Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

The Diocese of Portsmouth covers Hampshire, the Isle of Wight, the Channel Isles and parts of Berkshire, Dorset and Oxfordshire

Youth

World Youth Day 2011

Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth

 

  

Days in the Diocese  Daily Updates 
   Message for World Youth Day 2011  

We will be updating this page as we spend time in Spain.
Come back each day to see what the Diocesan group have been up to.
You can also follow us on:
and Twitter - @portsrcyouth
UK Pilgrims have a number of blogs from Portsmouth pilgrims.
 
The next WYD gathering will be in Rio de Janeiro in 2013 
The theme for 2012 to be celebrated locally on Palm Sunday is  "Always be joyful in the Lord!" (Philippians 4:4)
The theme for 2013 is "Go and make disciples of all nations" (Mt 28:19).
We ended our time in Spain with a final celebration of Mass. We said Thank You to the Augustinian Sisters who had hosted us during our time in Madrid at Tagaste. We met our coaches for the final journey through the night to Calais and then home.
 
For a week the Catholic Church was in Madrid and the young people from the Portsmouth Diocese were at the heart of it, showing that the Holy Spirit was really present. They rocked at the concert by Curtis Stephan and shared in Gregorian Chant with the Sisters of Life. They listened attentively to Cardinals and Archbishops as they were encouraged to share their faith with others and to go out to witness to the world. They swapped badges and wristbands, flags and bandanas with pilgrims from all round the world. They sang hymns and prayed in a variety of languages.They return to their homes and parishioners enriched by their experiences and the encounter with the Holy Father and definitely firmer in the faith.
 
Onwards to Brazil in 2013!
After the heavy storms of the night before (the Chapels around the site were all damaged and as a result there would be no Communion available during Mass for most of the pilgrims.) the pilgrims awoke to a clear and cool morning. As we prepared for Mass we shared our thoughts on the previous nights experience. Pope Benedict arrived and made a point of thanking the pilgrims for their perseverance:
Dear Young Friends:
I have been thinking a lot about you during this time in which we have been separated. I hope you have been able to get some sleep in spite of the weather. I am sure that since dawn you have raised up your eyes more than once, and not only your eyes but above all your hearts, turning this occasion into prayer. God turns all things into good. With this confidence and trusting in the Lord who never abandons us, let us begin our Eucharistic celebration, full of enthusiasm and strong in our faith.
During Mass we were called to look at the person of Christ and to enter into a deeper relationship with Christ.
At the end of Mass we were invited to join with the Holy Father in 2 years time in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the next WYD gathering. Whilst this had been an open secret for some time it was met with excitement at the thought of going to South America. As Mass ended with the Angelus and closing remarks we prepared to wend our way back into the city and to our accommodation. The temperature was rising again as we made our way home.
In the evening many of the group visited the Stadium Vincente Calderon, home of Athletic Madrid for a Football matcgh between Spain and the Rest of the World, others wenrt out fore their last taste of Spanish culture.
After celebrating Mass the Portsmouth Pilgrims set out for Cuatro Vientos and the Prayer Vigil. As we travelled we were joined with pilgrims from all over the world. The temperature was certainly rising and we were grateful to locals who started to throw water over us! We arrived at the airfield and found our places. There was some entertainment shown over the screens but the temperature was rising to well over 40°.The temperature got so hot that the fire engines moved through the crowd to hose down the pilgrims.
Janie from Basingstoke - We woke up the follwing day to look forward to a 12k walk but luckly we found out we were going to take the metro for part it, but even after the metro ride we still had a good 5k to walk which took us about 3hrs to arrive at our location in the field. When we arrived at our assigned spot we had to sacarfice our prime spot (AND IT WAS A PRETTY GOOD SPOT) to see the Pope as it was so BUSY.
 Even with it being so hot we have all manged to have a brillant time! I feel really lucky to have been able to particate in World Youth day. I hope everyone out there gets the chance to attend a World Youth Day because you will honestly enjoy it!
As the evening progressed the excitement grew as we prepared to welcome Pope Benedict. As the Holy Father arrived the weather started to change. As soon as the Holy Father started the evening prayer vigil the weather changed with high winds and heavy rain as well as thunder and lightning meant there was a delay.
The weather did not put off the pilgrims and soon the vigil resumed with a time of adoration. It was certainly a case of dampened sleeping bags but not dampened hearts!
 
