杏MAP导航

By Francesca Merlo and Seán-Patrick Lovett

Adrian, who does not live 鈥渏ust around the corner鈥�, explains why rather than take advantage of the screens that come with the social media he works with, he decided to travel the 14,000 km from Parramatta, Australia.

鈥淭hese moments,鈥� explains Adrian, 鈥渆nable us to experience cultures in a way in which we鈥檝e never experienced them before鈥�.

No screen can offer a hug

Adrian tells Seán-Patrick Lovett about why he believes 杏MAP导航 Francis chose the theme for the 2019 Communications Day to be 鈥淥nline communities to human communities鈥�.

It is precisely this WYD 鈥渦nique experience鈥�, he says, that creates the connections that social media is reducing. Though social media creates 鈥渁 certain form of connection鈥�, it is increasingly doing the opposite: disconnecting people.

鈥淵ou see fights break out online鈥�, says Adrian. The human interactions like those experienced here in Panama help you to 鈥渦nderstand what the person really  means鈥� the nuances鈥�, which he says are so often lost.

This 鈥渋nterpersonal communication鈥� is something that 鈥渟ocial media just doesn鈥檛 offer鈥�. Perhaps this is what Adrian is referring to when he says that coming to Panama 鈥済ives you the ability to put our arms around each other鈥�.

Happy and hoppy

Accompanying Adrian is a group of young people, and as the pilgrim tradition states, they too brought gifts from their hometown to exchange with other pilgrims.

For one member of the group, their gift has already created unforgettable memories. He talks about "a man standing outside the Church, saying 鈥榮kippy鈥� and 'hoppy'."

It鈥檚 the joy that the local man got from receiving the 5 cm kangaroo keyring - (鈥淪kippy.. otherwise known as Kangaroo鈥�) and the way in which 鈥渉is eyes lit up, and he began to hop鈥� - that this young Australian will never forget.