WYD 2000 Changed My Life

How could I refuse?

For the Great Jubilee of 2000, the Pope invited the world to his house to celebrate. How could I refuse that offer?!

So, I joined a small group from my church that was planning to go. For months, we prepared spiritually for the pilgrimage ahead, focusing on our faith and what it might mean to encounter the global Church in such a historic moment.

Before Rome, there was Benevento.

Before the main World Youth Day events in Rome, pilgrims who chose to participate in the pre-event home-stay program were welcomed in towns across Italy. Our group stayed in Benevento.

We were split into pairs and assigned to host families. That is how I met Gina, the daughter of the family I stayed with. Gina and I both spoke French, so that became our shared language. Her parents spoke only Italian, but somehow we managed through patience, gestures, and goodwill.

One moment that has stayed with me most vividly is going to the ancient Roman theater in Benevento to watch a live Passion play. Seeing the story of Christ performed in a place so old, in a region shaped by centuries of Christian history, made the faith feel deeply rooted and alive.

Rome opened the world to me.

Then came Rome.

As a language major, I loved being surrounded by so many cultures and hearing so many different languages. Everywhere I turned, I heard voices from around the world. Everywhere I looked, there were flags — from every nation imaginable. And yet we had all been brought together for one common purpose.

WYD was not only one giant event. Throughout the city, there were sessions in churches and other locations where we heard from a wide variety of priests and speakers, gaining new perspectives on life, the Bible, and our faith.

Socially, the week opened my eyes in just as many ways. I met people from Togo — some of the kindest, happiest people I have ever met.

I was also struck by the differences even within the American Church. I had grown up in a traditional Catholic church in the Northeast, with incense and bells at Communion. At WYD, I met groups from the Northwest whose worship style felt very different from my own. They sang modern worship songs with bands and seemed far more accustomed to mission work and openly sharing their faith.

That experience expanded my understanding of the Church in a way nothing else had. It showed me just how wide and alive the Church really is.

Then everything led to Tor Vergata.

The week culminated in the prayer vigil and closing Mass at Tor Vergata with St. John Paul II, where more than two million young people gathered.

Getting there meant walking in ridiculously hot weather, carrying my own food and supplies with no shade anywhere. And yet, even through the discomfort, I felt strangely comforted. This was part of the experience. Part of the sacrifice.

When we finally arrived, I was struck by the sight of that crowd spread far and wide across the grass under the hot summer sun. And yet people were in such a good mood — happy to be there together. There was a sense that everyone knew they were part of something meaningful.

Once the sun went down, I thought I was going to freeze. I had pared my things down to the bare minimum and was really wishing I had brought a blanket, a sheet, or something. I lay there shivering, looking up at the stars while millions slept around me. Yet, in that stillness, I finally found the opportunity that had eluded me all week: a chance to chat with God. He always has a plan, doesn’t He?

The next morning, I was inspired by the words of John Paul II as he spoke about vocation, justice, and letting Christ be your guide. He was compassionate, and he truly believed in young people. Looking back now, it is hard to believe I was in the presence of a living saint.

The story didn’t end there.

Years later, when COVID first swept through Italy, I thought of Gina’s family. So I looked for her on social media, and we reconnected.

Gina was working in a lab specializing in communicable diseases, so during those first uncertain months, we stayed in touch and shared updates as Italy suffered through those early waves and we in the United States were just beginning to grasp what was coming.

In 2025, my son and I returned to Italy for the next Jubilee. That parallel was not lost on me. What had begun for me during the Great Jubilee of 2000 had somehow come full circle a quarter century later.

We spent the weekend with Gina and her family again. We met her fiancé, shared stories, and watched a video her parents had taken of us during our visit in 2000. It was incredible to relive those memories and rekindle those relationships with my son there beside me.

And yes, Matt got to experience dinner with a real Italian nonna — complete with the loving insistence to eat more. Mangia! Mangia!

That may sound like a small thing, but it was one more reminder that this was never just a travel memory. Over time, we had become part of one another’s extended families.

Say Yes to Seoul!

The next World Youth Day will take place in South Korea in 2027. Its theme is: “Take courage! I have overcome the world.” I would wholeheartedly encourage anyone considering it to go.

If my experience is any indication, WYD can deepen your faith, widen your understanding of the Church, and stay with you for the rest of your life. Yes, there will be major liturgies and unforgettable moments of prayer. But there will also be quieter gifts: a host family you never forget, friendships across languages, and a broader sense of how God is at work in the lives of people very different from you.

I came home not only encouraged, but challenged to think more deeply about what I believed.

That is what pilgrimage can do.

And that is why, if this journey is even a possibility for you, I would say: take courage and go.

Plan with FTI.

If you’re ready to say “yes” to Seoul, FTI can take care of the travel details so you can focus on the experience. We can arrange group or individual flights, design pre- or post‑event tours in South Korea (or nearby countries) and offer travel insurance. For group tours, we will coordinate with the group leader to create a custom itinerary with spiritual accompaniment — something that fits your unique goals and budget.

Visit fellowship.com or contact mail@fellowship.com to request a quote.

Written by Jen Hefner, Marketing Director at FTI.