Archdiocese of Vancouver will send one of Canada’s largest delegations

The B.C. Catholic



Millions of pilgrims from around the world will flood the streets of Krakow, Poland, July 25-31 for World Youth Day. About 3,750 of them will be Canadians.

“The biggest delegations are from the major dioceses, like Vancouver, Edmonton, Toronto, Montreal, and Quebec,” said Deacon Ren‚ Laprise, speaking for the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The Archdiocese of Vancouver rings in with one of the largest groups, at more than 475.

“A great number of people want to go to this World Youth Day. That’s exciting,” said Gerard Garcia of the archdiocesan Office of Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

About 250 of those pilgrims are signed up for an archdiocesan travel package. They have booked four hostels in Krakow and will spend the last week of July living in dorm rooms together.

Other pilgrims have made their own living arrangements, but Garcia said there is a plan to unite all Lower Mainland pilgrims for Mass somewhere in Krakow July 30.

He added that 14 local priests and 17 pilgrims from the Diocese of Prince George are included with the archdiocese.

The CCCB is inviting all Canucks at World Youth Day to a gathering in Krakow’s Tauron Arena July 26, to be led by Cardinal Gerald Cyprien Lacroix of Quebec.

Eight other Canadian bishops, including Archbishop Albert LeGatt of Saint-Boniface and Eparch Bryan Bayda, CSsR, of Saskatoon, will also be there.

St. John Paul II held the first World Youth Day in Rome in 1986. It has since drawn millions of young Catholics to celebrate Mass and meet the Pope in Argentina, Spain, the United States, the Philippines, France, Canada, Germany, Australia, and Brazil.

It will be the second time World Youth Day has been held in Poland, and the first time in Krakow, where that famous Pole, St. John Paul, was once an archbishop.


More than 475 people will be flying from Vancouver to Krakow for World Youth Day 2016. Here is a list of their parishes or groups:

Blessed Sacrament: 40

Canadian Martyrs: 18

Christ the King Seminary: 37

Christ the Redeemer: 17

Holy Cross (Burnaby): 10

Immaculate Conception (Delta): 35

Our Lady of Good Counsel: 24

Our Lady of the Assumption: 33

St. Andrew Kim: 10

St. Anthony of Padua: 47

St. Bernadette: 13

St. Francis Xavier: 12

St. Joseph (Langley): 46

St. Joseph (Port Moody): 18

St. Luke (Maple Ridge): 9

St. Mary (Chilliwack): 17

St. Mary (Vancouver): 6

St. Patrick (Vancouver): 11

St. Patrick (Maple Ridge): 31

St. Paul (Richmond): 25

St. Peter: 4

St. Stephen: 3

Star of the Sea: 7

Team Polska: 6

Others: 6

A World Youth Day video filmed at Archdiocese of Vancouver headquarters can be viewed at www.youtube.com/oyyamvancouver.