Catholic Outlook Magazine Ordinary Time Spring Edition 2022
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The impact of saying ‘yes’ to God<br />
through World Youth Day<br />
STORY MARY BRAZELL<br />
We hear the stories of four of our young adult<br />
pilgrims who attended World Youth Day in<br />
Panama in 2019.<br />
In his invitation to young people across Western<br />
Sydney and the Blue Mountains to join him in<br />
journeying to World Youth Day, Bishop Vincent says<br />
for young people, the worldwide celebration of faith<br />
has a “profound impact on their relationship with<br />
Jesus, their prayer life, their lived mission and their<br />
relationship with others”.<br />
Qwayne Guevara, Manager – <strong>Catholic</strong> Youth<br />
Parramatta, explains that “past World Youth Day<br />
pilgrims have returned to their local communities<br />
taking up leadership and service opportunities<br />
in their schools, parishes, workplaces, pursuing<br />
further theological study and some discerning<br />
their vocation.”<br />
As the youth of Western Sydney and the Blue<br />
Mountains consider journeying with Christ on World<br />
Youth Day, we asked pilgrims from previous World<br />
Youth Day pilgrimages to reflect on what called<br />
them to this amazing mountain-top experience,<br />
and how they share the love of God with their<br />
local faith communities.<br />
Chantelle Ocsan, parishioner of<br />
Holy Family Parish, Emerton<br />
While I entered World Youth Day hoping to always be<br />
surrounded and be comfortable with people I already<br />
knew, throughout the pilgrimage, WYD taught me<br />
the beauty in virtuous friendships. WYD allowed me<br />
to create friendships with the other pilgrims knowing<br />
that we were all on the same faith journey but just at<br />
different points in our lives.<br />
On pilgrimage, I learnt how much I love serving<br />
the people around me, and it is through making<br />
sure I showed a Christ-like joy every day, even<br />
when I wasn’t feeling 100%. It was the ability to<br />
recognise that in any circumstance, God is trying<br />
to call out to me.<br />
World Youth Day is a continuous pilgrimage where<br />
every day, I learn how God is trying to call me to be<br />
His servant. My faith was strengthened throughout<br />
World Youth Day to emulate this unwavering yes<br />
Mama Mary gave to God; inspiring me to do<br />
what I can to make sure I answer His call in my<br />
day-to-day life.<br />
Qwayne Guevara (back far left), Kathleen (middle right) and<br />
Chantelle (front right) at WYD 2019 with other pilgrims from<br />
the Diocese of Parramatta. Image: Supplied<br />
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