The Archdiocese of São Paulo, along with other dioceses from around Brazil, are preparing to welcome pilgrims for a "Mission Week" in the lead up to World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro.

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Portuguese is the national language of Brazil. So if you are planning to attend World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, here is a cheat sheet of common Portuguese phrases to help you get around the city!

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A delegation from the Vatican arrived in Rio de Janeiro Oct. 24 to visit the sites where World Youth Day 2013 will take place and decide on whether to approve them.

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Due to problems involving costs with the removal of warplanes and engineering improvements in place, the Santa Cruz Air Base will no longer be hosting the final Mass for World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro. The news comes as a Vatican delegation arrives in Rio de Janeiro this week, to visit the WYD major sites. The new location will remain in the West Zone in the city. The Executive Secretary of JMJ Rio2013, Monsignor Joel Portella, ensures that alternative sites are being examined: "With joy and hope we continue the construction of WYD".

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Blessed José de Anchieta is known as the National Apostle of Brazil, and was co-founder of the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro.

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Fundraising is an important part of your preparations for World Youth Day. Because this is a pilgrimage – focused on prayer, reflection, celebrating the Sacraments and deepening our faith – our fundraising efforts can have a profound spiritual component, especially as we seek the support of our Christian community. To help you begin on your fundraising preparations, The John Paul II Center, Archdiocese of Milwaukee, has prepared this fantastic "Fundraising 101" document for World Youth Day group leaders!

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Teresa of the Andes, or Saint Teresa of Jesus "of the Andes", was born on 13th July 1900 in Santiago, Chile. She died at the age of 19 in her Carmelite monastery.

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Are you following the official Facebook, Twitter and Youtube channels for World Youth Day 2013? Don't miss out on all the latest WYD updates via social media...

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Bishop Peter Comensoli, Auxiliary Bishop of Sydney, speaks to a group of World Youth Day coordinators who are planning to lead pilgrim groups for World Youth Day 2013 in Rio. The Bishop suggests 4 key points for leaders to work on: prayer, penance, planning and prudence. This is a great video for any group leader planning to attend WYD2013!

Check out the new Pilgrim e-Newsletter for World Youth Day 2013 pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Sydney! Posted on the first day of each month on the Archdiocese website, Pilgrim e-News which launched this week, offers the latest on package deals to Rio, the most up to date info, news from Australia's young pilgrims in parishes, schools, universities and dioceses across from the country as well as testimonies by those who were in Madrid last year or part of WYD08 in Sydney.

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