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WORLD YOUTH
DAY 2002
Pope
Says He's Still Young at Heart
Addresses Audience at WYD
TORONTO, JULY 26, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
In his first address at World Youth Day, John Paul II presented the word of
Jesus as hope for a world marked by violence and injustice.
"The aged Pope, full of years but still young at heart," is how he
described himself Thursday to 200,000 young people from 169 countries.
"Never forget: Christ needs you to carry out his plan of salvation! Christ
needs your youth and your generous enthusiasm to make his proclamation of joy
resound in the new millennium," he said.
"JP II, we love you!" shouted his listeners gathered in Exhibition
Place on the shores of Lake Ontario.
The Pope, who seemed rejuvenated, went up to the platform on his own, with the
aid of a walking stick.
Improvising in Spanish -- "El Papa os quiere" ("The Pope loves
you") -- he began his address in English and French with a particularly
clear voice, wringing constant applause and cries from an enthusiastic audience.
While the Pontiff moved to the dais, two young people from each country, dressed
in characteristic costumes and carrying their flags, filed past on the platform.
The "Spirit Movers," a group of the L'Arche community, interpreted
"On That Holy Mountain," while handicapped people, accompanied by
their helpers, danced and waved handkerchiefs, while a visibly moved Pope looked
on.
Following greetings by Bishop Jacques Berthelet, president of the Canadian
episcopal conference, the Holy Father said: "I have been eagerly looking
forward to this meeting."
Then testimonies were heard as well as songs of youths from various countries.
These were followed by John Paul II's address.
"People are made for happiness," he said. "Rightly, then, you
thirst for happiness. Christ has the answer to this desire of yours. But he asks
you to trust him. True joy is a victory, something which cannot be obtained
without a long and difficult struggle. Christ holds the secret of this
victory."
A procession of young people appeared, carrying the World Youth Day cross on
their shoulders. This is the cross that has been on pilgrimage in the world
since 1984. It toured Canada and even went to the World Trade Center site in New
York.
The Pope's words recalled Sept. 11. "Last year we saw with dramatic clarity
the tragic face of human malice," he said. "We saw what happens when
hatred, sin and death take command."
"But today Jesus' voice resounds in the midst of our gathering," the
Pope exclaimed. "His is a voice of life, of hope, of forgiveness; a voice
of justice and of peace. Let us listen to this voice!"
After the meeting John Paul II returned to Strawberry Island on Lake Simcoe,
north of Toronto where he is spending a few days of rest. He will return to the
city for a vigil with the young people on Saturday.
ZE02072605
100,000 Pilgrims Shift
into Social Service
A Bungalow for the Browns Is Among the Fruits
TORONTO, JULY 25, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
Thanks to World Youth Day participants, Brenda and Barry Brown now have a roof
over their heads.
Late Wednesday afternoon, some 200 WYD pilgrims, speaking a half-dozen
languages, put the finishing touches on the Browns' new bungalow, the first
house the couple have ever shared.
The new house was a fruit of a social-service program manned by WYD
participants, the first of its kind at the event.
In this year's WYD, volunteer work was scheduled for Wednesday and today.
Organizers had a challenge finding projects that WYD volunteers could do at the
same time.
"Social service is an innovative interfaith and civic dimension of our
World Youth Day," Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, WYD national director.
"Volunteer service will leave a legacy of charity and goodness to Toronto
and to Canada."
About 100,000 pilgrims are participating in social service, offering 300,000
hours of service. They could choose to be involved in direct service,
discussions, or service tours.
Direct service included sorting food at food banks, environmental cleanups,
working with the homeless or the disabled, and visiting seniors. Discussion
topics include international development, homelessness, refugee services, and
youth service groups. Service tours let pilgrims see how Toronto agencies
operate to address various needs.
Of the 60 agencies participating, 20 are affiliated with the Catholic faith.
The Browns' home, for example, built through the Christian charity Habitat for
Humanity, was constructed over two and a half days, at a site less than 150
meters from where John Paul II will celebrate an outdoor Mass on Sunday.
The Pontiff will bless the dwelling from his "popemobile" as part of
an evening vigil the day before. After the Mass, the single-story structure will
be transported to Scarborough, a Toronto suburb. It will be the first time the
couple will live together in a house of their own.
Brown, who suffers from multiple sclerosis, now resides in a decrepit nursing
home, Canada.com explains.
His wife's residence is not wheelchair-accessible, and the couple -- largely
supported by Mrs. Brown's hospital clerk income -- cannot afford a place of
their own that can accommodate a wheelchair.
"We are just so grateful. We can't even believe it," said Mrs. Brown,
a petite woman with wavy brown hair.
