Help Us Pilgrims

“My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord; my spirit rejoices in God my savior... The Mighty One has done great things for me, and holy is his name.” [Lk 1:46-47, 49i]

To our sisters and brothers in Christ,

In respond to the Year of the Youth with the Theme – Filipino Youth in Mission: Beloved, Gifted, Empowered, we liken ourselves to the two disciples of Emmaus and converse with Jesus about who we are, where we are, and what our concerns and hopes are as we journey in life and walk in faith.

Our Blessed Mother is a model for us, as she herself was called to mission through the Annunciation at a very young age [cf. Lk 1:26-38]. Like her, the Lord continues to call and challenge us. Recently, Pope Francis tells us: “the Lord, the Church, the world are waiting for your answer to the unique call that each one receives in this life!”

We are thankful for this privilege to respond for the Year of the Youth, like the two disciples of Emmaus, we will tell Jesus, the Son of Mary, our situation, our concerns and our youthful dreams for the Church and for the community. With Jesus and His Mother Mary, who went in haste to help Elizabeth, we encourage you, our sisters and brothers to hasten and join in realizing the goals of the Year of the Youth as we invite you to become a part of our pilgrimage through your financial support, we are seeking monetary donations to help defray the costs associated with our pilgrimage and to help lighten the financial burden on us. Financial contributions will help with passage fare, meals, registration, and overnight accommodations. Indeed, like the two disciples, we now are filled with excitement to witness to Jesus who listens to our story, speaks to us words of encouragement, and challenges us. We respond to Jesus and witness to Him in the Year of the Youth through a Youth Pilgrimage to be held at Legaspi, Albay dated on May 31-June 03, 2019.

At our young age, our challenges and calling may strongly disturb and overwhelm us, just like Mary [cf. Lk 1:29]. Time and again, we are reminded not to be afraid, for we have found favor with God [cf. Lk 1:30]! May her inspiration allow us to respond with a courageous and committed YES, proclaiming with her: “I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word” [cf. Lk 1:38].