The official song for World Youth Day 2013 was released on 14 September 2012 - the Feast of the Triumph of the Cross. Have a listen to song here on Xt3!

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Blessed Adilio was a Brazilian teenager who died as a martyr! He was born on 25th October 1908, and was the third child of a big family of 8 kids! He was passionate about spreading the Catholic faith – his young age could not stop him – and so as a teenager, Adilio started to accompany the famous missionary, Blessed Manuel Gómez González, on his long and tiring pastoral visits to the native Indians in the region.

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The countdown is underway toward World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. Organizers have now launched a line up of 70 products so that next year's WYD can begin to have a presence on the streets of Brazil as well as the rest of the world. One of the hallmarks of this WYD will be shirts with images of Rio's famous statue 'Christ the Redeemer' as well as the city's cable car that offers views over the Sugar Loaf Mountain.

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Here is a downloadable print out of the Official Prayer for World Youth Day 2013, which you can share with your parish, youth group and students!

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Are you ready? On 14 September 2012 the World Youth Day office in Rio will release the Official Song for WYD2013! Take a look at this short promo video...

Are you a World Youth Day pilgrim from Australia or New Zealand, planning to attend WYD Rio in 2013? Then take a look at the Harvest WYD Tours website for your pilgrimage options!

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Isabel Flores of Olive was born in Lima to a family that was deeply rooted in Christian values and education. Her family nicknamed her ‘Rose’ as she was such a beautiful baby. Growing up, Rose participated in the spiritual life of the Dominican community through their spiritual center in colonial Lima at St. Dominic’s Cathedral. There she regularly received the Lord in the Eucharist, and learnt to pray. At the age of 20 she felt called to contemplative religious life, but to live this call within her family life.

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Registrations for World Youth Day 2013 opened today. “At the registration the pilgrim group can choose the type of package," explained the director of enrollments, Sister Maria Shaiane Machado. Enrollment in the official WYD Rio 2013 portal represents a pre-booking. Confirmation of registration is paid. Sister Maria said, “The pilgrim can now choose their package and WYD is organizing to welcome him/her."

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Frederick Ozanam famously said "Those who mock the poor insult their Maker". Frederick was born in 1813, and lived during a turbulent time in France, when unemployment and poverty was extreme! While in college studying law, Frederick realized that he although he was a good practicing Catholic, he was not doing enough to help those suffering around him. Surely being Catholic is more than knowing your faith – you need to live it! Ironically, this change in Frederick’s life actually came during a debate with an atheist, who asked him what he does other than ‘just talk’ to prove he has faith.

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Registrations for World Youth Day 2013 will open on 28 August 2012 (Brazil time). So if you are planning to attend the next World Youth Day, take a look at this page on the official WYD website: www.rio2013.com/en/registration.

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