The couple met when Barry Brown applied to live in his future wife's building.
She sat on the co-op board. But his health deteriorated and he became too ill to
live with her. In 1998, they applied to Habitat for Humanity.
The 950-square-foot home already has flowerpots outside, donated by a local
greenhouse. Volunteers stuffed the walls with insulation panels. The front door
is wide enough for Brown's wheelchair, and a front porch is already partially
assembled.
Milliard Fuller, founder of Habitat for Humanity, toured the Toronto
construction site to meet the international pilgrims on Wednesday. Founded in
1984 in the United States, the organization now operates in about 80 countries.
"We hope these dedicated young Catholics might be the catalyst God chooses
to bring this [Habitat for Humanity] back to their home countries," Fuller
said.
"Our goal is the elimination of poverty housing," he said. "The
only way we can accomplish such an audacious goal is to engage millions of young
people around the world."
The housing charity operates in 56 Canadian cities. The Toronto arm of the
charity is planning to build 40 homes in 2003.
ZE02072623
L'Arche Founder Tells
Youths to "Learn from the Weak"
Jean Vanier Gives Catechesis at WYD
TORONTO, JULY 26, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
The founder of L'Arche Communities for the disabled urged World Youth Day
participants to listen to "the teachings of the weak," in a society
characterized by a thirst for power and wealth.
Jean Vanier, 74, has seen L'Arche grow to 120 communities in 30 countries.
People with mental disabilities live in these communities in a family
atmosphere, with volunteers dedicated to their service.
The son of a former governor general of Canada, Vanier abandoned a brilliant
career in the Canadian Navy to dedicate himself to philosophy.
He left the academic life in 1964 when he met two young men with severe mental
disabilities who lived virtually abandoned in a public institution. Vanier took
them into his home in Trosly-Breuil, on the outskirts of Paris. This was the
beginning of L'Arche.
WYD organizers asked Vanier to give several catecheses in English, and a seminar
in French on social services.
John Paul II was moved by the sight of L'Arche's young men on Thursday, when the
"Spirit Movers," an artistic group of the mentally handicapped,
performed a choreography.
"The weak say to us: 'I need you.' If they are heard, a community is
created," Vanier explained in his catechesis centered on the Beatitudes.
"The one who runs the greatest risk is the one who says he has no need of
anyone," he explained. "That man creates war and competition. However,
to the degree that one recognizes 'I am weak, I need you,' we are willing to
work together."
"Are we willing to hear the weak one? This is the question. If we decide
not to listen to him, then we continue living in division, in competition, in
war. If we choose to receive him, then we build the future together,"
Vanier stressed.
The mystery of the weak one is "very simple," he added.
"He tells us that every man and woman is precious; that there is a hidden
wealth in every person, and that this wealth simply wishes to express itself
fully," Vanier explained.
"Having lived for more than 40 years with people with disabilities, I have
discovered -- and this has been a revelation -- that these people are not only
precious from a human point of view; they also have a special nearness to
God," he insisted.
"Yes, I really believe there is a certain mystery in the poor, as God calls
them. It is a mystery that is often forgotten. Everything depends, therefore, on
the strength to believe that the poor one is really important," Vanier
concluded.
L'Arche Communities, and Faith and Light, a Catholic movement also founded by
Vanier, have sent 500 participants to WYD. Of these, 200 will participate in the
liturgical services and performances.
ZE02072608
WYD a Bridge Between
Young Cubans and the World
Contingent of 200 Gets a Rare Opportunity
TORONTO, July 26, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
John Paul II at World Youth Day received a welcome from 200 young Cubans, the
largest group ever permitted by the communist government to travel out of
country for a religious event.
"This is a great experience for Cuban youth," said seminarian Wilfredo
Leiter, 23, from Santa Clara, Cuba. "It's a very rare opportunity to be
here as a Christian meeting the Pope. It really validates your faith."
The 200 pilgrims listened to the pontiff's opening address Thursday and
cheerfully greeted curious visitors from other nations.
Bishop Carlos Baladrón of the Guantanamo-Baracoa Diocese remarked that most of
the Cuban pilgrims visiting Toronto had never been outside their island nation.
"Young people in Cuba haven't had opportunities to participate in events
like this," the bishop said. "They don't know the outside world."
About 60% of Cubans are nominally Catholic, the bishop said, but less than 4%
worship actively.
Open worship is still discouraged, the pilgrims said, but Catholics can pray and
celebrate Mass in church basements.
"You need a permit from the state for any public Mass or celebration,"
Leiter said.
Traveling to Canada meant months of planning. The bishop and his colleagues had
to organize exit and entry visas and raise money through church collections.
