As a practicing Catholic, I hear constantly about how the Church needs to get with the times. "The youth just aren't into it anymore," they say. "They have to change what they believe to stay relevant."

I beg to differ.

World Youth Day goes beyond the claim of irrelevance, and to deny that fact would be ignorant and uninformed. As I am writing this, Pope Francis and half a million of his closest friends are gathered in Krakow, Poland at World Youth Day 2016. According to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB), World Youth Day was instituted by Pope John Paul II in 1985 "as an annual gathering of youth and young adults for prayer, worship and celebration of the Catholic faith." Every year calls for a domestic celebration of Pope John Paul II's declaration, and every two or three years, the Holy Father calls for an international gathering where he can be present to the youth of the Church.

What is the purpose?

The USCCB says, "The celebrations are important for three reasons: first, celebrating and putting trust in the young; second, making pilgrimage; and third, encountering the Catholic community."

These three things are important because they are the opposite of what the world and society tells the young people to do. Many people are losing trust in the young, thinking that we cannot live up to the standards put before us. The Church looks to build up the young people and to remind them to be not afraid. World Youth Day provides an amazing opportunity to call the youth "forth on a great mission of faith."

"John Paul stood among millions of young people here in the United States [at World Youth Day Denver], and told us not to be afraid. He told us to go out into the streets and proclaim the Gospel. He told us to defend life. He told us to become saints. He called us to the New Evangelization." - Bishop James D. Conley

The experience of making pilgrimage is biblically rooted and puts the youth in touch with their ancestors in faith. All throughout the Old Testament, characters like Abraham and Moses made pilgrimages of faith. Even Early Christians traveled all over the world to preach the Gospel. For World Youth Day, young people travel to the destination from all over the world. Some previous destinations included Buenos Aires, Manila, Sydney, Madrid, and Toronto!

It is also crucial for the young Church to meet each other who share the same beliefs. Catholic means "universal," so therefore, the faith is the same throughout the entire world! USCCB states "World Youth Day goes beyond 'being in contact' and gives youth and young adults a personal encounter with the international Catholic community they cannot get through their phones or computers - all in service to the ultimate encounter with God."

World Youth Day is a tremendous testament to the world that tries to quiet a loud, joyful witness, a witness that shows the world just how powerful the voice of the youth can be. All of them are seeking Christ, and to live their life to the fullest in the most fervent way.

Tell me the Church is irrelevant and dying, while looking at this picture from World Youth Day 2014 in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.

How about by looking at this picture from World Youth Day 1993 in Denver, Colorado?

These events throughout the many years since 1985 prove that the youth within the Catholic Church are touched by its existence. So many people are moved by Christ to aspire to be great among its members. I don't know how it is not possible to have incredible hope after hearing about so many youth gathered to be with our Holy Father.

We are alive, we are thriving and we are joyful!