The World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 event ended two weeks ago. In the first days of August, Lisbon became the meeting point for 1,500,000,000 young pilgrims worldwide. This was the 16th edition of an event that began in Rome in 1984 and has already traveled to the world’s four corners. St. John Paul II foresaw the good in promoting meetings that celebrated life. His appeal to young people was to use their energy, enthusiasm, and ideals so that the Gospel of Life could penetrate the heart of society and transform people’s hearts.
The concept of WYD emphasizes the Catholic Church’s universality. Those who attended WYDs during their youth, like myself, can attest to the life-changing experience it offers. In this article, you can discover the remarkable events during WYD and their connection to Medicine.
Lisbon hosted WYD from Aug 1-6, 2023, doubling the city’s population. Authorities worked hard to accommodate and provide transport, sanitation, health care, and food for the pilgrims. The impressive feat was made possible entirely due to the tireless commitment of 30,000 volunteers.
The ability of the Holy Father to establish a deep connection with young people was truly remarkable. Through his speeches, he conveyed his message in a simple yet impactful way that resonated with every listener. “Everyone, everyone, everyone,” repeated Peter’s successor several times. And he asked the young people to repeat it in unison. At 87, he was the youngest of all those present.
Over time, WYD has evolved beyond being solely religious mega-celebrations with the Pope and has become a week-long event packed with various activities. To be specific, I will mention four events. Parque do Perdão (Reconciliation Park), with its 150 confessionals, was built in the riverside area of the city, home to several world heritage monuments and where tourists typically abound. One hundred fifty confessionals were constantly full. Only God knows how many pilgrims were reconciled with Him. A second example was the new model of catechesis, prepared by the local organizing committee, Rise Up. These catecheses took place in 270 churches and other spaces that welcome pilgrims in about 30 languages. One of the new features in this edition was the Missionary Gesture. A devoted team worked tirelessly to bring WYD to individuals who could not attend in person due to being in nursing homes, hospitals, prisons, drug addiction centers, or having disabilities. They visited approximately 600 institutions and reached out to over 48,000 people. Lastly, there was the Youth Festival – a series of cultural, religious, and sports events that aim to spread joy, promote universality and faith while highlighting the Catholic Church’s relevance to young people. The festival showcases how the Church can use contemporary language to fulfill its mission of bringing Christ to the youth.
In this context, Medicine could not fail to be present. The International Federation of Associations of Catholic Doctors (FIAMC) recognizes these WYDs as an excellent opportunity to meet young people instead of calling them to our meetings. And we did it in three ways: we created Societas Lucae, held Tirocinium (the first summer camp for Catholic doctors), and organized the III Young Catholic Doctors International Meeting.
Societas Lucae
During the XXVI FIAMC World Congress for Catholic Physicians held in Rome in September 2022, a day was dedicated to young people. The intention was to continue reaching out to medical students and doctors in training. A group of doctors from Brazil, USA, Portugal, Croatia, and Holland initiated a reflection on this matter.
Our initial plan was to revamp the FIAMC youth division, now known as Societas Lucae. The reasoning behind using Latin was its status as the Church’s universal language. Our name reflects a brotherhood guided by St. Luke and the word “light,” which is the root of the Evangelist’s name.
Our motto is “Inspiring medical students and young physicians to follow the call to greatness as courageous Catholic physicians.” In our manifesto, we affirm the certainty of Christ’s presence in each patient, our commitment to caring for everyone, the comfort of companionship on our journey, and the courage we want to fulfill our vocation. As a part of our renovation, we have developed a new graphic design better tailored to our young target audience.
Tirocinium
The inaugural event hosted by Societas Lucae was a summer camp for medical students and young doctors in training. We chose the name Tirocinium because its Latin meaning emphasizes the significance of learning experiences, starting a journey, and a period of apprenticeship. We aim to offer these things to medical students and young doctors in training who pursue this field. We were inspired by the unforgettable experiences some of us had at Catholic summer camps and believed that a similar concept could be adapted for medical students and young doctors in training. We owe a great debt to the numerous sponsors who made Tirocinium possible.
The concept of Tirocinium is to provide its participants with an intense community experience that combines fun and prayer. Good fun and faithful prayer. Based on our experience with summer camps, certain key elements are necessary. The first is nature, “the expression of a plan of love and truth” (Pope Francis, Laudato Si). The camp must take place in a rustic, beautiful, isolated space, away from the city’s hustle and bustle, that allows one to experience the beauty of creation without distractions. The second is detachment. We challenged the participants to leave their cell phones in their backpacks so they could be fully involved in every field activity, living human relationships to the fullest. The third is the service. All participants are part of the daily schedule (cleaning, tidying, and meals) and prayer moments (morning, evening, Mass chants), making everyone co-responsible for the camp’s success. The fourth is the Circle. In the shade of large pine trees, this was the meeting place for everyone for meals, lectures, games, and entertainment. Because it is a circle, it facilitates the encounter by allowing us always to see each other.