Their main sponsors were Canadian organizers and the Vatican's Pontifical
Council for the Laity, which coordinates World Youth Days.
ZE02072622
Way of the Cross Hits
the Streets of Toronto
TORONTO, JULY 26, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
World Youth Day participants were expected to participate this evening in
downtown Toronto in a Stations of the Cross that put an emphasis on peace.
The event was to begin in Nathan Phillips Square at 7:30 and end at the Royal
Ontario Museum around 10.
The Stations of the Cross will feature young actors performing a Gospel
narrative composed by Father Robert Gendreau.
This Way of the Cross, the priest explained, is to remind young people that
"Jesus goes today with us; on the street, he meets us in our daily
life."
"This is the reason I conceived the representation of Jesus dressed as he
was 2000 years ago," he concluded. "Yet he meets with today's young
people, in the same scene. So this meeting appears with Jesus' message that goes
across time."
ZE02072606
Anglicans,
Jews and Muslims Work as Volunteers at WYD
Leaders of Other Religions Express Support for Event
TORONTO, JULY 25, 2002 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).-
Toronto's multicultural World Youth Day celebration is not just for Catholics.
Among some 20,000 volunteers, there are Anglicans, Jews and faithful of other
religions. Leaders of major religious communities have expressed their support
and urged collaboration.
The exact number of non-Catholic volunteers is unknown, because the application
forms for these jobs did not require the identification of religious
affiliation.
That the event is welcome, was confirmed by the appeal that Anglican Archbishop
Terence Finlay of Toronto made to his flock: "Christ calls us to love God
and our neighbor. This event gives us the possibility to deepen our relation
with God and to know our neighbor better." Toronto has 90,000 Anglicans.
The Jewish community has also responded to the occasion by housing young people
in its schools.
"It is an incredible opportunity for all," said Bernie Faber,
executive director for Ontario of the Canadian Jewish Congress. "Together
we can reflect on our future, on society, on good, and there is no better way to
do so than through dialogue and meeting. John Paul II's visit pleases many,
regardless of the faith they profess. It is an honor to receive him."
Amir Etemadi, leader of the Muslim community, is counting on the
"inspirational force" of the event to the point that he hopes that one
day WYD "will be held in various parts of the world simultaneously."
"This Pope is one of the most important world symbols," Etemadi said.
"I admire him for having been often at the center of events. We must not
and cannot forget that war still exists in this planet. Many conflicts have
their origin in the lack of dialogue between religious groups. To choose another
way is the least we can do together."
ZE02072501
Professor Hopes WYD
Encourages University Students
Christians Keep a Low Profile on Campus, Says Janine Langan
TORONTO, JULY 25, 2002 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).-
Janine Langan thinks World Youth Day will help Toronto university students
rediscover "the importance of a solid foundation in Catholic culture."
Langan is a philosophy professor at the University of Toronto who founded the
Christianity and Culture Movement. She hopes that the event will motivate
students to live their faith despite the anti-Christian intellectual environment
they might face.
Q: This hope seems to hide a concern. Is there no freedom in education?
Langan: There is a very obvious tension in Toronto, especially in universities,
within which disquieting events occur. I know students who are often afraid to
express their Christian attitude in front of professors.
Q: Fear of reprisals?
Langan: The risk of being publicly ridiculed -- something no one likes. So they
are silent, and take refuge in their corner, they passively join the mass,
despite the fact that in our universities courses are offered in which
Christianity is presented as something important, positive.
Q: What is behind these students' silence?
Langan: A cultural deficit. It is sad to say, but in the religious aspect, the
majority of our university students express a level of knowledge and formation
comparable to secondary or even primary school instruction. Clearly, they have
difficulty in affirming Christianity and the values in which they believe in an
aggressive intellectual environment.
Q: What is the solution?
Langan: We must prepare to guarantee a Catholic education but, first of all,
Christian, at a level that is really higher education. A complete view of the
Christian event must be presented in the universities. At the concrete level,
the rediscovery of Christian art must also be encouraged.
Q: To what degree can WYD help in this respect?
Langan: When the Pope came here for the first time, all Christians, Catholics as
well as Protestants, showed a surprisingly positive attitude. There was fruitful
cooperation. We can work together, after the visit, to give back to Christian
culture the scope it deserves.
ZE02072527
Montreal Cardinal Urges
Heart-to-Heart Talk with God
TORONTO, JULY 25, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
In his catechesis as part of World Youth Day, Cardinal Jean-Claude Turcotte
insisted on the need to speak heart-to-heart with God.
