With the eyes of the youth

“With the phrase “I’m ashamed”, the Pope took on himself the burden of humiliation and pain suffered by the entire Church for the scandal of priests charged with paedophilia. His words were like a rebirth”. His Eminence Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, President of Italy’s Bishops Conference (CEI) referred to Pope Benedict’s recent trip in the United States and to his public apologies for the cases of sexual abuse on May 26 in his prolusion to the works of the 58th General Assembly of bishops, which will be concluded today in the Vatican. His Eminence recalled the Pope’s “admiration” for the experience of freedom which has marked that great nation since its foundation”, “where the State’s deliberate secularity is designed “to convey authenticity to religion”. Sound laity. “The free expression of faith, participating to public debate in the name of the Gospel, peacefully conveying one’s contribution in political-legislative stances” should never be “exchanged for a threat to the State’s secularity”, Cardinal Bagnasco pointed out, recalling that “the Church doesn’t wish impose ‘religious’ morals. Rather, it intends to propose, “along with strictly religious principles, the fundamental values which define the human person”. Another topic broached was food emergency. Because of “price surge due to increase in oil costs”, is “at least 100 million people are on the threshold of survival”. The youth. In approaching the core of the assembly’s theme, Youth Education to the Gospel, Cardinal Bagnasco recalled that they “are the first targets of nihilist culture”. “Ever more often -he added- we register bitter episodes concerning the lives of adolescents”, whose “reactions exemplify a mistaken concept of the mystery of life and the perilous implications of their acts”. The prelate referred to “a desolating void”, along with “de-constructing projects”, in describing drug and alcohol intake and bullying. His Eminence pointed to the “enormous responsibility” of the media in youth education. The Country’s problems. The national urgent issues broached during the meeting included, the waste issue in Campania (Italy), the defence of the purchasing power of salaries and pensions, the youth’s difficulties in getting married and the initiatives of the Families Forum for a “family-friendly inland revenue”. As relates to attempts to change Act 40 on medically-assisted procreation, CEI President guarded against the “risk of promoting a eugenetic mentality”. In referring to immigration, Cardinal Bagnasco remarked: “For each one of those who try to enter our Country it is necessary to find a balance between expectations and demands, keeping high the respect for individual rights”. “Internal and environmental insecurity, bound to people’s mobility and lodging” must equally be considered. Since, he warned, “insecurity also affects those values which ought to reassure people and make them more secure”. Immigration cannot be a “secluded” issue since “it concerns all for us”, declared Msgr. Giuseppe Betori, CEI Secretary General. The Church has always appealed to bring together loyalty and reception”. “Separating the two terms would mean giving an ideological interpretation”. As relates to the youth, Msgr. Bettori remarked: “the Church rules out the so-called ‘worst culture’ and believes that the present epoch, despite difficulties”, may constitute “an occasion for grace and growth”. As relates to Act 194 (which legalized abortion in 1978), he underlined that bishops no longer consider it an insurmountable taboo”. Like other laws it can be improved: perhaps, after 30 years, ‘cutting’ is the best term”. A new educational process. The wave of nihilism “exposes the youth” and transforms their age in a “season at risk”, remarked on May 27 Msgr. Agostino Superbo, President of the Bishops Conference of Basilicata and CEI vice-President for the South. “It is necessary to inaugurate a new educational process within the places of the youth”, which will “fill educational gaps”. “The new economic and social situations along with major cultural changes – he explained – require parishes to review their commitments” by “creating channels which will establish the ties which people feel the need for”. Oratories, groups, associations and movements and further resources were indicated by the prelate. “Special attention ought to be developed vis a vis youth poverty by promoting a culture of employment and solidarity”. Lastly, “youth pastoral care must become the pastoral care of the youth”, which in turn must be “the pastoral care of communities”. “New alliances ought to be re-established”, starting from the family, to include also “educators, professors and animators”.