A Spirit-filled Day

Saturday, March 28 was, quite simply, an extraordinary day. My heart is full of gratitude what we experienced that day went far beyond the organizing of an event. We witnessed a true work of the Holy Spirit unfolding before our eyes.

Quebec's new Act respecting the reinforcement of laicity, which places new restrictions on religious expression in public spaces, was on the very threshold of coming into force. Against that backdrop, more than 5,000 people took to the streets of Montreal as they do each year on the eve of Palm Sunday, to bear public witness to their faith. The vast majority were young people, families, and communities from across our diocese.

Over the course of a five-kilometre walk, we saw a Church that was young, alive, at peace, prayerful, and full of joy.

This year carried a further meaning: we were also marking the 20th anniversary of the Palm Sunday Walk in Montreal. To see how this gathering has grown over the years, through challenge, through social change, through the long interruption of the pandemic, moved me deeply.

Two Gatherings, One Spirit

The day began at St. Joseph's Oratory, with two gatherings unfolding simultaneously, one Spirit at work in both.

In the Basilica, more than 2,000 participants had come together for Holy Spirit Day. One of the moments that touched me most was watching godparents pray over their confirmands. It was simple, sincere, and profoundly beautiful.

We also witnessed the launch of the diocesan children's choir for Holy Spirit Day, accompanied by Mylène Otou — a missionary with the Catholic Shalom Community since 2008 and a ministry leader for the parishes of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges and Saint-Joseph-de-Mont-Royal since 2024. Their presence brought a joy and a sense of hope that was palpable throughout the venue.

At the same time, in the crypt, filled well beyond its ordinary capacity, Father Pierangelo Paternieri, Episcopal Vicar for Cultural and Ritual Communities, gave a testimony that was deeply rooted in lived experience. You could feel the attentiveness in the room, and a genuine thirst for God.

Throughout the day, music accompanied us and drew us into prayer. In the crypt, young people from different communities came together, united by their love of music and their love of Christ. At the Cathedral, the Ex Cathedra Youth Choir and the Montreal Korean Catholic Youth Choir led the assembly in prayer with beauty and depth.

Then we set out.

The Walk

More than 100 volunteers ensured the safety and flow of the route. A particular word of thanks to the Montreal Challenge Movement, whose volunteers accompanied and coordinated the three vehicles that travelled with us the entire way. For all five kilometres, there was a peace, a joy, and a care for one another that was remarkable to witness.

The Cross at the Heart of the Walk

For me, the most powerful moment of the day was the cross.

This year, the cross carried throughout the walk was the very same cross that would be used, hours later, at the Cathedral for the dramatic presentation of the Passion. The cross that Jesus would carry in the Gospel proclaimed that same evening was the one we had carried together through the streets of Montreal. That continuity was extraordinarily powerful.

We were not just commemorating the Passion. In some real sense, we were entering into it together.

To see that cross pass from hand to hand, carried by young people, families, priests, and participants of every age, was deeply moving.

A special word of gratitude to Juventud Misionera de Guadalupe for the depth and reverence with which they led us into the Lord's Passion at the Cathedral. Their presence marked the day in a way that will not be forgotten.

To see our Archbishop, Most Rev. Christian Lépine, walking among us, accompanied by His Excellency Bishop Milad El Jawich, Eparchial Bishop for Melkite Greek Catholics in Canada, along with many priests and seminarians, was a powerful sign of a Church that walks with its people.

A Cathedral Filled, and a Silence That Spoke

When we arrived at Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral, there was not an empty spot to be found. People stood wherever they could; others sat on the floor, filling even the aisles. And yet a profound silence settled over the assembly. A silence alive with prayer.

It was extraordinary.

450 Volunteers, 50 Communities, One Mission

A day like this cannot happen without an immense generosity of spirit.

From the bottom of my heart, I want to thank the 450 volunteers drawn from 50 communities across our diocese, as well as the entire team of the Service Mission Jeunesse (Youth Ministry Service). Their generosity, their availability, and their joy in serving carried this day from its first moment to its last.

The SPVM, the Montreal City Police, even reached out personally to commend the exceptional quality of our volunteers and our organization. That recognition meant a great deal to us.

My thanks as well to Audiovec for their invaluable support with sound production across all the day's venues.

I wish I could name every community, every group, and every individual who contributed. There are simply too many. And in truth, without them, none of this would have been possible.

I warmly invite you to visit our volunteer appreciation page and join us in celebrating all those who said yes — with joy and generosity — to the call to serve.

Finally, a word of deep personal gratitude to all who took a moment at the end of Mass to mark my 25 years of service with Mission Jeunesse Montréal. I was truly moved.

Today, more than ever, I give thanks for what the Lord continues to do in our Church and in the hearts of our young people.

What I carry most from this day is the joy of bearing public witness to our faith. A simple joy. A courageous joy. A contagious joy.

And above all, a joy filled with hope.

We continue. For Jesus. Always.

Isabel Correa
Director, Evangelization and Christian Life and
Mission Jeunesse Youth Ministry
Archdiocese of Montreal