"What is important is not the position but the disposition," the
cardinal told his young French-speaking listeners gathered in the Automotive
Building at Exhibition Place.
Cardinal Turcotte, the archbishop of Montreal, encouraged the young people to
pray personally, but also to live their relation with God in the Church.
He was asked by one youth: "How can we be sure that we are in touch with
God during prayer?"
The archbishop of Montreal replied: "Is there anyone here who is in
love?" A few hands were immediately raised.
"Do you have an instrument to measure your love? No. Love is not measured;
it is lived concretely," the cardinal said.
"The same is true with prayer," he said. "Love is expressed with
the heart. It is not something we can put in a test tube."
ZE02072505
Text of Homily at
Opening Mass of WYD
TORONTO, JULY 25, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
Here is the text of the homily delivered Tuesday by Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic,
archbishop of Toronto, at the opening Mass of World Youth Day, at Exhibition
Place.
* * *
Opening Mass of Welcome Homily by Cardinal Ambrozic
Whenever I pray, I pray, whether I advert to it consciously or not,
"through him, with him and in him." This does not make my intellectual
and spiritual horizon narrower; it offers it, in fact, its greatest expansion
and depth. For when I am with Jesus I am in contact with the truest, the most
real and genuine human being and I am in direct contact with God Himself.
1) Jesus is a totally genuine human being. In him we detect no self-dramatizing,
no striking of poses. In him we find no quibbling about God's will, no
connivance with evil, no compromises, and at the same time no censoriousness.
His is total kindness, compassion, forgiveness, love. He was able to be "a
friend of publicans and sinners" without ever buying that friendships by
means of conniving and pretending that sin was not sin.
Jesus is convinced that, in his works, his words and his destiny, the Kingdom of
God is already present, that Kingdom which is the final purpose of God's
creation and redemption, the Kingdom in which God and His creatures are to be
fully united, where God's will will reign supreme and unopposed. This Kingdom
already exists in Jesus, making itself visible and operative in what he says and
does and in what happens to him. He already is what God expects every human
being to be. In Jesus we find an immense sense of responsibility which permits
nothing that is good in creation to be destroyed and resists the impatient
desire of a premature weeding.
The resurrection does not make Jesus outgrow his earthly existence; rather, it
preserves it forever. His words, spoken in time and thus subject to its
limitations, do not fall victim to its passing and oblivion but become, like
himself, eternally true and valid. His way on earth is not one of the untold
millions of human existences which cease to matter even to those most affected
by them, but the way for every single one of us. Jesus is and will remain
forever a Galilean Jew of the first half of the first century, who is now seated
at the right hand of the Father, living and reigning forever. He is now the
object of the Church's proclamation because God's Kingdom has reached full
reality in him and for us in him.
2) But Jesus is not only a human being, made eternal in his resurrection and
ascension. He is also God. On the Mount of Transfiguration we are in touch with
God's revelation; the Father alone knows the Son, and it is His to reveal him.
When Peter, shortly before the Transfiguration, confesses Jesus to be the Son of
God he is told that flesh and blood, i.e., his human intelligence and powers of
deduction, did not disclose it to him but the Father in heaven. To know who
Jesus really is we depend, not on our cleverness and insight, but on God's
revelation.
Who is Jesus? Light and whiteness are God's element. We are told that "God
is light and in him there is no darkness at all" (1 Jn 1:5). This light is
not streaming from outside of Jesus, as the sun shines through a stained-glass
window, but from within Jesus. God's voice then spells it out: Jesus is God's
beloved Son.
Yes, Jesus is a human being; but far more than that, he is God, God with us, God
made tangible and observable. Jesus is the greatest thing that could ever happen
to us, the highest sign of God's will to be with us, of His love for us.
Qui est Jésus? Lumière et Blancheur rayonante sont les éléments de Dieu. Car
"Dieu est lumière et en lui il n'y a aucune obscurité" (1 Jn 1:5).
Cette lumière ne vient pas de l'extérieur de Jésus comme le soleil brille à
travers un vitrail main émane de l'intérieur de sa Personne. La voix de Dieu
le dit clairement: Jésus est le Fils bien aimé de Dieu.
Oui Jésus est un être humain, mais bien plus que cela, il est Dieu, Dieu avec
nous, Dieu rendu visible. Jésus demeure le grand signe de la volonté de Dieu
d'être avec nous et de son amour pour nous.
Jesus is the Centre of all humanity, of all human history. In him all our dreams
and ideals, our greatest insights, religious or secular, find their ultimate
sense and fulfilment. As the Old Testament, present on the Mount of
Transfiguration in Moses and Elijah, Law and the Prophets, is incomplete without
him, so all other human insights, no matter how profound and beautiful, are
incomplete apart from him. Only in him will they find the heart of their heart,
the final truth and goodness for which they strive.
