"Jesus said, 'Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.' " (Matt 19:14)

"Please send them on their way in a manner that honors God. It was for the sake of the Name that they went out...We ought therefore to show hospitality to such people so that we may work together for the truth." (3 John 1:6-8)

Watch this video if you want to hear the full story: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zN2_XfsN5Sk

Heeding the words of Christ, we need your help to send around 20 young Catholics from the Louisville, Kentucky area to this year's World Youth Day, held in Lisbon, Portugal.

The first WYD event in 1986 was initiated by St. Pope John Paul II. These weeklong events where hundreds of thousands of youths (and sometimes millions) gather in witness of the Gospel, in the words of JPII, "have become a great and fascinating witness that young people give of themselves. They have become a powerful means of evangelization. In the young there is, in fact, an immense potential for good and for creative possibility."

The potential the Holy Father refers to is none other than the acceptance of God's will. To accept God's purpose for our life, we must not always know where our foot shall land. We only know that we must lift a foot. It is in ceding my desires to know what tomorrow brings, trusting in Providence, that I find the day filled with an abundance of joy and things to be grateful for. Giving the most bitter of alms has allowed me to discover more potently the sweetness of God. (Psalm 119:103) "For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." (Matt 6:21)

We must walk by faith. This is what I, and I believe many others going on this pilgrimage, have done. Most of us do not, reasonably, have the funds to go on this trip. Our savings accounts are meager and our other expenses, whether it be college, a car payment, or moving into a new, will not disappear. Yet our willingness to walk toward this destination is none other than how our faith is strengthened. We trust that if God wants us to go on this trip, He will provide the means.

“Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?...If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you—you of little faith? (Matt 6:25-26,30,33)

On the other hand, Christians have always relied on the help of others. Recall the 14th chapter of Mark. The disciples asked Christ, "Where do you want us to go"? (7) Christ told them that a man in the city would be waiting for them, offering them a room to stay.

I know that God will provide many kind and generous people to help us along the way, so therefore I ask confidently for you help. If you don't have any money to spare, I ask rather for your prayers. But if you do wish to donate any amount, taking away from some of the total costs for all twenty of us, I ask you to also trust God. Trust that your donation will not be wasted.

"The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver." (2 Cor 9:6-7)

In your consideration of donating toward our cause, remember the conviction of the former Pope, St. John Paul II: "We need the enthusiasm of the young. We need their joie de vivre. In it is reflected something of the original joy God had in creating man. The young experience this same joy within themselves...The young know how to express this joy in their own special way."

Thank you for taking a moment to hear our cause. Your prayers or alms will help immensely! Our gratitude will not be empty and you shall remain in our prayers always. May God bless you!

—Michael Snellen, 21 years old

This campaign is unpublished.

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