Models of Participation for

Dioceses, Eparchies, Movements and Associations

Finding the Model That Fits Your Reality

World Youth Day is more than a trip. It is a pilgrimage of faith that invites young people to encounter Jesus Christ, experience the universal Church, deepen their relationship with their local Church, and return home renewed for mission.

Across Canada, dioceses, eparchies, movements, associations, campus ministries, parishes and communities participate in World Youth Day in different ways. There is no single model that fits every reality.

The purpose of this guide is to help Church leaders discern the model that best serves their young people while remaining connected to both the local Church and the wider Canadian pilgrimage.

The Role of WYD Canada

WYD Canada is a national initiative of the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops dedicated to supporting the participation of young people from across Canada in World Youth Day.

WYD Canada does not organize a single national delegation. Rather, it accompanies dioceses, eparchies, movements, associations and Catholic organizations as they organize their own participation according to their unique pastoral realities.

This approach respects the diversity of the Church in Canada while fostering communion among Canadian pilgrims.

WYD Canada Provides:

National Coordination

  • Liaison with the World Youth Day Organizing Committee
  • Liaison with the Holy See and international WYD structures
  • National communications and updates
  • Promotion of World Youth Day throughout Canada

Formation and Resources

  • Pilgrim formation resources
  • Leader training opportunities
  • Best-practice recommendations
  • Safeguarding and risk-management guidance
  • Communications resources and promotional materials

Networking and Accompaniment

  • National information sessions
  • Opportunities for collaboration between dioceses and movements
  • Sharing of successful practices and experiences
  • Mentorship from experienced WYD leaders

Building Communion

  • Organizing the WYD canadian Gathering
  • Supporting collaboration among dioceses, eparchies and movements
  • Helping young people experience both the local Church and the universal Church

Communication with WYD Canada

Regardless of the model chosen, WYD Canada strongly encourages every participating diocese, eparchy, movement, association, parish or independent group to remain in regular communication with WYD Canada.

This helps ensure that all Canadian pilgrims:

  • Receive the latest official information and updates
  • Have access to national resources and best practices
  • Benefit from shared learning and collaboration
  • Are connected to the wider Canadian pilgrimage experience
  • Can be reached in the event of important international or national updates

Maintaining communication with WYD Canada also allows us to better support local organizers and to represent the reality of the Church in Canada within the international WYD process.

Formation, Leadership Development and Fundraising 

Each model allows flexibility in how fundraising, pilgrim formation and leadership development are organized.

Different dioceses, movements and communities have different traditions, capacities and pastoral approaches.

Recommended Practice:

Local Communities Focus On:

    • Spiritual preparation of pilgrims
    • Faith formation
    • Community building
    • Fundraising initiatives
    • Accompaniment before and after WYD

Pilgrims are most effectively formed within the communities that know them best and will continue accompanying them after the pilgrimage.

Coordinating Bodies Focus On:

    • Leader formation
    • Leader training
    • Safeguarding and risk management
    • Pilgrimage logistics
    • Communications
    • Shared formation opportunities

This approach strengthens local ownership while ensuring consistency and quality in leadership preparation.

MODEL 1A – The Delegation

Many Groups. One Delegation. One Journey.

A diocese, eparchy, movement or association coordinates a delegation composed of multiple autonomous groups from parishes, communities, schools, campuses and ministries.

The coordinating body handles shared logistics, registration and administration while local groups focus on formation, accompaniment and community life.

Pilgrims return home to the communities that sent them, allowing the fruits of the pilgrimage to continue long after WYD has ended.

The Coordinating Body Provides

    • Leader training and coordination meetings
    • Registration management
    • Accommodation coordination
    • Shared travel logistics
    • Multiple travel package options
    • Delegation-wide formation opportunities
    • Leadership development opportunities
Each Group Provides

    • Spiritual preparation
    • Faith formation
    • Community building
    • Fundraising
    • Pastoral accompaniment before, during and after WYD
Advantages

    • Strong leadership development
    • Flexible for different budgets and travel styles
    • Scalable for large delegations
    • Pilgrims remain connected to their home communities
    • Creates a network of leaders and communities

Additional Flexibility

A delegation may also choose to welcome participating groups from nearby dioceses or eparchies while maintaining the overall delegation structure.