No wonder Peter exclaims, "Lord, it is good for us to be here."
"To be with Jesus" is the finest description of a disciple's being and
life.
3) The command, "Listen to him", is the natural consequence of who
Jesus is. In Jesus and through Jesus God shows us what He is like and what He
expects of us.
By being with Jesus, by listening to him and following him, we become one with
him; we become suffused with his own light. We become light ourselves: "You
are the light of the world; You are the salt of the earth."
In our day-to-day life, in our words, in our most ordinary actions and our
entire way of acting and reacting we are asked to show God's countenance to the
world. We are asked to be ready to make our defense to anyone who demands from
us an accounting for the hope that is in us (cf. 1 Peter 3:15). When occasions
arise we ought to present, calmly and confidently, the faith we live by; we must
refuse to feign the politically correct tolerance which imagines that all
religions and convictions and values are equally valid. Through us, the world is
to be drawn to Jesus, and with him to the Father.
[Text taken from www.wyd2002.org]
ZE02072524
Pope
Reads, Prays and Tours Strawberry Island
Tight Security Accompanies Him
TORONTO, JULY 24, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
John Paul II took a boat tour of the island where's he vacationing before
participating in World Youth Day.
Strawberry Island, about 81 kilometers (50 miles) north of Toronto, is owned by
the Basilian Fathers and used for retreats and conventions. The Holy Father read
and prayed during the day, still recovering from jet lag after his nine-hour
flight.
The boat tour ended about 1 p.m., when the Pope was seen being helped off the
10-meter, three-deck cabin cruiser and onto a waiting golf cart. He was then
taken back along winding paths to the retreat house.
These days spent on Lake Simcoe are the only days of vacation the Pope will have
this year. Preparations for his trip to Canada, Guatemala and Mexico kept him
from his traditional holidays in the Italian Alps.
John Paul II will leave Strawberry Island for a few hours Thursday, and go to
Toronto by helicopter for an initial meeting at Exhibition Place with young
people attending World Youth Day.
The Holy Father's most important meetings with youth will take place during the
Saturday night Vigil and on Sunday morning.
Security around the Holy Father is tight. When he flew by helicopter to
Strawberry Island, he was escorted by three military helicopters.
About two-dozen police boats from the provincial police force and the Royal
Canadian Mounted Police have been keeping private boats away from the retreat,
the Toronto Star reported. The Canadian Coast Guard has deployed buoys around
the 18-hectare (45-acre) island and there's a 500-meter no-go zone patrolled by
police marine units, the newspaper said.
Police are also keeping an eye on the island from a command post set up in McRae
Point Provincial Park.
The Pope's entourage during his stay on the island is small. It includes his
personal physician Renato Buzzonetti, and Sister Tobiana, a Polish nun who has
looked after the Holy Father for years in the Vatican.
Bishop Stanislaw Dziwisz, the Holy Father's personal secretary, said that
everything is in order to guarantee the Pontiff's tranquility.
On Friday, the Pope will have lunch on Strawberry Island with 10 youths (two
from each continent), to learn firsthand about their expectations and initial
experiences during this WYD.
ZE02072408
Pope Arrives in Toronto
with High Hopes for WYD
Chrétien Greets John Paul II at Airport
TORONTO, JULY 23, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
John Paul II, upon arriving in Toronto, expressed his hope that World Youth Day
will be a rediscovery of the essential values of happiness.
"Too many lives begin and end without joy, without hope. That is one of the
principal reasons for the World Youth Day," the Pope said today, before
heading off to Lake Simcoe for a pre-WYD rest.
"Young people are coming together to commit themselves, in the strength of
their faith in Jesus Christ, to the great cause of peace and human
solidarity," he said.
Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétien welcomed the Holy Father at Toronto's
Lester B. Pearson International Airport. On Monday, Chrétien had cast doubt on
whether he would show up for the welcome ceremony.
In his address, Chrétien, accompanied by his wife, Aline, acknowledged that
forgiveness is the key to ending today's violence. He cited the example of John
Paul II who forgave his would-be assassin, Mehmet Ali Agca.
Also present to welcome the Pope was Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman, a promoter and
organizer of WYD.
John Paul II thanked the Canadian authorities for their cooperation in WYD,
saying: "Thank you, Toronto; thank you, Canada, for welcoming them with
open arms!"
The Holy Father read his address in English and French with a clear though at
times shaky voice. Despite the long journey, he seemed in better form than in
the past weeks. He walked down the airplane steps, assisted by aides.
