Catholic Church opens National Youth Day in Naga with 10,000 youth
The NYD is underway centred on the theme "Youth Empowerment for Nation Building". Local families are hosting young people from all Philippine dioceses and 22 Catholic organisations. This is a first step towards WYD Seoul 2027. Meanwhile, in today's Consistory, Leo XIV announced that Pier Giorgio Frassati and Carlo Acutis will be proclaimed saints on 7 September, Peter to Rot on 19 October, Missionary Day.
Naga (AsiaNews) – Young people need to continue their education to strengthen their faith and better serve the Church and society, this according to Archbishop Rex Andrew C. Alarcon of Caceres.
On Wednesday the prelate led the opening Mass of the National Youth Day (NYD) 2025 in Naga, Camarines Sur province (Bicol Region). The archdiocese is hosting the event from 10 to 14 June.
Some 10,000 participants from all dioceses in the Philippines and 22 youth organisations came together.
The NYD began in 1986, at the initiative of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP). Since then, the event has celebrated the faith and unity of young people. The last edition was held in Cebu City in 2019 attracting about 20,000 people.
This year's theme is “Youth Empowerment for Nation Building”, highlighting the vital importance of young people in determining the course of the nation, with faith, optimism and a spirit of service.
“It is good to ask ourselves, where are you in your journey, where are you in your life’s journey, and where are you headed to after NYD, or what significant turn may you take after this significant experience?” Archbishop Alarcon said.
He stressed that one becomes a follower of Jesus not because of what one has, but because of one’s dreams, aspirations and shared faith experiences. These traits strongly characterise young Philippine Catholics.
The first day began with a formal welcome and orientation session. The delegates were warmly received by local organisers, parish leaders and volunteers.
One of the most touching moments at the start was the introduction of the delegates to their respective host families.
These families, who have generously opened their homes and hearts, provide the delegates not only shelter, but also a deeper connection to the local community and culture, spending meaningful moments of shared daily life with the youth who have come from all over the Philippines.
The local community will eventually become universal on World Youth Day in Seoul, South Korea, in 2027.
One of the NYD’s attractions is the photo exhibit of Our Lady of Peñafrancia and her devoted children’s photo exhibit titled “Imagenes,” put together by volunteers at the Caceres Communications Commission in collaboration with SM City Naga.
The photo exhibit is a celebration of faith, hope, and unity in the heart of NYC. “Every image tells a story, of prayer, perseverance, and the enduring love between Our Lady of Peñafrancia and her devoted children,” said Caceres Commission on Communications Director Fr Francis A. Tortilla.
June A. Tolentino, youth delegate from the Archdiocese of Lipa, strengthened her commitment to the mission of faith by participating in NYD 2025.
“With this National Youth Day 2025, we are called to gather as one vibrant community of young Catholics, ready to rejoice in hope,” she explained. “This is a celebration that will bring us closer not just to one another, but also to Christ. It’s more than just an event; it’s a sacred encounter, a shared pilgrimage, and a joyful expression of our faith.”
"As I take part in this year’s NYD as a servant leader of the Mary Help of Christians Crusade, I carry with me the voices, hopes, and prayers of the young people we accompany,” said Shiekeena Micah Atienza from the Archdiocese of Manila.
“I expect this sacred gathering to be a moment of deeper encounter with Christ, a celebration of the vibrant faith of Filipino youth, and a space where we can joyfully discern our role in building a Church that listens, accompanies, and sends forth,” Atienza said. “I believe that NYD will not only train us but transform us – into courageous witnesses and humble servants, walking with one another towards holiness," she noted.
Meanwhile, the Vatican issued a statement, eagerly awaited by young people around the world.
Leo XIV announced during the Ordinary Public Consistory for the Vote on some Causes of Canonisation of Blesseds, held in the Consistory Hall of the Vatican Apostolic Palace, that Blesseds Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901-1925) and Carlo Acutis (1991-2006) will be proclaimed saints together at a ceremony on 7 September.
Pope Francis had already announced the canonisation of these two young men, faces of youthful sanctity, on different dates but this was changed upon the pontiff’s death on 21 April.
The same Consistory also set the date for the canonisation of catechist Peter To Rot, the first saint from Papua New Guinea, on 19 October, World Mission Day, along with six other blesseds, including Ignatius Shoukrallah Maloyan, the Armenian Catholic archbishop of Mardin, who died during the Armenian genocide of 1915, and Bartolo Longo, founder of the Italian Marian shrine of Pompeii.
.png)
06/08/2023 14:48
27/06/2008
