This year, the Eparchy of Parma will be sponsoring one young adult to attend the World Youth Day Pilgrimage to Lisbon!

The scholarship recipient will attend Option 1: July 20 - August 8, 2023, a $900 value + the cost of airfare! The recipient will serve as a chaperone for an English summer camp in Slovakia. They will enjoy a European road trip to Portugal, stopping in Nice, Lourdes, and Fatima, before arriving to Lisbon to participate in the World Youth Days. 

Criteria

Applicants must be 18-24 years of age and faithful members of the Eparchy of Parma. Applicants should already have or be ready and able to apply for a passport upon notification of award. All scholarship applications must be submitted by April 1, 2023.

Selection

The Eparchy of Parma's goal for the World Youth Day Pilgrimage Scholarship is to support a young member of our Eparchy in the development of their spiritual and international experience which would enable them to be better faith leaders in their family and community.

A successful applicant will describe how this opportunity will enable them to strengthen their academic and/or career goals, their ability to be a leader in their church, and their ability to inspire their peers to walk in faith. Applicants must clearly articulate what they anticipate gaining from this experience.

A competitive applicant must also demonstrate the academic preparedness, skills, or experience needed to meet the terms and conditions below. 

A five-step process will be employed to review applications.

1. Applications will be stripped of identifying information by the Eparchy's Communication and Marketing Coordinator and provided to an independent committee for review.
2. An independent committee for review and choose 3 finalists.
3. The Communication and Marketing Coordinator will provide the names and contact information of the 3 finalists to the committee.
4. The committee will virtually interview the top 3 finalists before making a final decision
5. The Eparchy will notify the scholarship awardee by email by May 1, 2023.

Terms and conditions

The scholarship recipient will work closely with a Volunteer Coordinator in Slovakia and serve as a chaperone for an English summer camp in Slovakia. In such, they must take the VIRTUS Safe Environment Online Training. The recipient will also be in regular communication with the Eparchy's Communication and Marketing Coordinator throughout the pilgrimage and be required to photograph and film their experience, capture testimonials from fellow participants, and speak at the Eparchy's Annual Evening of Hope Gala, which will take place October 21, 2023. They must also provide an article of reflection for the December 2023 edition of Horizons magazine by October 24, 2023. Footage will be used in future Eparchy marketing and communication campaigns and potentially by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB). The recipient will also be invited to register to be a part of the National World Youth Day USA Alumni Network.

The scholarship recipient will provide receipts for reimbursement or the Eparchy will pay trip expenses (i.e. flight) directly.

Join us for World Youth Day in Lisbon, Portugal!

August 1-6, 2023

What is World Youth Day?

Every year, the Church is called to reflect upon and celebrate youth and young adults. World Youth Day (WYD) is an international gathering of young adults (primarily between the ages of 18-39) from all over the world with the Pope. It is a pilgrimage, a celebration, an expression of the universal Church and an intense moment of evangelization for young adults worldwide. Although its Catholic identity is clearly evident, WYD opens its doors to everyone, no matter how close to or distant from the Church they are. 

Since its first edition in Rome in 1986, World Youth Day has proven to be a laboratory of faith, a place of birth for vocations to marriage and consecrated life, and an instrument for the evangelization and transformation of the Church.  It aims to provide all participants with a universal Church experience, fostering a personal encounter with Jesus Christ. It is a new stimulus to the faith, hope and charity of the entire host country community. With young people as its protagonists, World Youth Day also seeks to promote peace, unity and fraternity among peoples and nations around the world. 

The international festival of faith in Portugal in August 2023 will be a chance for pilgrims around the world to come together with young people from every continent to pray, worship, and celebrate the Catholic faith. See the International Celebration page for more information.

"We invite all youth and young adults – in fact, every person age 16 to 35 in the United States – to join us. Whether you plan to travel to Lisbon, participate through digital media, or join your peers at one of many local celebrations taking place in dioceses across the country, we want you to be part of this moment in the life of the Church."

Archbishop Salvatore J. Cordileone and Bishop Edward J. Burns, Chairman of the LMFLY Committee and WYD 2023 Episcopal Liaison (see full USCCB statement here)

• ETIAS Requirements for US Citizens
• Passport Application Information & Fees (state.gov)