Vicariate Youth Keep Vigil with Pope Francis at World Youth Day

The World Youth Day Vigil last January 26 to 27 drew 155 young people from the different parishes in the OLPH Vicariate. Fr. Steve gave his opening remarks remotely from Lake Tahoe, Nevada, Fr. Jojo delivered the opening prayer, and Pope Francis was on live stream early Sunday morning.

In attendance were nine different youth groups from: CTK, St. John Paul II Parish, Libis community, Our Lady of Perpetual

Help Parish, Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal Parish, Nativity of the Lord Parish, St. Paul’s College students, members of the Timothy Youth Ministry of Living Hope Prayer Community, and youth members of the Military Ordinariate. The biggest delegations came from the Libis community followed by St. Paul.

Registration began at 10 pm. At 10:45 pm, Fr. Steve, who was in Nevada for the annual family get-together, called in via FaceTime to give the opening remarks. Fr. Jojo was also present to personally greet all the attendees.

Then for the next hour, it was fun and games as hosts Louie Padrinao and Earle Manucom facilitated several games that had the groups passing a ball among themselves and running back and forth to put balls into cups. After the fun hour, it was time for the group photo.

A few minutes of rest was then followed by the zumba program where nearly all the young people went to the center of the floor to follow the dance moves shown on the screen, picked up from www.LIVELOVEPARTY.TV. Youth Ministry co-head Lei Abando personally joined in the zumba dance. Then the Timothy Youth Ministry band came on to entertain the audience with their upbeat and rousing religious songs that had some of the children clapping their hands and swaying to their beat. By this time, the clock had struck midnight already.

Half an hour past midnight, it was time for the midnight snack, with sandwiches and goto served to everyone. Then at 1:30 am, the traditional Living Rosary was enacted. This was followed by several performances by the vicariates, some of them impromptu. This was followed by an hour of ‘jamming’ until sleep-rest time was officially declared at 3:30 am.

The vigil keepers were officially awakened at 5:30 am for morning prayers followed by breakfast at 6 am.

Then at 7:30 am, the ‘main event’ started – the two-hour live streaming of the Vigil with Pope Francis in Panama City, Panama, as the Pope led the celebration of World Youth Day. Finally, at 9:45 am, Fr. Jojo Gatdula led the Closing Prayer, with the vigil participants dispersing immediately after.

In Panama, Tuesday January 22 was the Official Welcome for pilgrims. Pope Francis arrived on Thursday, January 24 where he delivered his welcome address. Saturday, January 26 featured the Walking Pilgrimage to the vigil site, with the Evening Vigil with the Pope happening that night. It was the Saturday Evening Vigil that was live-streamed on Sunday early morning to the Philippines. Representing the Cubao Clergy for the Youth of Cubao Diocese at the World Youth Day in Panama were Fr. Ronnie Santos, parish priest of CTK Project 7 Parish and Fr. William Garcia, parish priest of Nativity of the Lord Parish.

World Youth Day 2019 Panama followed World Youth Day Krakow 2016, which in turn followed World Youth Day 2013 Brazil. World Youth Day 2022 will be held in Lisbon, Portugal.