After months of being a service volunteer for the World Youth Day in Lisbon, a former campus minister got the surprise of her lifetime: a lunch with Pope Francis.

Audrey Abatol has been a fan of Pope John Paul II. Growing up, she has always been fascinated with the WYD founded by the pope-turned-saint.

Since November last year, she had been volunteering at WYD international relations secretariat after resigning from her work at a Jesuit-run school in the city of Mandaue.

Then the organizers pulled out a big surprise a week ago.

They listed Abatol among the 10 volunteers and pilgrims — six girls and four boys — who will share meals with the pope.

Their ages ranged from 24 to 34, and they all came from different countries: three from Portugal, and then one each from Peru, the Philippines, United States, Brazil, Equatorial Guinea, Palestine, and Colombia.

“It really came as a big surprise for me,” Abatol said.

The ‘beautiful moment’ took place on Aug. 4 at the city’s apostolic nunciature.

“It was really a gift to have this opportunity to spend time with him over lunch… it was really a grace from God,” Abato said. “Even though it was short, it was very intimate because we were just very few.”

Aside from a short note, the 33-year old said she also gave the pope an image of the Santo Niño de Cebu.

“He asked, ‘Oh, Santo Niño?’ It was a really beautiful moment,” she recalled.

Abato said they also had the chance to ask the pope a few questions.

“I asked him about how to spread joy to young people… and I was really touched by his answer. He said joy is not taught but shown, and that’s what I will bring back with me from this meeting,” she said.

“He also spoke about the joy of the Gospel and the importance of acting in a way that inspires joy,” added Abatol, who also attended previous WYD celebrations in Brazil in 20123, in Poland in 2016 and Panama in 2019.