Best For

    • Dioceses and eparchies
    • International movements serving in Canada
    • National associations
    • Large dioceses with multiple active communities

MODEL 1B – The Regional Delegation

Together on the Road — Each Church Under Its Own Shepherd

Several neighboring dioceses, eparchies, movements or associations collaborate for travel and logistics while maintaining their own pastoral leadership and identity.

One coordinating body manages the shared logistics. Each participating diocese or organization remains fully responsible for its own formation, accompaniment and pastoral preparation.

The Coordinating Body Provides

    • Shared travel logistics
    • Registration coordination
    • Accommodation coordination
    • Leader training
    • Common coordination meetings
Each Participating Diocese or Organization Provides

    • Formation and spiritual preparation
    • Local preparation events
    • Pastoral accompaniment
    • Internal leadership structures
Advantages

    • Economies of scale
    • Shared expertise and resources
    • Regional collaboration
    • Greater affordability
    • Maintains local autonomy
Best For

    • Ecclesiastical provinces accustomed to working together
    • Neighboring dioceses and eparchies
    • Smaller dioceses joining forces
    • Eastern Catholic eparchies
    • Regional networks of youth ministry
    • Movements whose branches across the country regularly collaborate

MODEL 1C – The Communion Model

 

Different Journeys. One Diocesan Pilgrimage.

This model combines the strengths of the Delegation Model with greater flexibility for established groups.

The diocese offers common formation, communication, leadership development and diocesan identity, while allowing some groups to organize their own travel arrangements, registration and itineraries.

Although these groups travel independently, they remain visibly connected to the diocesan pilgrimage and participate in common moments of communion.

Diocese Provides

    • Common WYD formation opportunities
    • Leadership training
    • Pilgrim commissioning and blessing
    • Diocesan communications and updates
    • Shared diocesan WYD identity
    • Common pilgrim apparel or diocesan symbols
    • Optional participation in diocesan gatherings
Independent Groups Provide

    • Travel arrangements
    • Registration
    • Accommodation planning
    • Fundraising
    • Internal logistics
Advantages

    • Greater flexibility
    • Preserves the charism of movements and communities
    • Allows larger parishes to adapt to their realities
    • Maintains communion with the bishop and local Church
    • Strengthens diocesan identity despite multiple itineraries
    • Encourages collaboration rather than isolation

Worth Keeping in Mind

    • Requires strong communication
    • Clear expectations should be established regarding leadership, safeguarding and diocesan representation
Best For

    • Large dioceses
    • Established movements
    • Campus ministries
    • Large parishes
    • Religious communities
    • Experienced WYD groups seeking flexibility while remaining connected to the local Church

MODEL 1D – The Host Delegation

One Delegation. Many Local Churches.

A diocese, eparchy, movement or association organizes a delegation and welcomes participating groups from neighboring dioceses, eparchies or communities that wish to join an established structure.

Participating dioceses remain pastorally responsible for their pilgrims while benefiting from the organizational capacity of the host delegation.

This model allows smaller dioceses to remain actively involved in WYD without having to build an entire delegation structure from the ground up.

Like Model 1C, participating groups may also choose to organize their own travel arrangements and itineraries while remaining connected to the host delegation through common formation, communication, commissioning and identity.

Host Delegation Provides

 

Logistics

    • Registration coordination
    • Accommodation coordination
    • Travel options
    • Leader training
    • Safeguarding framework
    • Communications

Formation

    • Common formation resources
    • Delegation-wide gatherings
    • Pilgrim handbook
    • Preparation tools

Identity

    • Host delegation apparel
    • Common communications
    • Shared pilgrim experience
    • Common commissioning and blessing
Participating Diocese Provides

 

Pastoral Accompaniment

    • Recruitment
    • Local formation
    • Relationship with pilgrims
    • Communication with families
    • Sending celebration
    • Accompaniment after WYD

Optional

    • Local gathering with their bishop
    • Regional formation opportunities

Financial support initiatives

 

 

Advantages

 

For Smaller Dioceses

    • Lower administrative burden
    • Access to experienced leaders
    • Reduced organizational risk
    • Easier participation

