The Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, is calling his young church to gather in Toronto, Canada, July 23 to July 28 to celebrate World Youth Day. Pope John Paul II created World Youth Day to bring together young Catholics from around the world to celebrate and discover more about their faith and each other. This international gathering of youth and young adults, which takes place every two years, is expected to draw hundreds of thousands of youth worldwide.

Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua, Archbishop of Philadelphia, will join Philadelphia youth on July 24th in Toronto and remain with the young people and the Holy Father through July 28th.

Two buses of teens from the Archdiocesan Office for Youth and Young Adults will depart by bus for Toronto on:

Friday, July 19, 2002

Departure Time: 7:00 a.m.
Cardinal O'Hara High School
1701 S. Sproul Road
Springfield, PA

Departure Time: 7:45 a.m.
Archbishop Ryan High School
11201 Academy Road
Philadelphia

Events are scheduled for every day while in Toronto. Some of the highlights are:

† July 23 - 5:00 p.m. Opening Mass for World Youth Day in Exhibition Place
† July 25 - 5:00 p.m. Papal Welcoming Ceremony in Exhibition Place
† July 26 - 3:00 p.m. Philadelphia pilgrims meet with Anthony Cardinal Bevilacqua
† July 26 - 7:30 p.m. Way of the Cross on University Avenue in downtown Toronto
† July 27 - 7:30 p.m. An evening prayer vigil with the Holy Father in Downsview Park
† July 28 - 9:30 a.m. Concluding Mass with the Holy Father in Downsview Park

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Contact
Marie Kelly
Associate Director
215-587-3747