Kracow, Poland is the host diocese for 14^th international celebration of World Youth Day 2016, which takes place from the 26^th– 31^st July.
RENATE member, Adina Balan, cj, is accompanying youth from Romania on pilgrimage to the festival together with another RENATE member Sr. Klara Marie Stranikova, Congregation of Sisters of Mercy of the Holy Cross. Their focus is on raising awareness about human trafficking. Both Adina and Klara Marie intend reaching as many people as possible and have prepared fliers for distribution- as attached, – to ensure people can be further informed.
Polish national, Aneta Grabowska, RENATE Secretary, attended some of the initial welcoming events, and states ‘’ It was a great joy to be part of the beautiful crowd on the  evening of the 21st of July, at the concert to welcome the participants of the World Youth Days 2016. This joyful event entitled: Faith Hope Love, gathered enthusiastic representatives from 180 countries who had their stopover in Warsaw before moving on to Cracow. The words of the hymn Amazing Grace held everyone captive. The animated conductor, together with additional songs, greatly helped the crowd sing together, even in Polish! This breaks the stereotypes of the difficulty of the Polish language!
It’s a pleasure to see the young people moving around in groups, learning about the history and culture of the capital of Poland. They get to know each other and have a great chance to share their faith and joy, altogether a very promising picture for the future! Anybody considering joining the World Youth Days in Cracow and doubting whether they are young enough, shouldn’t hesitate! There is a great spot with an 86-year old Polish Benedictine, Fr. Leon Knabit, who says at the end: “Youth is a condition of the spirit”. Don’t let your spirit age, come and join us in Cracow, together with Pope Francis!’’
A World Youth Day cross, made in 1983, has been taken to the Jasna Gora national sanctuary and the former Nazi concentration camp at Auschwitz. It continued to tour Poland until the World Youth Day festival began.
Pope Francis lead a televised Way of the Cross procession from the city’s Divine Mercy Sanctuary, followed by a prayer vigil on youth issues near the Wieliczka Salt Mine, and a final Mass in Krakow’s Blonia Park.
 
An event schedule and full information is available at http://worldyouthday.com/krakow-2016/event-schedule and there will be more updates on RENATE at World Youth day in the coming weeks.
Aneta has shared some video links:
With Fr. Leon Knabit in Polish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V_wIkF5ZuI
Official Welcome in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zd2na_BiYYw
WYD 2016 Official Anthem in Polish: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dygi2jPnHug
WYD 2016 Official Anthem in English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yoCH0sPrVb8
Hitch-hiking with Pope France to Cracow: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpeaJSiYaPg
 
Prepared by Anne Kelleher, RENATE Communications.