The Jubilee experience was a beautiful moment of faith and hope – for young people and for the whole world. It was also a reminder never to lose heart and to keep trusting in the Lord.
Below you can read some of the reflections shared by the young people who took part:
Was the Jubilee of Youth a powerful experience of the Church, different from what you usually live throughout the year? What struck you most about this experience?
Yevgeny Spiteri
Without doubt, the week we spent in Rome was unforgettable. But what struck me most were two things:
- the immense number of people, especially young people, who came for the Jubilee; and
- the variety of countries and places from where all these pilgrims had travelled.
This was a new experience for us, so naturally we were both excited and a little anxious, since it was not an ordinary holiday but something deeper – a chance to live this moment together with other pilgrims and to experience a once-in-a-lifetime religious event. We knew it was going to be a great celebration for the Church and for Catholics worldwide, but we never imagined just how huge it would be. Even the simplest moments of Church life – like Mass, a time of prayer, or reflection – felt stronger and touched us more deeply, because we were living them as a group: as Tagaste Youths, as Maltese, as Augustinian youth, and as Catholic youth.
In Rome, there were more than a million young people present for the Jubilee. The whole city seemed transformed into a youthful city – everywhere you looked, you could see young pilgrims on their journey. Without even trying, when you saw all those people, you felt a sense of hope for the Church – especially in today’s world, where we often hear about faith and the Church in decline. During our week in Rome, we also had the chance to live our faith in a more practical way, and to reflect on how we can apply it once we returned to Malta.
We also realised that faith is not only what we learn in catechism classes or within the walls of the church building – faith is a way of life. It is seen in how we listen to each other, in helping fellow pilgrims on the way, in humility, and in finding time for silence so we can hear God speaking to us, even in the midst of noise and celebration. Too often, we think of Church only as Mass and priests, but this pilgrimage showed us that Church is so much more – joy, music, friendship, fun, singing…
What brought everything together was the presence of the Pope among the young people who had travelled to share in this joy of the Church. The pilgrims we met came from every corner of the globe: from Asia to North America, from Europe to Australia. We also encountered people from countries where Christianity is a minority – for example, from Syria, Algeria, Tunisia, and Japan.
Even though not everyone spoke English, we all had one thing in common that united us instantly – our faith. On the very first day, while waiting to enter St Peter’s Square, we befriended a young Dutch pilgrim. In the two hours of waiting, we had time to share stories and experiences.
Another thing that touched me was how, even though nobody knew each other, in the long queues we found ourselves in practically everywhere, friendships would start right away. This was another way in which our faith grew – as we shared stories with Christians from other countries, with different lives and backgrounds, but united by the same belief.
Photos: Malta Catholic Youth Network/Augustinian Youths
How do you think this Jubilee experience helped you and other young people in your journey of faith?
Daniel Cardona
During our Jubilee experience, we visited many beautiful and famous places in Rome – the Colosseum, stunning churches, and other landmarks. These certainly enriched our time there, but what made the experience truly special was that in every place we visited, we didn’t just stop at the buildings or admire the architecture – in each place, we lived our faith together.
One of the things we wanted to do was to visit the Major Basilicas of Rome. We managed to enter three of them: St Paul Outside the Walls, St John Lateran, and St Peter’s Basilica. We were fortunate to find moments when the queues were shorter, either because we went early or late. The churches were majestic, but they were also spaces of prayer and recollection. As pilgrims, we made it a point to always enter through the Jubilee Doors, and once inside, we would stop – either before the Blessed Sacrament or in a quiet corner – for a moment of silence and prayer together. These were moments we had prepared for, and throughout the trip, we paused often for prayer, both as a small group and together with many other young people.
Rome, as a city both touristic and religious, offered a unique place of gathering for youth from all over the world. The streets were filled with groups wearing the green Jubilee t-shirts, singing hymns from their countries, sometimes even cheering the name of their homeland. These were beautiful moments when you could really see and affirm that the Church is not dead, nor is it only for the elderly or fading away – but rather it is alive, full of energy and passion. What was also striking was that these young people were not simply noisy teenagers. At Tor Vergata, especially during the Saturday evening Vigil, we experienced a powerful moment of silence, where all those same young people were able to remain recollected in prayer. It was truly moving. The Pope himself brought energy, joy, and freshness, and with the same love for faith, the young people welcomed him, rejoiced with him, and shouted his name with enthusiasm.
Photos: Malta Catholic Youth Network/Augustinian Youths
You also visited places connected with the Augustinian Friars. Were there any moments that left a particular impact on you?
Jean Paul Curmi Cassar
During this pilgrimage, while visiting St Peter’s Basilica and other important Jubilee sites, we also had several experiences with the Augustinian friars or in Augustinian places. We visited and prayed in special places like the Sanctuary of Our Lady of Good Counsel in Genazzano and the Basilica of St Augustine in Rome. But what struck me most was the opportunity to encounter the Augustinians up close. A particularly powerful moment was our visit to the Augustinian cloistered nuns at the Monastery of Santi Quattro Coronati, where we could feel the peace and serenity of the contemplative life. For those who understand, cloister is like the hidden roots that sustain the great and beautiful tree of the Church.
You might ask – why am I sharing this? Because I went as part of an Augustinian youth group, and I want to share what I observed of the Augustinians during this Jubilee. I noticed the great love shown to us by the friars we met, in every place we visited, and in the moments we shared with them. We spoke with them, shared experiences, and always felt their kindness. Sometimes the outside world looks at religious or consecrated persons with criticism, focusing on mistakes or human weaknesses. But what I saw was their love, joy, friendship, and enthusiasm for us.
Above all, I observed that they live what they believe – and this is exactly what young people today need to see. We shared with the friars moments of prayer and spirituality, and we saw that their time for God truly was time for God. In one word, I can say I lived a beautiful experience. I share this as a young person in today’s world because I know not everyone has the chance to live so closely with consecrated people.
I wish to conclude by thanking all the Augustinian friars, especially those with whom we shared this experience, because they were a living example for us through their way of life. Dear friars, just as you look at us, we look at you too – and in this Jubilee I saw you living what you believe.
Photos: Malta Catholic Youth Network/Augustinian Youths