding Pope Francis’ call for a local celebration of World Youth Day, Siobhan O’Connor, the diocesan director of Young Adult Ministry, is charged with organizing the local celebration of World Youth Day at the behest of Bishop Michael Mulvey. The diocesan celebration will be a prequel to the 2023 World Youth Day in Lisbon.

“It’s a chance for youth and young adults to be united in their faith and connect with others who will help encourage them in their faith,” O’Connor explained. Her first World Youth Day experience blew her away. “It opened the doors of my mind and my heart. I go back to that experience because it’s why I’m Catholic today. It changed the whole course of my life,” she said.
 

Scan the QR code above to register or visit diocesecc.org/wydcc.

She was 20 years old when she attended her first World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado. Although not a practicing Catholic at the time, O’Connor said her mother insisted they go together. They flew from Ontario, Canada. “We had tickets for nothing, and we got into everything.”

“People were so generous and just showed us the way. We were not connected with a youth group, a parish or anything. It was just my mom and me. And literally, we went into Mile High Stadium when the Holy Father arrived in this helicopter. I’ll never forget that moment when he flew in, and the crowd just went crazy. And everyone with flags from their countries just started shouting, ‘Viva El papa, long live the Pope.’”

“There was just such electricity in the whole stadium. And that was the first time it struck me —the Catholic faith is something real, something strong, something international. And it’s very, very joyful and vibrant.”

The 2022 Lisbon World Youth Day in Corpus Christi will be on the feast of Christ the King, Nov. 20, at St. John Paul II High School from 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Join Bishop Mulvey, priests, and religious for a day of unity and celebration. All youth (age 14 and up) and young adults (ages 18-35) are invited to be a part of this very special gathering. There will be Mass, lunch, small groups, Marian procession and rosary, works of mercy and adoration. The cost to attend the event is FREE, but lunch (optional) is $10. Registration will close on Nov. 13. Scan the QR code above to register or visit diocesecc.org/wydcc. 

Read Pope Francis’ message for the XXXVII World Youth Day, “Mary arose and went with haste” (Lk 1:39).


Check out the photos below from World Youth Day 2016 in Poland.