At Sydney via Internet

Preparing for World Youth Day (WYD) in Sydney via Internet to overcome the problems of study and work of the young: the idea is that of Father REIDER VOITH , head of the youth pastoral office of the diocese of Oslo, who attended the recent preparatory meeting for WYD in Sydney (15-17 October). “Catholics in my country, Norway, are a minority; they represent only 2.5% of the population”, he explained to SIR. “Within its territory there are people of various nationalities, in large parts immigrants and refugees. The Church offers them preparation in First Communion and Confirmation, and in the Sacraments in general. But we are trying to link this service of catechesis with youth pastoral care in general and extend in this way the 8-20 age group”. Many European delegations were present at the meeting in Sydney, including those from Germany, Spain, Italy, Scotland and England. We interviewed Father Voith. How did this idea of preparing for WYD via Internet come about?“Preparation for WYD is being conducted through Internet due to the difficulties we have in actually meeting youth, due to various reasons – study, work or geographical distances. We’re a minority and our youth are scattered over a huge territory. Hence the need to activate continuous links that permit us to dialogue with youth. Internet offers us this opportunity: so through the web we post newsletters on WYD, commentaries on the Gospel, reflections, forums, everything through electronic post which facilitates the chance of bringing our youth together. Clearly, though, we cannot stop at this. So, once each month, during the year, and in the summer, we hold camps and meetings in which we enrich our previous preparation. That’s what we did in preparation for Cologne where we were present with a rather large group”.At the preparatory meeting in Sydney, you criticized the World Bank’s classification that places Norway among the richer nations, on the basis of which the WYD organizing committee fixed the costs of participation in WYD. Why?“The World Bank does not take into account the economic situation of many families of immigrants and refugees who don’t have the same standard of life as the Norwegians and for this reason are prevented from sending their children to Sydney. They are families from Asia and the Middle East, in particular, and are on the whole marginalized in Norwegian society. In this case the fact of living in Norway penalises them. Many Catholic youth for this reason will not be taking part in WYD. Otherwise we would have been over 500 persons”.Whereas how many of you will there be at Sydney?“I think we’ll be a group of 140-150 persons at Sydney”.To return to the preparations, what kind of aids are you giving to Norwegian youth?“One of the main aids we use is the newsletter “e-pilgrimage”, sent out on a monthly basis by the organizing Committee of WYD in Sydney; it furnishes us with useful ideas and tips for reflection and study. For our part we produce and publish material that we diffuse to the young through the web. These are aids that strengthen our common identity: they encourage the young to reflect on ‘who we are, what we believe in and why do we believe’. Underlining our Catholic faith and identity also helps us to overcome the ‘spiritual solitude’ from which as a minority we often suffer. But our youth are determined, even if they are the only Catholics in their school, the only Catholics in their area, or in their workplace”. What do you mean by “spiritual solitude”?“I mean to say that people respect us, that we aren’t the victims of prejudice. But on the other hand we are the victims of the religious indifference of those who surround us. Secularism is very strong in Norway”.What do you hope from this Australian WYD for the youth of Norway?“Participating in WYD, in general, means sharing an experience of mission and deepening our faith. The question we pose concerns the authenticity of our faith, and I think it’s relevant for practically all youth who say they are Catholics. I hope this WYD will lead to a more mature and conscious Christian identity that the young can express in their respective environments”. The programmeThe 23rd WYD (Sydney 15-20 July 2008) will open with a welcoming Mass celebrated by the Archbishop of Sydney, Cardinal George Pell, on 15 July. It will be followed by a concert. From 16 to 18 July sessions of catechesis will be held each morning, while various other meetings are planned for the afternoons. The arrival of Benedict XVI is planned for 17 July; on the evening of the following day there will be a Via Crucis. On Saturday 19 July the participants will go on pilgrimage to the place where the final Mass will be celebrated; it will be preceded by a prayer vigil with the Holy Father. After that the young participants will camp put in the open for the night. On Sunday, 20 July, after Mass with the Pope, the closing ceremonies of WYD will be held. Info: www.wyd2008.org.