Which home for them?

“Pastoral work” is not a luxury. It’s “critical to the Church’s future, and I dare say, to the future of Europe”. Thus spoke the President of the Council of the Bishops’ Conferences of Europe (CCEE), card. Péter Erdo, in the message sent for the meeting of the President of the Bishops’ Conferences of South-East Europe that took place in Nicosia from 3-6 March, in preparation of the World Youth Day in Madrid (August 16-21). The annual meeting held under the auspices of CCEE, upon the invitation of Msgr. Youssef Soueif, Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus, was attended by bishops from the Bishops’ Conferences of Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cyprus, Greece, Romania, by the International Bishops’ Conference of Saints Cyril and Methodius along with the diocese of Chisinau (Moldovan Republic). Dignitaries participating in the meeting included Msgr. Antonio Franco, Apostolic nuncio to Cyprus, Msgr. Fouad Twal, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, and Msgr. Aldo Giordano, Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe. In his statement Cardinal Erdo underlined that the WYD “are a sign of hope”, as they are attended by youth “yearning to listen to the Pope’s profound and significant words”, yearning to “convene for prayer” and “celebration” together with young people “who share their same religious devotion.” Speakers recalled the contribution of bishop Luigi Padovese, the late President of the Turkish Bishops’ Conference. A final statement was released at the end of the three-day meeting (full text: click here).The culture of the Gospel. Msgr. Youssef Soueif recalled the Apostolic Visitation of Benedict XVI past June, “whose echo is always present in our hearts and across our Island”. “Through their lifestyle and in their words” the youth “rooted in Christ” are “the conveyors of the culture of the Gospel” which “brings love to the world” through “peace, forgiveness, and openness to mankind”. The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Msgr. Fouad Twal, representing the Catholic dioceses of Palestine, Israel, Jordan and Cyprus, underlined that in the Middle East “a pastoral care addressed to the youth is indispensable”. In fact, “the youth are a driving force of the ecclesial communion” and a thrust to the dialogue between Christian Churches, as “many -if not all – of our youth activities are ecumenical”.The Orthodox Church and the President of the Republic. The meeting was marked by an ecumenical dimension owing to the participation of the delegate of the His Beatitude Chrysostomos II, Archbishop of Nea Giustiniana and of All Cyprus, of Metropolitan Isaia of Tamassou and of Metropolitan Georgios of Pafos. Participants were received by the president of Cyprus Dimitris Christofias, who addressed the situation of the divided island, a result of the Turkish invasion of 1974. President Christofias reiterated the importance “of living in peace”, respecting mutual “languages and religious” diversities. He pointed out the importance of “finding a political solution to our problem, so that those who left their homeland may return to their homes and recover their belongings”. The President added that he is open to “a compromise solution”, although it will be “painful”.WYD: not episodic. Fr. Eric Jacquinet, in charge of the Youth section of the Pontifical Council for the Laity recalled “the countless fruits borne of the WYD over the past 25 years”, which “contributed to the formation of young generations involved in Church services”. These are events “that have helped the youth develop a clear understanding of Catholic identity”. Fr. Jacquinet equally pointed out: “If the groups arrive in Madrid without due preparation and if once the event is concluded it will no longer be addressed, the fruits for the Church will be few”.The quest for a home. Young people today “are looking for a home”, claimed Fr. Francesco Pierpaoli, director of the John Paul II Youth Centre in Loreto. Quoting from Benedict XVI’s speech in Krakow (27 May, 2006), the priest pointed out that young people long for a home in which the “daily bread” is “love, forgiveness, understanding: a home where truth is the fountainhead of a peaceful heart”. “We must enable the youth to mature their questions within themselves”, he added, and underlined that new occasions for religious encounter as well as encounters with the Church are needed by “Europe’s first unbelieving generation”.Maronite villages. The bishops visited Maronite villages in the northern part of the Island under Turkish occupation and celebrated Mass with the community of Kormakitis, after having stopped over in a small church where is kept the most ancient cross in Cyprus. The bishops also held meetings with religious men and women bearing humble and fruitful Christian witness and spent an evening with the youth who staged the life history of the Maronites in Cyprus with songs, music and dance.