"It is not true that young people are willing to live their faith in Christ but are unwilling to accept the moral indications of the Church, especially in sex-related matters". This was emphasized this morning during the press conference for the opening of the 20th World Youth Day, by Card. Meisner, Arch-Bishop of Cologne, in answering a journalist who had asked a question on the issue after having interviewed about a hundred youth in Cologne. "The task of the Church is not that of drawing up statistics added Msgr. Joseph Clemens, Secretary of the Pontifical Council for Lay People but of announcing and living the Word of Christ as Word of freedom, truth and joy, Word that has a deep impact on the lifestyle of young people". In particular, added Card. Meisner, we need to transfer to our youth "the appreciation of the flavour of God so that they may seek and relish Him in their lives and in their personal relationships. And this, in the Cardinal’s opinion "even if gradually more than one might think actually happens". And referring to a personal experience, he added: "I saw this also last night in the Cathedral of Cologne in looking at the eyes of the youth who came to receive the Eucharist. I was deeply moved at seeing so much absorption and so much joy".