The Pope paid tribute to Canada's legacy, at whose heart is "the spiritual
and transcendental vision of life based on Christian revelation, which gave
impetus to your development as a free, democratic and caring society, recognized
throughout the world as a champion of human rights and human dignity."
"I pray that the World Youth Day will offer all Canadians an opportunity to
remember the values that are essential to good living and to human
happiness," the Holy Father said.
"May the motto of the World Youth Day echo throughout the land, reminding
all Christians to be 'salt of the earth and light of the world,'" the Pope
concluded, referring to the motto of the world meeting of youth.
After greeting those present, including children and the sick, John Paul II took
the microphone and, improvising in French, expressed the hope that WYD will be a
great success.
After the ceremony, the Pope went by helicopter to Strawberry Island, the
property of the Basilian Fathers, located on Lake Simcoe, where he will rest
until Saturday. He will leave the island Thursday afternoon to participate in a
meeting with youth at Toronto's Exhibition Place.
The 17-hectare (42-acre) island is used for retreats and camping. John Paul II
will stay in one of its small houses.
WYD begins officially today with the afternoon Mass celebrated at Exhibition
Place by Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto. Young people from
more than 170 countries are participating in the event, which ends Sunday.
ZE02072310
"A Time When
'Invisible' Believers Reveal Themselves"
Secretary of Pontifical Council for the Laity Views Toronto
TORONTO, JULY 23, 2002 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).-
Archbishop Stanislaw Rylko, secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Laity,
and responsible at the Vatican level for organizing World Youth Days, commented
on the progress of events in Toronto, as this year's WYD got under way.
Young people have filled the streets of downtown Toronto with color and
excitement, and Archbishop Rylko said that this was, precisely, the message:
"We are in a modern metropolis, where Christians often live in anonymity.
WYD is also a time when 'invisible' believers reveal themselves to the
world."
Asked about the prospects of Toronto's WYD he replied: "Every WYD is a
challenge. And this one, in particular, has had many, beginning with the famous
Sept. 11, which has created not a few problems at the operational level, to the
great distance between Canada and other continents."
Q: These challenges, however, have not detained young people. On the contrary,
they have shown greater courage than adults. Are the 200,000 registered up to
now, few or many?
Archbishop Rylko: Based on past experiences, we generally avoid talking about
numbers because in these events what is important is each young person who
arrives. Each one brings all his/her personal history, his/her problems, his/her
hopes. Therefore, it is not numbers that count. Each young person who arrives
counts.
Q: From the spiritual point of view, what is the distinguishing feature of this
WYD?
Archbishop Rylko: This WYD is organized within a modern metropolis and,
therefore, reminds one, specifically, of Denver and Paris.
It is a special experience, because it invites us to confront the modern
Areopagus and a culture that is largely secularized. This is why it is important
that young people, a good many of whom live in these metropolises, are able to
meet and see that there are many of us who believe in Christ and are proud of
it.
Q: What is your opinion of Canadian society?
Archbishop Rylko: I was impressed by the fact that it was the Canadian bishops
themselves who asked the Pope for this Day. And they did so because, as pastors,
they saw that WYD is an important event not only for young people but for the
whole Church, and for its place in society.
Wherever the faith runs the risk of being marginalized or lived with an
inferiority complex in relation to the culture, WYD is a great opportunity, a
gift, a grace. I think what distinguishes this Day is the fact that a relatively
small Church has had the courage to launch such an important initiative. Because
I am sure that, this time too, it will be a significant World Day, especially
from the spiritual point of view.
ZE02072302
Pre-WYD Conference
Gathered Seminarians and Priests
TORONTO, JULY 23, 2002 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).-
Aside from its 200,000 young participants, World Youth Day 2002 is also bringing
together seminarians and priests.
Eighty seminarians and priests from 23 countries participated in a congress July
18-21 in St. Peter's Seminary, two hours from Toronto. Today the participants
joined all the other young people participating in WYD.
"This is the Church," said Cyril Bagin, 25, who studies theology in
London, Ontario. "Many here have an idea made up of prejudices. Instead, we
wish to show that the Church is young, and able to be with young people."
Father Marco Gandolfo of Italy, recently ordained, added: "I have
understood what the word 'exacting' means. The Pope is exacting, the Gospel is
exacting, Jesus Christ is exacting. With the WYD, John Paul II encourages us to
aim high, not to be afraid to make strong proposals to young people."
Among the speakers and personalities attending the congress were Cardinal James
Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, and
Cardinal Jean-Marie Lustiger, archbishop of Paris.
