Farewell to Porto, off to Lisbon

The Catholic News reporter, Renée Smith is among the group of 35 pilgrims at World Youth Day 2023. Stay connected to The Catholic News each week or follow us on social media @catholicnewstt for stories, videos, and photos of the 15-day pilgrimage.

The 35 pilgrims who left for Portugal have already heeded their Archbishop’s call to shine the Trinbagonian spirit brightly wherever their journey finds them.

There was an emotional farewell to the municipality of Louredo, Porto on Monday, July 31 where the T&T contingent resided for five days. That morning, they began their journey to Fatima and Lisbon for official World Youth Day (WYD) activities.

Host families and pilgrims cried, laughed, and embraced, remembered the moments spent together and, in some ways, grieved the departure of the ones for whom they grew to care deeply.

The parish of Sao Cristavao (St Christopher) presented to Trinidad and Tobago their municipality’s flag and a statue of St Christopher which pilgrim chaplain, Fr Kenwyn Sylvester accepted on behalf of the group.

The Sao Cristavao parishioners also revealed Trinidad and Tobago will “forever be engraved” in their parish community as a stone slab was erected in honour of the Trinbagonian visitors.

President of the Portuguese group who coordinated the host families, José Borges, expressed in Portuguese the love and joy they felt from the CatholicTT family. Filipa Dias of another host family helped translate.

“You all are one of the best groups that visited and really brought the most joy to the community. We are really grateful for that. You all are going to stay in our hearts forever. Know that when you come back you will always be welcomed.”

An official Porto farewell

 The previous day (Sunday, July 30), the parishes of Porto collaborated and hosted an open-air Mass at Capela de Nossa Senhora dos Chao em Bitarães for all visiting pilgrims who stayed in the city of Porto for ‘Days in the Diocese’ including Trinidad and Tobago and other countries like Mexico, Poland, and South Africa.

The liturgy also incorporated the foreign pilgrims from the varied dioceses and integrated the languages spoken by them. The Archdiocese of Port of Spain was responsible for the second reading and a prayer of intercession. These were done by Sherrinne Goodridge and Chrystal Joseph, respectively.

The T&T contingent left a mark on the Eucharistic celebration as they were asked to sing for the recessional with local favourites.

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Archbishop Buti Joseph Tlhagale OMI of the Archdiocese of Johannesburg, South Africa was the chief celebrant. Several priests concelebrated including Fr Sylvester.

The Archbishop said the WYD pilgrimage is a lesson for all pilgrims to be kind and generous to each other even if they are complete strangers. “May this pilgrimage plant in the hearts of you to serve in the Church as Christian, Religious or otherwise. Do not be ‘stingy’ [a colloquial word used to describe selfish].”

He called for pilgrims to go out with their “hearts burning on the road to World Youth Day” which is known for its traditional Pilgrim Walks. “When you pilgrimage, find the peace and joy of Christ.”

A sharing in the churchyard concluded the day.