For Larger Dioceses

    • Greater regional collaboration
    • Stronger witness of ecclesial communion
    • More efficient use of resources
    • Opportunity to mentor emerging leaders

For Pilgrims

    • Larger delegation experience
    • More friendships across dioceses
    • Stronger sense of belonging to the wider Church
Best For

    • Smaller neighboring dioceses
    • Ecclesiastical provinces
    • Northern dioceses
    • Dioceses sending fewer than 20–30 pilgrims
    • Eparchies
    • Regions already accustomed to collaboration

 

Additional Flexibility

Participating dioceses, movements or communities may:

    • Travel with the host delegation
    • Use the host delegation’s travel package
    • Organize their own travel package
    • Register independently
    • Extend their pilgrimage before or after WYD

while remaining visibly connected to the host delegation and wider pilgrimage.

MODEL 2 – The Diocesan Pilgrimage

One Diocese. One Group. One Journey.

The diocese or eparchy organizes a single pilgrimage group and assumes responsibility for all formation, logistics and accompaniment.

Young people from across the diocese participate as one group throughout the entire pilgrimage.

Diocese Provides

    • Complete formation program
    • Registration and logistics
    • Travel arrangements
    • Leadership team
    • Pastoral accompaniment
    • Pilgrimage coordination
Worth Keeping in Mind

    • Less flexibility
    • Usually one travel package and itinerary
    • Fewer opportunities to multiply leadership
    • Formation happens primarily at the diocesan level
Advantages

    • Strong diocesan identity
    • Simple structure
    • Unified vision and experience
    • Easier communication and decision-making
Best For

    • Smaller dioceses
    • Eparchies
    • Dioceses with centralized youth ministry structures

MODEL 3 – The Sending Diocese

Informed. Blessed. Sent.

The diocese does not organize a delegation but actively supports groups that choose to participate independently.

Its role is one of encouragement, formation and communion.

Diocese Provides

    • Information sessions
    • WYD Canada resources
    • Formation opportunities
    • Commissioning celebrations
    • Pilgrim blessings
    • Gatherings with the bishop
Groups Provides

    • Registration
    • Travel arrangements
    • Logistics
    • Fundraising
    • Internal formation
Advantages

    • Maximum flexibility
    • Minimal administrative burden
    • Encourages grassroots initiatives
    • Maintains connection with the bishop

Worth Keeping in Mind

    • Groups carry greater responsibility
    • Coordination may vary between groups
Best For

    • Dioceses with active parish groups
    • Areas with strong movements
    • Experienced local leaders
    • Dioceses seeking a lighter organizational structure

MODEL 4 – The Independent Group

Your Diocese Isn’t Organizing? You Can Still Go.

A parish, movement, campus ministry, religious community or association independently organizes its participation in WYD.

WYD Canada Provides

    • Resources and recommendations
    • Best practices
    • National networking opportunities
    • Mentorship from experienced leaders
    • Connection to the wider Canadian pilgrimage
Group Provides

    • Formation
    • Registration
    • Travel arrangements
    • Logistics
    • Fundraising
    • Pastoral accompaniment
Advantages

    • Complete autonomy
    • Maximum flexibility
    • Adaptable to local realitie

Worth Keeping in Mind

    • Requires experienced leadership
    • No formal diocesan structure
    • Greater responsibility rests with the group
Best For

    • Experienced WYD leaders
    • Established movements
    • Campus ministries
    • Communities with previous WYD experience
    • Areas where no diocesan WYD structure currently exists

Which Model Should We Choose?

There is no single “best” model.

The best model is the one that:

    • Serves young people effectively
    • Strengthens communion with the local Church
    • Respects the charism of participating communities
    • Is sustainable for local leaders
    • Promotes both pilgrimage and discipleship

World Youth Day is not simply a trip abroad.

It is an experience of faith, leadership, mission and ecclesial communion.

The organizational model chosen should help young people encounter Christ, experience the universal Church and return home ready to share what they have received.

Looking Ahead to Seoul 2027

Whether you are a bishop, diocesan leader, youth minister, movement leader, pastor or young adult seeking information, WYD Canada is here to accompany you.

Together, let us prepare a generation of missionary disciples who will journey as pilgrims of hope and return home ready to transform their communities through the Gospel.