"It is really important, especially for someone like me who comes from a
small church, to hear about experiences and problems," said Nigel Karam of
Dominica, Netherlands Antilles. "Here I have heard cardinals and bishops
who love Christ and their priesthood, a testimony I will not forget."
ZE02072303
240 Youths from Mideast
in Attendance
TORONTO, JULY 23, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
About 240 young people from the troubled Mideast are participating in World
Youth Day.
Around 100 young people from Palestine left Jerusalem a few days earlier to take
part in a Peace Forum in Paris with European youth, guests of the Fraternite
Monastique de Jerusalem, and Church of St. Gervais in Paris, before traveling on
to Toronto.
A group of 41 young people from Israel -- Arab Christians from Galilee -- have
been in Canada since July 17 taking part with other youth in preparations
organized by the Archdiocese of Montreal.
Jordan also has a delegation of about 100 young participants in Toronto.
Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah of Jerusalem is among bishops attending the event.
He will impart catechesis in Arabic, French and English for groups coming from
the Arab world.
Commenting on the participation of young people of the Holy Land, Father Raed
Abusahlia, chancellor of the Latin Patriarchate, told the Vatican agency Fides:
"We are sure that this will be a great occasion for them to meet other
young people from all over the world."
ZE02072308
Toronto Moves into the
Spotlight
World Youth Day Set to Open Tuesday
TORONTO, JULY 22, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
As Toronto braces for the invasion of over 200,000 people for World Youth Day, a
top organizer drew attention to the event's key purpose.
"What is important is that all the young people who arrive experience an
encounter with Jesus Christ, so that these days may really be turned into the
laboratory of faith, called for by the Pope in WYD 2000 in Rome," said
Basilian Father Thomas Rosica, director of the organizing committee of this
World Youth Day.
On their arrival in Toronto, participants are given a backpack of helpful items
for WYD. The backpacks were made by Canadian prisoners.
Most of the 200,000 young people who have already registered are staying with
families or in schools and parishes, and some are using sleeping bags.
Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, archbishop of Toronto, will preside over the opening
Mass at Exhibition Place.
John Paul II is scheduled to land in Toronto at 1 p.m. Tuesday. Following a
simple welcome ceremony, he will go directly to Strawberry Island on Lake Simcoe,
about 150 kilometers (90 miles) north of Toronto, where he will rest for a few
days. The young people will welcome him in Exhibition Place on Thursday.
Catechetical sessions, led by bishops in various languages, will take place in
more than 100 churches and civic centers throughout Toronto.
During the afternoons, young people will be able to visit Coronation Park,
christened "Duc in Altum Park" for the occasion. Priests will be
available for confession there. One section of the park will be reserved for
eucharistic adoration.
In Exhibition Place on the afternoons of Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, there
will be the Youth Festival featuring artistic, cultural and spiritual events.
There will be the opportunity to participate in social service projects.
On Friday, the Way of the Cross will take place in several areas. The main
procession will depart from City Hall at 7:30 p.m. and will cross the city
center along University Avenue.
The highlight of WYD will be the meeting with the Pope during the vigil Saturday
in Downsview Park, and the Mass on Sunday.
ZE02072227
What Youths May Ask
Pope in a Time of Scandals
Cardinal Stafford Speculates on Mood of WYD Participants
TORONTO, JULY 22, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
Cardinal James Francis Stafford believes that in view of current scandals, the
young people gathering in Toronto will ask John Paul II, "What must we do
to attain eternal life?"
The president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, organizer of World Youth
Day, summarized the impressions prompted by the arrival of WYD participants.
"We have lived through the events of Sept. 11; we have also witnessed the
eclipse of honesty in the market economy in the United States; we have seen the
rise of scandals within the Catholic clergy in the United States and other
countries, scandals that have shaken the confidence of Catholics," the
American cardinal told Vatican Radio.
"Hence, today we have to live in a world that makes us experience our
vulnerability, that makes us feel the need of the God who created and redeemed
us through the blood of his Son," the cardinal added.
Cardinal Stafford explained that "the Holy Father will hear the question
that the rich young man asked Jesus, and that now he will be asked by the
hundreds of thousands of youths who have arrived to meet with him: 'What must we
do to attain eternal life?'"
"I think this question today is presented, perhaps, in a more conscious way
than in Rome in the year 2000, precisely because of the changes that occurred in
the world context," said the cardinal, a former archbishop of Denver.
"I have the hope that, just as in previous World Youth Days, this year's
will also be full of surprises. In Toronto we see again the youthfulness of the
Church. The Church is always young, but the signs of her youthfulness will be
more evident in these days," he explained.
"I have the hope that the young people, who have confidence in this Holy
Father, this great and elderly Pope, will be able to see in him the sign of
their renewed love for Jesus Christ."
