Sponsorship and responsibility

WORLD YOUTH DAY SERIES.

 

WORLD YOUTH DAY CROSS AND ICON.

Sponsorship and responsibility.

Forgive me for getting on a hobby horse but I feel the need to say this to potential pilgrims who may be partially or fully sponsored by their parish particularly or by some other means.

Many parishes do not understand fully the concept of WYD. Some people are for it, others could not care and others totally opposed, partly because of negative attitude towards the pope and/or because they felt burnt from those pilgrims whom they sponsored in good faith and did not receive full value for their money.  However, for those parishioners who contribute through a couple of collections or some other fund-raising activity to send a couple of youth to WYD, then they expect and deserve some value for their dollar.

Some parishes expect the WYD sponsored pilgrim to come back and talk about their experience to the parish at Mass. If, this is the requirement expected, then there needs to be some accountability and responsibility on the part of the sponsored pilgrim.  Not turning up to events, and then gleaning other people's experiences and making it out to be your own is foremost dishonest, but also the talk does not ring true to the parishioners who kindly sponsored you.  It makes my blood boil and it does nothing for the advancement of WYD for future pilgrims since parishes feel betrayed and burnt from the WYD experience.  Is that what you want for your parish?

So, receiving sponsorship from a parish particularly may mean responsibility of some kind.  This needs to be discussed fully so that both the parish and the pilgrim are adequately satisfied with the arrangement.  Do not agree to do something that you know that you will renege on later. Do not take the money, if you are not sincere about contributing to your parish after WYD.

Remember, sponsorship means responsibility.

Now I will get off my hobby horse, and say on a more positive note that sponsorship from a parish can also mean opportunities and growth from the pilgrim after he/she returns. Some sponsored pilgrims have experienced opportunity and growth including:

·                     Speaking at Mass and/or at schools about the WYD experience may be an impossibility before they attend, but grow in confidence and conviction to speak and desire to share how God touched them through their WYD pilgrimage.

·                     Gaining leadership skills that have been dormant but which WYD brings forth.

·                     Desire to be strongly committed to Christ and their personal spiritual life after WYD and taking others with them by forming a prayer group.  I know in my own parish that the Frassati circle and re-introduction of exposition and benediction were direct initiatives taken by WYD pilgrims.

·                     Joining and/or leading a youth group which is committed to both spiritual and social growth activities in that order.

Even if you are not sponsored by a parish but have received help from organizations or individuals, good manners demand that you at least write and thank these people. Should you have some extra spending money, a WYD gift may be also appropriate. Spending time with them, showing photos and sharing your experience is also highly recommended. It gives you an opportunity to share but for them to ask you questions also.

Going to WYD means that you are not only responsible for yourself, but as a sponsored pilgrim, you become an ambassador for God who loves you, your parish, your organisation and your country.

If you are not attending WYD but know of a student that you could partially or fully sponsor, then, please make that effort of goodwill financially.

Since my blog has its initial roots from my WYD experience in Sydney, I wish to explore an internet friendly alternative to traditional sponsorship.  On my blog you will notice a donate widget on the right side of my blog..  I hope that through your generosity that my newhorizons blog will be able to sponsor a well deserving pilgrim whom I have in mind.

Perhaps there has been or will be a post that has assisted you in some way.  You could show your gratitude by assisting me send a student to WYD.  If you are able to assist with a donation, small, medium or large, you can click on the widget and pay safely with pal pal. Your donation will be gratefully received and I will pray that the Lord will shower His blessings upon you.

I need to raise $5100 (AUD).   At the moment I have 66cents through a donation.  It would give me great joy to be able to send a student to WYD through New Horizons blog- Please help me to make it happen.

Let us make it happen together.