Light and reconciliation” “

Just under three months to the start: the organizing machine of WYD is now in full swing and the projects to present the event with the Pope to the best are fast multiplying. WYD is present in the life of the Germans wherever you go. It will even be showcased at the 30th German Evangelical Kirchentag, due to be held at Hanover from 25 to 29 May. The WYD will have its own stand at the Protestant event to provide information on all the events linked with it: the days of meeting in the German dioceses, the day of social commitment, liturgical celebrations and youth festival. Father Georg Austen , WYD Secretary, and Monsignor FRANZ -Josef Bode , chairman of the German Bishops’ Committee for Youth Ministry, will be present at the stand on 26/27 May to answer visitors’ questions. Below we present a brief review of WYD projects now underway in Germany. LIGHT AND RECONCILIATION. “Altenberger Licht”: the “relay of light” has been repeated every 1st May in Germany for over fifty years. In the Cathedral of Altenberg, a small town in the archdiocese of Cologne, a seven-branched candelabrum with candles offered from all over the country is kept constantly alight before the statue of Our Lady. In post-war Germany, youth of various nations have met together here as a sign of reconciliation and the event rapidly became a fixed appointment with visiting French, Belgian, Italian, Lithuanian and Irish youth who travel here to light lamps with the light of Altenberg and to redistribute it in their own home countries. This year’s meeting, with the participation of over 5,000 youth, was held with particular reference to WYD: Cardinal Joachim Meisner, archbishop of Cologne, concelebrated Mass in the cathedral on 1st May. The light of Altenberg, together with the WYD Cross, also accompanied a meeting of reconciliation held at Odilienberg, in Alsace, between youth of the archdiocese of Cologne and Paris, to mark the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. The victims of Nazism were commemorated in the former concentration camp of Struthof. Europe too was discussed, prayers were recited and a Mass was celebrated. PreparatiONs. As the great youth event in Cologne approaches, the willingness of people to participate in the preparations, and to offer hospitality to the young, is increasing. In the diocese of Hildesheim the arrival of some 10,000 foreign guests is expected: “but they too will be ‘hosts'”, points out Martin Tenge, diocesan delegate for youth ministry. “These youth will be simultaneously pilgrims and beacons of light that light up the way… Both the guests and the hosts are invited to set to work to rediscover and worship Jesus”. In the diocese of Aachen 220,000 euros have been collected to finance WYD events. The result was hailed by Bishop Heinrich Mussinghof, who expressed his gratitude for the hospitality offered by many families to some 8,000 young pilgrims expected in the diocese. And in the archdiocese of Paderborn some 14,000 pilgrims of 58 countries, 600 volunteers and some 10,000 local youth are expected to participate in WYD. “In many parishes we are registering a great willingness to give hospitality to the young”, says Father Meinolf Wacker, WYD delegate for the archdiocese, who has also welcomed the numerous fund-raising events in progress, aimed at funding the travel costs of less well-to-do pilgrims. On the spiritual level Father Meinolf is certain that with WYD “our Church in Germany will receive many vital impulses as a gift”. PrAYER, PILGRIMAGES AND music. Many events are aimed at preparing the young spiritually for the meeting in Cologne: the Catholic youth associations have organized a night of prayer throughout the country on 10 May, based on the Magnificat: prayer and meditation, combined with the commitment to justice and solidarity with the whole world. On 5 June, the traditional youth pilgrimage at Erfurt will be dedicated to the slogan of WYD, and to the significance of hospitality to the youth of other countries and the meeting with Jesus Christ. WYD will also be protagonist of the youth festival “Key2life”, due to be held in Regensburg from 2 to 4 June 2005. The event, originally held in Austria, consists of the performance and witness of faith of Catholic musical groups, a Via Crucis and a Mass for the young; “special guest”: the WYD Cross.