Diocese of Waterford & Lismore represented by 15 young people at World Youth Day in Lisbon

Caption for photo above: Young people representing the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore at World Youth Day with Bishop Alphonsus Cullinan pictured during a visit to the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima. Front from left: Amy O’Farrell, Christy Biji, Sr. Kathryn Press, ASCJ; Annie Ryan, Louise Keelan, Shivantha Fernando.

Back: Aweiye Omusi, Elijah Nyangasi, Nathan O’Shea, Chris Biji Kocherackal, Bishop Cullinan, Abigail Nyamayaro, Stuart McGovern, Darragh O’Neill, Nodlaig Lillis

A group of 15 young people representing the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore attended the World Youth Day celebration with Pope Francis in Lisbon from August 1 to 6.

The group from Tipperary and Waterford was led by Bishop of Waterford & Lismore Most Rev. Alphonsus Cullinan and included several young people from the Holy Family Mission at Glencomeragh near Kilsheelan.

More than 1.5m pilgrims from all over the world attended the six-day World Youth Day event including the final Mass celebrated by the Pope.

Bishop Cullinan said about 1,500 travelled from Ireland for the celebration for young Catholics.

“Looking out at the vast crowd after the final Mass on August 6 is a sight that will stay with me for a very long time.

“The people of Lisbon can be truly proud of how they managed the entire celebration. The thousands of young and not so young volunteers could not have been more helpful.

Bishop Cullinan said the idea of gathering youth from around the world for these events started with Pope St. John Paul with the first official World Youth Day taking place in 1986.

“Huge crowds attend which gives the lie to the view that religion is dead and that young people are not interested,” he pointed out.

“WYDs are always times of joy and a celebration of faith. Typically there is an opening Mass, huge numbers of confessions, music concerts, exhibitions, information stands, talks, discussions, teaching sessions, the Way of the Cross, a Saturday Vigil including Adoration and the closing Mass.

“It was great to see our Irish pilgrims mixing with their counterparts from dozens of other countries, exchanging wristbands or anything else they could ‘trade’, taking photos, and singing,” Bishop Cullinan added.

Annie Ryan, a nurse from Emly, was a member of the Diocese of Waterford & Lismore group that took part in the World Youth Day celebrations in Lisbon.

She described the event as being full of joy.

“World Youth Day allowed me to meet other vibrant, hopeful and dynamic young Catholics from all over the world to celebrate our faith, and this encounter has increased my own faith and hope for a revival of true Catholicism, which brings life and joy to those who believe the good news that “God is near” as Pope Francis said to us in Lisbon,” she said.