The World Youth Comboni Gathering (WYCG) in Portugal

The Comboni Family was present at 2023 World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 in Lisbon through the initiative known as the World Youth Comboni Gathering (WYCG), consisting of youth groups from different countries, including United States, Spain, Panama, Italy, Macau, Germany, Portugal... In total, around 140 young people and their animators, who, despite coming from different parts of the world, brilliantly overcame the challenge of language through the ‘language of love’.

Before separating and returning to their home countries, on Monday 7^th August, 2023 the WYCG young people gathered in the Comboni community in Santarém to take stock of what they had experienced in Portugal, particularly in Lisbon.

One of the experiences that most struck all the participants was the impressive silence ‘felt and lived’ before the Sacrament of the Eucharist during the Saturday evening Prayer Vigil. Also penetrating were some words of the Pope, who repeatedly urged them not to be afraid and to live the ‘following of Jesus’ (sequela) in an inclusive way: “Everyone, everyone! There is room for everyone in the Church”.

During the Santarém meeting day, there was also a moment of individual reflection during which each young person had the opportunity to reflect on the resolutions made during WYD and to define them in a concrete way, and then share them with the others in small language groups.

The last moment of this evaluation meeting was the celebration of the Eucharist, presided over by father David Domingues, Vicar General of the Comboni Missionaries.

Through the intercession of St Daniel Comboni, let us pray for the young people of the World Youth Comboni Gathering (WYCG) who took part in WYD, that they may witness with joy all that they experienced during these unforgettable days in Portugal.