YOUCAT at World Youth Day in Lisbon

The 37th World Youth Day

The 37^th World Youth Day in Lisbon was a remarkable success for the YOUCAT Foundation. The experience of the YOUCAT Team in Lisbon shows that the Youth Catechism is, alongside the Bible, one of the most important books for the catechesis of children, teenagers and even adults.

In the first week of August, the 37^th World Youth Day took place in Lisbon. The YOUCAT Foundation participated with an international team and presented the newest publication of the publishing house, the “Dialogical Catechesis”, as well as the newly founded international “YOUCAT Missionary Network”.

During the World Youth Day week, the capital of Portugal filled up to its peak of 1.5 million people, aged 16 to 35 years old, at the closing Mass with Pope Francis. Having become a place of encounter and exchange, the international youth meeting in Lisbon allowed hundreds of thousands to share their joy in the Catholic faith.

At the information stand at the “Vocational Fair”, greatly visited from the early morning to the late evening, the international team of the YOUCAT Foundation engaged in dialogue with World Youth Day pilgrims from all over the world, launching the YOUCAT Missionary Network.

Many bishops, priests and catechists reported the use of YOUCAT or other publications from the publishing house, such as DOCAT or YOUCAT for kids in their catechetical work. The conversations with pilgrims showed that YOUCAT experienced an enormous spread since its publication and large-scale distribution campaign at World Youth Day in Madrid in 2011, in giving a new impetus to catechesis all over the world. It turned out that over this period the need for catechesis and pragmatic solutions for catechetical work has continued to grow.

Thousands of euphoric young pilgrims visited the stand of the YOUCAT Foundation. Both their enthusiasm and the seriousness of their catechists’ testimonials made it clear that YOUCAT brought up a new identification of young Catholics with the catechism in all continents and in diverse cultures.

The assessment of YOUCAT Foundation on World Youth Day is positive and encouraging. YOUCAT is much more than just a “yellow book” or a set of publications. It is a refreshed Catholic identity and a community of youth and joy around the richness of faith. “Joy is missionary!” (Pope Francis at the Vigil in Lisbon.)

You did not participate at the World Youth Day but you are interested in our Missionary Network? Register online now: youcat.org/missionary-network