YOUTH
The “joy of Easter ” in ChartresA Festival that conveys “the joy of Easter”, to “proclaim the victory of life over death, of hope over suffering, to all”, not only “in the Cathedral but also in public squares and across the city”. With these words Msgr. Michel Pansart, bishop of Chartres, presented “the Festival of Easter” due to be held in the diocese from Saturday 11 to Monday April 13. The Festival, a “place for dialogue between sacredness and creativity”, has been ongoing each year since 2002 and in 2008 5 thousand visitors attended it. This year’s program includes 60 concerts of classical, rock and rap music; performances for children and adults; art, sculpture and photo exhibits. A pilgrimage towards the Cathedral is scheduled for Saturday morning. “It will be attended by entire families and by the youth – added Msgr. Pansart – who will live the event as a moment of preparation in the form of a walk and meditation in view of Saturday evening’s vigil”. On Monday 13 Cardinal Philippe Barbarin, Archbishop of Lyon, will preside over a Mass in the Cathedral of Chartres that will be animated by the artists who “accepted the invitation with enthusiasm”, Msgr. Pansart declared. Past weekend (April 4 and 5) 3thousand youth took part in the 74th edition of the pilgrimage to Chartres of the Île-de- France students. For the first time since 1935, the year in which the pilgrimage was first held on the wake of Charlese Péguy, thanks to the initiative of two students of La Sorbonne University, the 14 routes didn’t start from Notre-Dame’s cathedral in Paris but from the respective diocese.”Like Saint Paul” in Madrid”Missionaries like Saint Paul”: this is the theme of the 6th Youth Missionary Meeting organised by the Pontifical Missionary Works in Spain next April 25-26. The purpose of the encounter is to present mission according to Saint Paul and join in the celebrations for the Day of Vocations of April 26 in Spain. The initiative is addressed to the youth aged over 18. Juan Luis Lorda, chaplain of the University of Navarre, will deliver the opening speech. In the afternoon the youth will have the possibility of attending different missionary workshops organised by youth missionary associations with the slogan “Proclaiming Christ in the five continents”. Angolan missionary Eduardo Tchipolo, formator of the Spanish Province, will share his missionary experience with the youth. The day will conclude with a prayer vigil attended by Sister Glenda, a nun from Chile and renowned singer and author of Catholic music who devoted the past 8 years to transmit evangelisation through music. Sunday 26 participants will continue their work in the missionary workshops. A holy Mass will close the event.Scholarships of “knowledge” in Rome”Working for the unity of knowledge and of the person is not only a cognitive experience but also a moral and spiritual one”, said Msgr. Mariano Crociata, Secretary General of Italy’s Bishops’ Conference during the “Palm Meeting” organized in Rome by CUC (Catholic University Centre) with the bursars of the first three academic years. In his speech, CEI Secretary General focused on the topic of “the unity of knowledge” understood as an “irrepressible” need, notably in a university environment marked by increasing “fragmentation” and specialization. The Catholic University Centre – that since 2002 is coordinated by CEI National Service for cultural projects – was established in 1977 when two initiatives pursuing similar targets were joined together on the initiative of the Holy See. Each year the Centre grants 16 scholarships to young Catholic graduate students that wish to continue their studying and research activity in view of academic and university careers. “ The unity of knowledge and the unification of the person are strictly linked – noted Msgr. Crociata – thus the person is placed at the centre of knowledge”. “The person is placed at the active centre of his own knowledge by mean of education, which must be understood as the education to raising questions. On the contrary, the unity of knowledge understood as individual experience, thus undermining the individual’s very unity, means coming to grips with a great deal of data that is learnt but not known. This data is stored as if it were mere information”, Msgr. Crociata remarked. Raising questions is the pillar of human knowledge and it paves the way to the question of truth: “This limitless capacity of raising questions that is inscribed within the human quest, is encompassed in the enlargement of the concept and the use of reason frequently mentioned in the Magisterium of Benedict XVI”, which requires “the unity of knowledge that is inseparably objective and subjective, the knowledge of truth and the quest and adhesion to truth”.