For a year, we carefully prepared Tirocinium. We invited all Catholic medical associations to send young medical students or doctors in training. Here’s what the invitation said:
You are not alone in your challenges as a Catholic in Medicine. In the words of the late Pope Benedict, “You were not made for comfort. You were made for greatness.” We believe that from the beginning of our medical career, our desire to recognize Christ in each patient makes us different. We stand out from our peers. We face hardship. We need mentors and friends to support us through the challenge! We recognize that the world, and the Church, need young leaders willing to speak out when patients are not treated with the love and dignity they deserve. The Tirocinium is when we will bring together this inaugural cohort of young medical leaders for formation and fellowship.
Tirocinium occurred four days before WYD at a lovely family farm on Lisbon’s outskirts that focuses on horse-related activities and agriculture. The organizers who prepared the camp, called Mentors, came from Brazil, Croatia, Holland, Portugal, and USA. The participants, which we called Novices, came from Albania, Belgium, Brazil, Croatia, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, the USA, and Ukraine. We were blessed to have two priests, Fr. Bernardo Magalhães from Portugal, Fr. Anthony Bedient from the USA, and one bishop, Mons. Marian Eleganti from Switzerland, FIAMC’s Spiritual Assistant. This first Tirocinium had 55 participants!
The first day was dedicated to Vocation. Following the morning prayer, Mons. Eleganti’s conference provided an excellent starting point for discussions in the six Teams that the Novices were divided into. These small groups made it easier for everyone to share their joys and challenges as they discovered their calling in medicine. We spent the afternoon participating in a rustic and unique version of the Olympic games, complete with mud and water. The competition was hilarious. This is how the fellowship was formed.
The second day was Bioethics. Every team was assigned a complex bioethics case to analyze. Afterward, they presented their conclusions to the entire group in the Circle, which allowed for a great discussion led by Mentors. This contributed to the proper moral development of the Novices’ consciences. One Novice said, “This morning felt like an appetizer for a larger session.” In the afternoon, we engaged in a sophisticated simulation game that simulated a small society. The game involved various tasks to earn “money” that could be used to trade or buy goods and services (as well as opportunities to cheat…). Judges picked the winning team based on their decision-making skills.
On the third day, we focused on Leadership. We were fortunate to hear inspiring stories from the Mentors who were present, and even the Director of the Faculty of Medicine at the Catholic University came to share his experiences. In the afternoon, we participated in a second simulation game. This activity was conducted by a professional company specializing in conveying corporate messages with a smile. After the game, the debriefing was very instructive regarding each team’s decisions about the others as leaders. The final mass was an emotional moment. Even though our time together was brief, it felt like we had spent a whole week with one another.
All these activities took place in a lively, joyful, and spontaneous atmosphere, even during mealtimes. There was also a prank night, the nightly comical soap opera, and the talent show, in which the various countries presented their unique cultures.
Ultimately, this group developed a friendship founded on Christ, a brotherhood that will continue to mark us. We proved that the concept works. One participant said, “It seemed they were speaking directly to me the entire time.” And another wrote “#TirociniumForEver”. In the face of this success, we are firmly committed to organizing new editions of Tirocinium in other countries.
III Young Catholic Doctors International Meeting
During the last two World Youth Days (Panama 2019 and Cracow 2016), the FIAMC arranged a meeting for young physicians, which had approximately 30 attendees in each session. This year, the FIAMC has organized the third meeting.
It was astonishing to see the overwhelming turnout for the event. As I stepped into the sleek and well-furnished auditorium, I was taken aback by the long queue of young individuals waiting patiently for the doors to open. It extended all the way around the block! The turnout for our meeting was successful due to effective publicity, positive feedback from previous Tirocinium experiences, and the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, which motivated many young medical students to attend. Over 200 people attended the event, leaving many others unable to join. A second session was held for the 30+ individuals who remained waiting. When the audience was asked where they came from during the event, it was touching to see the diverse representation of many different countries.
The meeting lasted for two hours and started with an introduction of the Mentors present, the FIAMC, and the history of these meetings. Subsequently, a few participants from Tirocinium shared their experiences on stage. It was heartwarming to learn that Tirocinium had positively impacted these young individuals, and we must continue nurturing the seed planted in their hearts. One participant said: “at the beginning, it all seemed a bit uncomfortable, but in the end, it all made sense because we are not made for comfort, but for the cross”. Toward the end of the conference, attendees from three countries approached me, seeking guidance in setting up a Catholic Medical association in their respective nations.
In the end, we gave everyone our Societas Lucae email address (societas.lucae@gmail.com) and Instagram username (@societas.lucae). We also invite anyone reading this to contact us with any questions or if they wish to keep up with our journey. We know there is still a lot ahead of us!
Everyone, everyone, everyone who came to WYD 2023 took the adventure of living the joy of the Gospel. Some have a strong devotion, while others have a tiny mustard seed of faith in their hearts. Nonetheless, all came seeking Jesus.
WYD is an encounter. An encounter between more than a million young people from all over the world. But the best encounter is between each young pilgrim and the person of Jesus Christ, which decisively changes their lives.
