It’s a long way away. For many, the journey is too expensive. And for students January is a time of school exams. For these reasons, with the intention of allowing young French people to live the emotion of the World Youth Day even if they are a long way from Panama, France is proposing numerous gatherings in all dioceses.

For example, in Paris, from 24^th to 27^th January there will be evenings of catechism and praise in many parishes, candlelight processions, concerts and the installation of a “Village JMJ ”  as a neuralgic centre of these activities.  The vigil for the “local” WYD in the French capital, taking into account that 5,000 Parisians will leave for Krakow, and that only 170 will travel to Panama, will be for approximately 3/4 thousand young people.

In any case, not only Paris but all the dioceses are preparing ad hoc proposals:  in Saint-Pern they will hold a  “JMJ en Bretagne”  on 26^th and 27^th January, while the young professionals of the three dioceses of Lille, Arras and Cambrai have been invited for a weekend in the Diocesan House of Raismes,  Lastly the diocese of Autun will gather its young people in Taizé.