Today the Salt + Light team attended mass at a local chapel, just off Copacabana beach. As Fr. James Phalan, CSC, Director of Family Rosary International, joyfully remarked at the beginning of this English-speaking mass, usually about seventy people attend, but today was well beyond capacity with standing room only! And it was good. It ...read more

As a Technical Producer for Salt and Light in his second WYD, my experience of Rio started months ago with the search for solutions to all the details of a live broadcast. Since our arrival my mind has been busy with possible outcomes to our work, it has been easy to fill my senses with ...read more

St Therese of Lisieux St Therese was born in France in 1873. When she was 15 she entered a Carmelite monastery, where she lived with humility and simplicity her total trust in God. In 1927, she was proclaimed Patroness of the Missions because of her deep desire to be a missionary, and for her extraordinary ...read more

Download World Youth Day’s Liturgy Book for Rio 2013. The book includes the Official WYD Prayer, the message of His Holiness Benedict XVI, message from Archbishop Orani João Tempesta, the WYD 2013 Hymn, the Liturgy of the Hours, Patron Saints of the Day, a guide to Confessions, the Order of the mass for all the major events, the ...read more

Luis Martinez, left, a World Youth Day volunteer from Mexico, enjoys a meal with his host family, Danielle and Leandro Franca in Rio de Janeiro April 16. Martinez is one of about 4,500 international volunteers who will contribute to World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, July 23-28. To find out more about this year’s ...read more

How fitting: We set off on our journey to Rio on the Feast of St. Bonaventure. While on a stop-over in Panama airport, during Evening Prayer in the airport chapel, Fr. Rosica reminded us that this saint’s name literally means “bona aventura” or good adventure. That’s what World Youth Day is: An adventure in faith. ...read more

Courtesy of ZENIT, a 360 interactive image is available of “Campus Fidei” (“Field of Faith”), the site of next weekend’s WYD Rio Prayer Vigil and Closing Mass. Check it out for yourself: Launch interactive image! ...read more

Blessed John Paul II Blessed Pope John Paul II founded World Youth Day in 1984. He is considered the Pope of the Youth because he invited young people to recognize their special mission in the Church. During his enduring pontificate, he helped to guide Christians in their understanding of the Second Vatican Council. Through his ...read more

On the morning of February 11th I awoke to the news that Pope Benedict XVI had resigned. I remember a close friend and I discussing a vital revelation: we would have a new Pope for Rio 2013! Amazing to think that the new Pope would hail from the “end of the earth” and that millions ...read more

Blessed Isidore Bakanja Blessed Isidore Bakanja was born around 1887 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then the Belgian Congo). He was baptized on 15 August 1909 at eighteen years of age through the ministry of Cistercian missionaries. Isidore was a very devout convert and catechist. He had a great love for the Blessed Virgin ...read more