For over six months, hundreds of people had been preparing for the 35th celebration of World Youth Day (WYD) in Montreal, and this great event was completely thrown off course by the ban on public gatherings and the Coronavirus crisis. In spite of the initial disappointment, the Montreal diocesan Youth Ministry team did not stop there! On April 4, 2020 at 5 p.m., live on YouTube, the annual WYD Palm Sunday celebration took place nonetheless under the theme “VIVA”, inspired by the Gospel chosen by the Pope for WYD 2020: "Young man, I say to you, arise!". (Lk 7:14).

Pope Francis’ 'Urbi et Orbi message on Easter Sunday challenges us to ban indifference, self-centredness, division and forgetfulness during this time of Covid-19 – and to spread the “contagion” of hope.

Pope Francis invites us at Mass on Tuesday, April 14th, to discover that unity is greater than any division, and urges us to seek security in God alone.

Here is Archbishop Christian Lépine's fifith pastoral letter.

“So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell the disciples.” (Matthew 28:8)