WYD pilgrims' task: Help pope revive faith in Spain
(August 01, 2011) Pope Benedict XVI will visit Spain in late August, celebrating
the youthfulness and vigour of Catholic faith in a country where the Catholic majority
often seems to have little or no impact on modern public life. The primary focus on
the pope's trip August 18-21 will be on Catholic youths from around the globe participating
in World Youth Day. But Pope Benedict also will meet with Spain's royal family and
with Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, whose government has promoted
several policies opposed by the church, including relaxing Spain's divorce laws, easing
restrictions on abortion, legalizing same-sex marriage and allowing gay couples to
adopt. The situation is particularly worrying because more than 92 percent of Spain's
46 million citizens are baptized Catholic and because the country has a long and proud
Catholic history. Spain has given the church some of its greatest saints and mystics,
and Spanish members of religious orders continue to serve as missionaries around the
world, particularly in Latin America. The organizers of World Youth Day 2011, which
begins on August 16, hope the hoards of young Catholics descending on Madrid not only
will energize each other's faith, but that they'll also be powerful witnesses to the
lukewarm among Spain's Catholics. Yago de la Cierva, World Youth Day Madrid director
said: "Spain is suffering through a process of secularization that is very deep and
moving very fast. We hope World Youth Day will be effective in presenting Jesus Christ
and the church in a more accurate way, in a light that shows our joy.” Pope Benedict
is travelling to Spain to pray with young people and help them solidify their relationship
with God through the Mass and the sacraments.