Eight senior pupils, along with Mr Sherry and Miss St. George, joined by Armagh St Patricks youth volunteers and group leader, Janet Forbes, embarked on their journey to World Youth Day 2023. They started their journey leaving a very dull and dreary Armagh for sunny Lisbon in Portugal, to join millions of young people from around the world to celebrate this important occasion. This was the first time a group from St Ciaran's have travelled to World Youth Day.
They attended their opening Mass for WYD which was celebrated by Bishop Michael Router and concelebrated by Bishop Donal McKeown, Fr Seamus White and Fr Brian Fitzpatrick.
This was following in the evening journeying to the WYD opening mass with the main celebrant Cardinal Manuel Clemente. “Let us learn from Mary to greet each and every person.”
Across the week they also attended catechesis sessions where they interacted with different groups from around the world and listened to a range of speakers.
On the Thursday the group travelled to the "Colina do Encontro", a small group among a sea of pilgrims to welcome Pope Francis.
Saturday saw the group of pilgrims undertake a trek to Campo da Graça for the overnight vigil.
Pope Francis carried out the Eucharistic Adoration and returned in the morning to the crowd to celebrate the Missioning Mass, officially closing the week long celebrations of Youth.
The WYD theme was "rise up." Encourging young people to go on mission, to follow the example of Our Lady and to seek out the other, getting up and leaving in haste.