ZE02072204
1,000 Priests Ready to
Help with Sacrament of Reconciliation
TORONTO, JULY 22, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
One of World Youth Day's major offerings is the opportunity to receive the
sacrament of reconciliation.
One thousand priests will take turns administering the sacrament during the
event, which already has more than 200,000 registrants.
The initiative responds to John Paul II's wish to enable young people to
experience personal and sacramental reconciliation, a lost feature in some
countries because of widespread secularization.
The sacrament of reconciliation will be imparted primarily in Coronation Park,
temporarily dubbed "Duc in Altum" Park -- a reference to Jesus'
command to "go into the deep."
At specific times, 200 priests will be available to hear confessions in a
variety of languages.
The reconciliation schedule is as follows: Tuesday, 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m.;
Wednesday, 2-8 p.m.; and Friday, 2-6 p.m. On Saturday, at Downsview Lands, the
site of the vigil and papal Mass, reconciliation will be offered from noon to 6
p.m.
There will be no reconciliation Thursday because Duc in Altum Park will be used
for overflow capacity at the papal welcome ceremony.
The sacrament of reconciliation had a prominent role in Rome at World Youth Day
2000. The historic site of the Circus Maximus was transformed into a giant
confessional.
ZE02072208
German Youths Already
Looking Toward WYD 2005
TORONTO, JULY 22, 2002 (Zenit.org).-
More than 6,000 German youths are attending this World Youth Day as guests. Next
time, they might be the hosts -- if the next WYD in 2005 ends up in Cologne.
The German group is arriving in Toronto accompanied by 10 bishops, including
Cardinals Karl Lehmann, president of the episcopal conference, and Joachim
Meisner, archbishop of Cologne.
Also in Toronto is Bishop Franz Josef Bode, president of the bishops' Youth
Commission, who explained the contribution that German young people can make to
this WYD.
"To be 'salt and light' in the world in an atmosphere that is highly
conditioned by consumerism, such as that of West Germany, and by atheism, such
as that of East Germany, is a real challenge," the bishop of Osnabruk said.
In regard to the expectations of German youth in Toronto, he said, "The
young people expect to be confirmed in the faith by the universal Church and, at
the same time, they wish to make an 'on-site reconnaissance' to offer,
eventually, home hospitality during the next WYD. Because of this, we have
already planned a joint meeting of German youths in Toronto."
ZE02072203
Youth Day Occurring
at a Key Moment in Canada
Secretary of Bishops' Conference Gives an Overview
OTTAWA, JULY 19, 2002 (ZENIT.org-Avvenire).-
World Youth Day is arriving at a decisive moment for the Church in Canada.
"There are strong areas and others that must be profoundly renewed,"
explained Monsignor Peter Schonenbach, secretary of the Canadian bishops'
conference.
"What is happening in Toronto and Vancouver is very interesting, the result
of Catholic immigrants who infuse new energies," he said. "An Ottawa
newspaper recently conducted a survey in which it asked, among other things:
What values do you think identify Canada? The majority responded Christian
values."
And the points of greatest weakness?
"The situation of Quebec is a separate case, more traditionalist, due in
part to its history of reaction to the French Revolution and Jansenism,"
the monsignor observed. "It was a very 'contained' Church, and
secularization has given it a strong shake-up."
Regarding the nation's social situation, Monsignor Schonenbach believes that
"the country is doing well. However, along with the luxuriant nature [and]
the tourists, there is also the Canada of the poor and the desperate."
"The Catholic Church incessantly reminds the government about the social
problems, which will also be addressed during three WYD afternoons in
Toronto," he emphasized.
The bishops' conference secretary acknowledged that the prelates had expected a
greater number of participants for World Youth Day, both from Canada and abroad.
So far, 200,000 have registered for the event.
"The greatest obstacle for Canadian youth is summer work, very
widespread," the monsignor explained. "This is why we have asked
companies to give young people a few days off."
"Sept. 11, however, has upset the plans of U.S. bishops, who spoke about
200,000 pilgrims. Instead, for the time being, there are about 50,000," he
added.
"Others have been detained by Juan Diego's canonization in Mexico," he
said. "In any event, we are sure that many young people will arrive for the
vigil with the Pope." The vigil begins Saturday, July 27.
Some newspapers have criticized the Pope for staying at his post and undertaking
this trip despite his precarious health.
"Perhaps he no longer is the 'manager' of the Vatican, but his charism
continues intact," Monsignor Schonenbach said. "Here, among us, he
will be able to rest. And he is coming for them, for the young people. He is
really interested in them as persons. And they respond."
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