Cardinal: Youth Day Brought Conversions, Vocations
(January 2, 2009) The archbishop of Sydney, the host city for July's World Youth
Day, says the event brought conversions and vocations to the priesthood. Cardinal
George Pell affirmed this to the Italian bishops' SIR news agency, saying that "we
are registering an increase in conversions to Catholicism." "A few days ago," he
explained, "one parish priest called me to tell me that 25 people, youth and adults,
had decided to become Catholic." The number of seminarians is also going up, the
cardinal added, explaining that in February, seven youth will enter the seminary of
Sydney and eight in Melbourne. He also noted an increase in retreats and religious
events. One of the World Youth Day activities that continue to be in-demand is catechesis,
Cardinal Pell said. "Many continue to ask for it and in numerous parishes, it has
become a regular event," he said. "Youth don't want to be told just what is good and
what is bad, but rather they want to understand the doctrine of the Church regarding
current topics." The cardinal mentioned that another fruit of World Youth Day is
a renewed pastoral attention to the Aborigine peoples. He said that this ministry
would be further developed during 2009, with a particular focus on free education
in Catholic schools for Aborigine children.