From Toronto to Cologne” “

Over 6,000 German youth are present at the 17th World Youth Day (WYD) which opens in Toronto, Canada, today, with a series of meetings and events extending to 28 July (cf. SirEurope no. 26/2002). The group is accompanied by Cardinal Karl Lehmann, president of the German Episcopal Conference and bishop of Mainz, Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, and a further eight bishops, including Franz-Josef Bode , president of the youth commission of the Episcopal Conference. Bishop Bode has also promoted the project “Religion between daily life and event” with a survey of the German youth participating in Toronto. The results of the survey will be analyzed by the Youth Pastoral Service to draw ideas and priorities from them. In view of the WYD that will held in Cologne in 2005, the German youth in Toronto will have the role of “explorers”: their observations will be taken into account in the organization of the next world day in Germany. We put some questions to Bishop Bode. How have the German youth prepared for Toronto? “Most of them prepared for the meeting with Canadian youth and for the great event in Toronto in the course of various meetings in the dioceses and communities to which they belong. They have informed themselves about the country and its history and have also got to know each other so as to go to Canada as a community of fellow-pilgrims. The Pope’s message was distributed right from the start and eucharistic celebrations and moments of prayer have been organized”. What are the experiences that German youngsters can offer to WYD 2002 and what are their expectations of the event? “German youth can bring the experiences of a very varied involvement in the Church: in an environment strongly conditioned by consumerism, as is West Germany, and by atheism, as is East Germany, being ‘salt and light’ in the world is a real challenge. Young people are expecting a confirmation in faith by the universal Church and want to ‘go on reconnaissance’ to prepare to be hosts at the next WYD in Germany. For this reason a joint meeting of German youth is already planned for Toronto”. What events have been planned by the German dioceses to enable young people who have been unable to go to Canada to share the spirit of WYD? “In the course of eucharistic celebrations and discussions, youngsters have spoken with enthusiasm to their own communities and shared their own experiences: there have been meetings with former participants in World Youth Days, organized by various dioceses. Diocesan days dedicated to youth are being held in some dioceses, with a programme of catechesis, liturgical celebrations, songs; in short, rather like the WYDs themselves”. Ecumenism is experienced in a very intense way by German youth. What ecumenical contributions do you hope to make to the WYD in Toronto? “Youth from the Evangelic Church will undoubtedly participate, because they are closely linked to our communities in Germany. These youth will bring to Toronto the witness of promoting dialogue between our Christian communities, as also the common reference to the Word of God, to the Scriptures”. The presence of 10 bishops in Toronto is a proof of the interest aroused by the next WYD in Cologne in 2005. How is the German Episcopal Conference preparing for it? “The bishops’ conference has prepared itself at the level both of content and organization to embark on the journey that will lead to the next WYD in Germany. Cologne’s long Christian history and the famous cathedral on the banks of the river Rhine make the city and its surroundings an ideal venue for the event. The organizing committee has already been set up and will devote itself with joy to the formulation of the journey of faith and of celebration that we will host in 2005”. Mercede Succa