(April 06, 2006) : In preparation for 21st World Youth Day, which will
be celebrated at the diocesan level on April 9 this year, the Pontifical Council for
the Laity has organized a 3-day conference on youth ministry. The meeting will be
held at Sassone Di Ciampino near Rome from April 7 to 9 and will be attended by delegates
from 85 countries and by representatives from 45 communities, associations and Catholic
youth movements. On the first day, German Cardinal Joachim Meisner of Cologne will
deliberate on last August's WYD held in Colgne, analyzing its results on his archdiocese
and on youth pastoral care throughout Germany, as well as organizational and logistical
challenges they encountered. On Saturday, Cardinal George Pell, archbishop of Sydney,
Australia, will speak on the challenges and expectations of the Australian Church
in view of the International World Youth Day to be held in Sydney in 2008. On April
9, Palm Sunday and 21st World Youth Day, the delegates and representatives will participate
in the Mass to be celebrated by Pope Benedict in St. Peter's Square. At the end of
the Eucharistic celebration, a group of young people from Germany will hand over the
WYD Cross to a group of young Australians. The Cross symbolic of WYD will begin a
long trip to Sydney on April 10, passing for the first time through 20 African countries.