Knights Sponsor English-Language Center at World Youth Day in Brazil

Continuing their long tradition of support for World Youth Day, the Knights of Columbus provided financial sponsorship for the “Vivo Rio” center, a home for English-speaking pilgrims during the week’s festivities.

Throughout the week, the center became a welcoming home to thousands of pilgrims from dozens of countries who could pray, learn, communicate, share, eat, and be entertained all under one roof.

Joining once again with the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Holy Cross Family Ministries, Salt & Light Catholic Media Foundation, the Society of Jesus in the United States, and the Bishops’ Conferences of Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom, the Knights provided critical financial assistance to support the center’s activity.

The center, located within the heart of Rio, was a site for official World Youth Day catechesis sessions, as well as concerts, talks, and much more.

Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, Cardinal Sean O’Malley of Boston and Archbishop Mark Coleridge of Brisbane, Australia, were the three keynote speakers at the site. Each gave a catechesis address on one of the official themes of World Youth Day, celebrated Mass for the gathered pilgrims, and participated in a question and answer session.

Every day, a capacity crowd of nearly 3,000 pilgrims packed Vivo Rio for the catechesis sessions and other events.

The site featured several musical performances by Danielle Rose, Steve Angrisano, and British band Ooberfuse, as well as a number of talks by clergy and lay ministers on topics such as marriage and vocations. While official World Youth Day programming was underway, the site carried the events live, so that pilgrims who could not make it out to Copacabana beach could still participate. The site was also home to the House of Mary Adoration Chapel and a Vocations Corner.