Pilgrimage to Portugal for World Youth Day

Most foster children have never travelled outside their own city. Imagine the excitement of 12 teenagers who received a paid trip to Portugal to see Pope Francis and celebrate the multi-day Catholic event known as World Youth Day (WYD). Accompanied by staff from the Catholic Children’s Aid Society of Toronto (CCAS), the group made the journey in August 2023 thanks to funding from the Catholic Children’s Aid Foundation (CCAF).

This life-changing experience exemplifies the impact of the CCAF Trinity Fund, made possible by donors. This program covers expenses related to the spiritual needs of CCAS-involved children and youth, including baptism, confirmation, other sacraments and faith-building events. “No other child welfare organization would send their teens to World Youth Day,” says Jim Gilligan, Executive Director of the CCAF. “The trip offered an opportunity for our youth to get in touch with their faith and with peers from all over the world.”

Connecting at-risk Toronto youth with the global Catholic community

Established by Pope John Paul II in 1985, and celebrated every two years, World Youth Day invites young people to make a pilgrimage, connect with Catholics from around the world and help build the Church.

The 15-day trip included a week staying with Catholic parishioners in Porto and six days in Lisbon participating in WYD. The Toronto youth attended talks, prayer services and concerts leading up to a vigil and final papal mass attended by 1.5 million people. “We felt the real presence of God all around us,” says one CCAS organizer who accompanied the youth.

Your donations offer hope and belonging to teens

Experiencing this global Catholic event was especially impactful for adolescents in extended care. Providing access to educational and faith experiences is aligned with the CCAF’s mission to create programs such as Scholarships or Youth Readiness Program that aim to improve outcomes for young people in care by providing financial assistance to help them learn, gain stability and create a better life.

A spiritual home away from home

The first week of the trip in Porto left an indelible impression. As part of the WYD “Days in the Diocese” program, international groups were welcomed into the religious and cultural life of Portuguese parishes. CCAS pilgrims stayed in the homes of families from Our Lady of Boavista parish, enjoying warm hospitality and friendship. “Our host family was exactly what you’d imagine the perfect family to be like,” said one trip participant.

You help fund memories and faith that can last a lifetime

The tour continued to Lisbon, to hear the Pope’s message of hope, and ended at the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. An international prayer service and candlelit vigil offered a moving finale to a soulful journey. As Gilligan says, “When you support the Catholic Children’s Aid Foundation, you’re helping vulnerable kids connect to the Catholic community.”