Testimonies upon their return

Next July 18-20, Activ8 will bring together Czech and Slovakian youth in Velehrad. Some 10 thousand young people are expected to take part in the meeting conceived as an alternative for all those who won’t be able to be in Sydney, Australia, for the World Youth Day on July 15-20. In addition to the youth from the Czech Republic and from Slovakia, youth from Poland and Hungary will join the encounter where a charity concert for Rutenia will also be performed. The program includes the Holy Mass, the Via Crucis, and various worshops. The event of Velehrad will ideally be linked to Sydney’s WYD, attended also by youth from the Czech Republic. “Velehrad is a symbolic place since this is where the roots of Central Europe’s faith have stemmed from and where Saint Constantine and Saint Methodius came to” said Katerina Regendova, member of the youth pastoral of the Bishops Conference of the Czech Republic. Sir Europe interviewed her. How many young people will be leaving for Sydney?“There will be 220 people who will be leaving from the Czech Republic. A large number of them belong to the pastoral youth or work in the parish. They are sent as testimonies or representatives by their groups of origin, who also support them economically. The trip was organized by the Pastoral Youth of the Czech Bishops Conference (CEC), which sought sponsors and donors that lowered the cost of the trip. For example, the Czech youth will pay less than Polish youth”.How did you prepare yourselves spiritually for Sydney’s Day? “ Firstly by reading and sharing the Pope’s message for the WYD. Small groups worked on the message and based on it this year’s ecclesial activities. It also depends on the diocesis. In some of these the youth service prepared various working papers which were published in diocesan magazines available to the youth. Another traditional appointment is the Sunday preceding Palm Sunday. This is an occasion for bishops to propose cathechesis for the youth before Easter. The youth who will be going to Sydney are all in touch with the Pastoral Youth at the CEC. They had a preparatory meeting where they got to know each other and created an atmosphere of friendship and community”. What does the Czech Church expect from this WYD? “Firstly, that it is living and strong for the youth. They will bring testimony of this experience once they return home. We have taken it at heart and are doing are best to prepare the meeting in Australia. A Czech meeting ground will be set up for our youth in Sydney. There will also be time to enjoy the natural and artistic beauties of Australia and especially to get to know Australian citizens of Czech origin. In the end, however, it will be important for the Czech youth to live a strong experience of the Church’s universality, gathered around Benedict XVI. This experience will enable them to return as new persons and be the testimonies of the Church and of the Spirit. I believe it will bear good fruits”.What will you be bringing to Australia?“Our life, our culture and our faith. In each Country there is a spiritual richness that can be donated. We will communicate to Australia’s youth the beauty of living with God. He does great things also in the WYD. We will tell them to be happy and strong in their faith and in their lives”.Will you also take part in the Days of the dioceses? “We will be in Melbourne, where we will be arriving on different dates because of the different flight schedules. It will be an occasion for the Czech to learn about the sites, the people and the local traditions”. Will your youth be accompanied also by bishops? "The 220 young Czech will be led to Sydney by two bishops: Msgr. Jiøí Païour and Msgr. Pavel Posád, both from Èeskobudìjovická, a diocesis in the South of the Country. Msgr. Païour is the delegate of the youth at Cec. In Velehrad there will be Czech and Slovakian bishops who will be close to the youth, celebrate masses and hold catecheses".