Nine months to go” “” “

The countdown has begun in Europe for the 20th World Youth Day, due to be held in Cologne, in Germany, from 11 to 21 August 2005. France, England and Belgium are just some of the countries where preparations are in full swing, with the aim of being able to bring as many young people as possible to this event that follows the one in Toronto in 2002 and Rome in 2000. The various projects are characterized by the creativity of the young, combined with music, technology and obviously prayer. We present a brief review of them. FrancE: Jmj PHENOMENON. Preparations for JMJ, as the World Youth Day is called in France, are now in full swing and have seen various initiatives in recent days, testifying to vitality and enthusiasm on the road to Cologne 2005. Recently the French Bishops’ Conference presented the national logo for WYD in Cologne: 75,000 posters, portraying a large comet winging its way towards Cologne, will be distributed in the dioceses. “This symbol, used on T-shirts, flyers and on everything relating to Cologne 2005, thus becomes a means for the unification of all the French youth who are going to Cologne”, says a communiqué issued to present the logo. The logo places the emphasis on Europe, the context in which the WYD of Cologne will take place. But it also carries an invitation to all the youth of the world in the representation of the coasts of the African continent. Responsive to the Pope’s invitation to ensure the spiritual preparation of the event, the various dioceses are organizing meetings and moments of spirituality: at Tours the young met together for a vigil of prayer and adoration. Various workshops on faith, the meeting with Christ, service, the meaning of love and vocation are planned. Pilgrimages are also on the programme; we may mention one to the tomb of St. Martin and the mass in the gothic cathedral. In recent days Archbishop Ricard met the young in Bordeaux in the course of a two-day youth festival: meetings, debates and a theatrical performance (that will also be staged at the Youth Festival at Cologne) punctuated the two-day event. A youth meeting in PariS, by contrast, had a musical theme with the launch of “Compil’inXL6”, the first compilation of youth Christian music under the WYD label, promoted by the website of French national youth ministry. The compilation includes performances by the best-known groups of Christian music north of the Alps, including Glorious (well known in Italy too). A few days ago at Metz the first of a series of concerts was held, characterized by a novel encounter between tecno music, prayer and dance. The promoter of the experiment is the J Croix association of evangelization. The project forms part of the Year of the Call, devised by the diocese to urge Catholics to get involved in missionary action. The musical project of a mix between tecno and sacred was born from the meeting between the manager of a local disco and the Franciscan friars of Notre–Dame de Bonne–Fontaine, near Phalsbourg (Moselle). The first concert – on 15 May – was attended by over 600 youngsters, believers and non-believers. The show will also be proposed during WYD in Cologne. BelgiUM: TRAVELLING TO COLOGNE BY ANY MEANS. On foot, by bicycle, by car, passing through Liege, Aachen, Trier and Berlin: Belgian youth will experience the days of WYD by enjoying the hospitality of German families. Five routes have been proposed by the Belgian Episcopal Conference to experience the event. They will include meetings, marches and processions in Advent and during Holy Week to deepen personal faith in preparation for WYD. Further information on the website www.jmj.be or the hotline 0032/069/646253. ENGLAND: THE CARDINAL’S APPEAL. Cardinal Cormac Murphy O’Connor has appealed to English youth to participate in the German WYD. “Many – writes the cardinal in a message addressed to the youth of the diocese of Westminster – have returned from this event enriched in their faith. Others have discovered their vocation to the priesthood and to family life”. To describe more fully the contents of WYD the archbishop of Westminster will meet youth in the cathedral on 1st December. He made a particular appeal to those young people “who have no longer had anything to do with the Church after their Confirmation”. Also for English youth a special WYD website has been set up: www.worldyouthday.org.uk