Hosting a Stateside Event

As preparation for World Youth Day continues, it is highly important to remember our brothers and sisters who face restrictions due to financial, family, and other circumstances. The organizing bishop in Krakow (WYD 2016), Bishop Muskus noted this when he discussed Krakow preparations on the pre-anniversary of the final papal mass, "We're well aware how much deprivation, unemployment, and neglect there is, and this requires from us all sensitivity and solidarity with the poorest, so they won't feel left out." 

World Youth Day is open to members of the Church in many capacities, and it is pivotal to be as inclusive as possible when hosting a pilgrimage or stateside gathering.

Interested in hosting an event? Here's what you can do:

1. Prayerfully consider coordinating (or finding a local Catholic leader to coordinate) a stateside WYD event in your area in August.
2. Use the  WYDUSA Stateside Leader's Guidebook Lisbon 2023 developed by the USCCB, to guide your efforts. And check out other resources listed below!
3. Let the USCCB's WYDUSA office know about any stateside gatherings in your area by emailing @email.
4. Plan and promote locally, inviting young people to experience the celebration of World Youth Day in August.

The WYDUSA office has prepared several resources to help you plan a Stateside celebration of WYD.

• The USCCB Secretariat of Laity, Marriage, Family Life and Youth has developed a special manual to help pastoral leaders plan and execute a stateside World Youth Day gathering. The WYDUSA Stateside Pilgrim Leaders Guide is available in English (Spanish guide coming soon). The guidebook includes spiritual insights for leaders to consider and practical tools for planning stateside events and follow-up. The guide also includes templates that pastoral leaders can use to begin their planning efforts.
• The WYDUSA office has also put on a webinar highlighting Stateside Celebrations. Watch Connecting Lisbon Pilgrims to Home and Celebrating WYD Stateside now!
• Celebrate WYD domestically by making a pilgrimage to one of the places listed on the Sites of Catholic Heritage.
• Incorporate the Official WYD Prayer (English and Spanish versions are available) and WYDUSA Prayer into your prayer life.
• Check out this Pilgrimage Prayer Guide for resources to make your pilgrimage as meaningful as possible.