“Young people are not just the future of the Church – they are its present,” said Bishop Fintan Gavin of Cork and Ross, Chair for Evangelisation, Catechetics, and Pastoral Renewal for the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference, speaking ahead of the upcoming Jubilee of Youth.
Over 600 young adults will travel from Ireland to Rome from July 28 to August 3 to take part in what is being billed as a transformative week of prayer, pilgrimage, catechesis, and Eucharistic celebrations. They will join more than 100,000 young people expected to descend on the Eternal City in the coming days.
“To walk together as ‘Pilgrims of Hope’ in the heart of Rome, alongside young Catholics from every continent, is a deeply spiritual and life-affirming experience,” Bishop Gavin said. “I look forward to journeying with the young people of Cork and Ross, and those from across Ireland, as we respond to the late Pope Francis’ call to renewal and hope.”
Irish pilgrims will follow a specially tailored programme developed by the Irish Catholic Bishops’ Conference in collaboration with the Pontifical Irish College in Rome. Highlights include morning catechesis and Mass at the Instituto Santa Maria with speakers such as Bishop Robert Barron and Bishop Alan McGuckian SJ; a national gathering at the Irish College with music by acclaimed
Christian artist Sarah Kroger; and a moving Way of the Cross through the streets of Rome, ending at the Basilica of Santa Croce.
To support the expected influx, the Italian government has invested nearly €80 million in infrastructure, including the refurbishment of a long-abandoned arena in Tor Vergata, which will host several major events. Parishes, religious institutes, and civil agencies across the region have also been mobilised to welcome the pilgrims and ensure a smooth and hospitable experience.
The Jubilee of Youth is expected to be one of the largest Catholic gatherings since World Youth Day, offering young people a unique encounter with faith, community, and the universal Church in the heart of Rome.
