"Rearing to go" for WYD Rio 2013

(Vatican Radio) Recent social agitation in cities across Brazil, some of which has turned violent, has raised concerns from some quarters about the upcoming World Youth Day celebrations in the country, scheduled for July 23^th-28^th. The coordinator of English-language WYD initiatives for the Society of Jesus in the US and a member of the lead committee for the international English-language welcome centre in Brazil, Fr. Michael Rogers, SJ, says WYD is not threatened by the unrest.

Speaking with Vatican Radio, Fr. Rogers said, “Nobody anticipates that there will be any problems going forward,” explaining, “this is a moment of great joy, not just for the Church in Brazil, but for the Church in Latin America,” which is welcoming back the first Pope elected from her shores. Fr. Rogers also reminds people to take the normal precautions when travelling. “Not to say that people shouldn’t be attentive to the normal things that [one] is attentive to when [one] is travelling anywhere else in the world,” he says, “people should be rearing to go – it’ll be a great event.” Listen: