Youth 2000: An experience like no other

By NADIA POZO
CS&T Staff Writer

Anyone who’s discovered it at World Youth Day, or at one of the local churches around the world, knows the power of a Youth 2000 retreat weekend.
“It’s hard to describe what happens at a Youth 2000 Prayer Festival to someone who has never experienced it — words alone just don’t seem to express the reality,” said a young adult participant.
What makes this experience so profound? The Eucharistic Lord. Youth 2000’s main focus is on the Eucharist.
Youth 2000 is a result of Pope John Paul II’s call to youth at the 1989 World Youth Day in Santiago de Compostela, Spain to “become shinning heralds of the re-evangelization and the generous architects of the civilization of love....”
This call for a decade of evangelization of young people leading up to the new millennium inspired a young Englishman, Ernest Williams, at WYD to gather thousands of young people around Jesus in eucharistic adoration.
A year later in 1990, the first Youth 2000 retreat was held in Medjugorje, with 7,000 young people from around the world making the vision a reality.
Two years later, Youth 2000 came to the U.S. The first retreat held in Dallas, Texas was attended by 700 young people.
In 1993, Youth 2000 came to New York under the leadership of the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal, CFR. Through their own witness of profound love for Christ and the poor and the young people they serve, the CFRs have made these retreat experiences popular around the country. Since then, Youth 2000-NY has held monthly prayer festivals and has touched the lives of thousands of people in the New York Metropolitan area.
Now it’s Philly’s turn.
In light of the Year of the Eucharist, on the weekend from Friday, Oct. 29 through the Sunday, Oct. 31, youth and young adults from around the Archdiocese will have the opportunity to experience Jesus in a whole new way.
The CFRs will be leading the retreat weekend to be held at Msgr. Bonner High School in Drexel Hill. It begins on Oct. 29 at 6:30 p.m. with music, the rosary, and Mass to be celebrated by Cardinal Justin Rigali, followed by a talk on the Real Presence and an opportunity for hundreds of young people to gather around Jesus in eucharistic adoration.
On Saturday, Oct. 30 there will be more music, outstanding talks, testimonies, fellowship and a unique eucharistic prayer service. Sunday, Oct. 31 closes the weekend with a Mass.
The event centers on the Eucharist (based on the Gospel of St. John, Chapter 6) with the goal of helping young people strengthen their love for the Eucharist, to better live their Catholic faith, and to strengthen their commitment of service to the Church and each other.
The Youth 2000 retreat will be a life-changing experience, according to Father Augustine Esposito, OSA, president of Msgr. Bonner High School, Father Kevin McGoldrick, parochial vicar at Nativity B.V.M and the other members of the organizing committee.
As the Holy Father said during World Youth Day 2000 in Rome, “set the Eucharist at the center of your personal life and community life: love the Eucharist, adore the Eucharist and celebrate the Eucharist...”
To register call (610) 259-0280, ext. 286 or (215) 739-2735. For more information visit www.youth2000ny.com.

CS&T staff writer Nadia Pozo can be reached at npozo@adphila.org or (215) 965-4614.