Countdown to WYD2023

Jun 23, 2023

World Youth Day (WYD) is the gathering of young people from all over the world with the Pope. It is also a pilgrimage, a celebration of youth, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelisation for the youth world. Although its Catholic identity is clearly evident, WYD opens its doors to everyone, no matter how close to or distant from the Church they are.

Over the course of a week, young people from all over the world are welcomed. In addition to the moments of prayer, sharing and leisure, the young people enrolled in this celebration participate in various initiatives organised by the WYD team, in different locations across the host city. The highlights are the celebrations (central features) for which the Pope is present, such as the welcoming and opening ceremony, the Way of the Cross, the vigil and, on the last day, the closing Mass.

Contingent Preparations

July 26 - 31
Days in dioceses for the Malaysian contingent will be held in the Diocese of Porto, known for its food and drink, as well its numerous historical churches and sites.

August 1 - 6
The WYD2023 proper will be held primarily in Lisbon, with pilgrims staying with host families in the surrounding dioceses of Setubal and Santarem.

Past Preparation

October 15 - 22, 2022
WYD2023 International Preparatory Meeting coordinators journeyed to Lisbon for the briefing/preparatory meeting in Fatima, Portugal. They were briefed on the methodology and spirituality of the programme and how to support/prepare pilgrims from respective countries to participate in WYD2023 in Lisbon.

Ongoing virtual meetings/correspon dence with organisers in Lisbon and in Porto Coordinators are communicating directly with the organisers in Lisbon/Porto via Whatsapp and/or email. Process is much easier today, compared to past WYDs. Organisers from Portugal are also very supportive and do their best to support our preparatory efforts.

June 23, 2023
Final briefing for all pilgrims participating in WYD2023 under the Malaysian contingent, via Zoom. To brief all pilgrims on what to prepare, how to prepare, on the programme etc.

The pilgrims received a special blessing from Archbishop Simon Poh, as the Bishop in- Charge of the Episcopal Commission for Young People and the Malaysian Catholic Youth Ministers Committee (MCYMC) via Zoom.

To Come
Preparations for send-off of pilgrims Each diocesan youth office will be preparing a send off in the form of a Mass/blessing in their respective dioceses.

The total number of pilgrims under the Malaysian contingent is 148*.

The breakdown is as follows:
Diocese of Keningau: 7
Archdiocese of Kota Kinabalu: 6
Archdiocese of Kuala Lumpur: 45
Archdiocese of Kuching: 16
Diocese of Malacca Johore: 20
Diocese of Miri: 9
Diocese of Penang: 37
Diocese of Sandakan: 6
Diocese of Sibu: 0

(This does not include other groups participating under the guidance/coordination of their respective parish priests/lay leaders. There are groups from Malacca Johore and KL.)