In his message for the upcoming 26th World Youth Day, Pope Benedict XVIth
thinks back to previous World Youth Day events that he says “bore rich fruit in the
lives of many young people and in the life of the whole Church". Now – Benedict continues
- “we are looking forward to the next World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid in August
2011”. And the Pope describes ours as a time when Europe greatly needs to rediscover
its Christian roots and encourages young people – both those who share our faith in
Jesus Christ, and also those who are wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe
in him – to take part in this event, to share this experience, which – the Pope says
- can prove decisive for their lives.
And speaking to Vatican Radio, Cardinal
Francis Arinze, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline
of the Sacraments, encourages young people to do what they can to travel to Madrid
in August to take part in World Youth Day, a precious time for the Church and a precious
experience for the individual.
Cardinal Arinze also has words of advice for
young people as to how to prepare for this important appointment with the Holy Father,
and speaks of how to make the most of their time in Madrid during WYD, and of how
to share the experience with friends and family when back home again.
Of course
in this time of widespread economic difficulty, Cardinal Arinze also speaks to those
who would love to go to Madrid in August but simply cannot afford it...