Prepare 'spiritually,' bishop tells 2,000 Pinoy WYD delegates

Less than a month to go before the World Youth Day (WYD) celebration in Spain, a Filipino bishop advised some 2,000 Philippine delegates to start preparing "spiritually" for the event. Legazpi Bishop Joel Baylon said, “Aside from the financial aspect, delegates should prepare spiritually for the WYD. They should not think of WYD only as an opportunity to socialize, to meet new friends and find an opportunity for relationships, but more importantly as a chance for a life-changing experience, which they should get ready for." Baylon is also the chairman of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Episcopal Commission on Youth (ECY). The WYD will be held in Madrid, Spain from August 16 to 21. Some of the delegates will fly to Spain as early as August 8 to participate in the pre-WYD events all over Spain. ECY records show that some 2,000 Filipinos will attend the WYD in Madrid. Of these, 400 belong to the country’s official delegation ECY-Philippines. Earlier, several Filipino delegates were reported to have backed out of the trip due to lack of finances. For those who can go, Baylon said the WYD may prove be a life-changing experience, as in the case of those who attended it in the past. Some even realized their priestly and religious calling because of the event, he said. Likened to Pentecost Baylon likened the WYD to the Pentecost, where the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles and inspired them to share the teachings of Jesus Christ with others. “Just like the apostles, may the WYD delegates get inspired by the Holy Spirit to share the Good News in WYD with our friends and peers back home. Let the WYD be a grace-filled occasion for our faith in God and in the Church to grow, bloom and bear fruit," he said. - VVP, GMA News