This morning we again visited the Life and Love Centre for the Catechesis session. We were treated to a concert by Curtis Stephan and the a talk by Bob and Maggie McCarty. They reminded us of the example of Jesus at the Last Supper - Sharing Eucharist and Washing Feet.
We then had Timothy Dolan, Archbishop of New York talk to us about the four marks of being a Catholic today.
- Charity:  What is most attractive about us is when we live up to the “See how they love one another” description. We are most nobly human when we give ourselves away in love.
- Joy is the infallible sign of God’s presence.  He told a story of a curmudgeonly dying AIDS patient who sought a deathbed conversion because of the good sisters who joyfully cared for him.  Joy orders life into Jesus, Others, and then Yourself.
- Hope:  Archbishop Dolan told a story about the earthquake in Haiti.  The Haitian Archbishop  died in the tragedy and Our Lady of Perpetual Help cathedral was destroyed.  Yet, the cross in the church stood.  People no matter what condition they found their lives came from all over just to touch the cross, to seek hope. Hope is resilient and won’t give up.  Then he told a story of a Vietnamese bishop who was imprisoned and persecuted for a very long time. Yet, he help onto his faith and hope so much that the witness inspired his jailers to form a pectoral cross and a bishop’s ring out of electrical wires upon his release.
- Love of Church: A theist is one who believes in God. A Christian is one who believes in Jesus Christ as God. A Catholic is one who believes in Jesus Christ and finds home within his Church. John Paul II called for love of Jesus Christ and His Church to be the passion of our lives.  The Church is the face of God when it is radiant with faith and even when disfigured from persecution or our disfigurements.
In the evening there were the Stations of the Cross. These were brought to Madrid from all over Spain .
Janie from Basingstoke - The overall experience of the trip has been overwhelming! The best bit for me personally has to be when we went to the Sations of the cross on Friday because I had never been to one before and the atmosphere was outstanding and to make the evening better I managed to see the Pope in his "Popemobile" and got a picture. 
Jasmine from Hayling Island - The Catechesis sessions have been interesting and easy to understand, all the speakers have been very enthusiastic. The music at the Masses after the catechesis has been very good as we have had two different types, one a band and one a choir. I thoroughly enjoyed both types, as the one with the choir had Latin, it was lovely to hear Latin sound uplifting.
The Stations of the Cross was lovely, they looked very lifelike. I found the experience very moving. The Welcome Ceremony was wonderful to see the gifts the Pope received. My highlight so far is when the Pope went past in his Popemobile!
 
 Quote from a Pilgrim from East Anglia- "Excitingly, we met lots of English groups, our favourites being the group from Portsmouth, who were very friendly and excited to meet us."
 
Leo from Basingstoke is blogging at www.ukpilgrims.com. Here is his latest entry - The Pope has arrived and its a carnival reception
 
 
 I extend an affectionate greeting to the many English-speaking young people who have come to Madrid. May these days of prayer, friendship and celebration bring us closer to each other and to the Lord Jesus. Make trust in Christ’s word the foundation of your lives! Planted and built up in him, firm in the faith and open to the power of the Spirit, you will find your place in God’s plan and enrich the Church with your gifts. Let us pray for one another, so that we may be joyful witnesses to Christ, today and always. God bless you all!
 
Dear Friends,
Thank you for the kind words addressed to me by the young people representing the five continents. And I salute with affection all of you gathered here, young people from Oceania, Africa, America, Asia and Europe; and also those unable to be here. I always keep you very much in my heart and pray for you. God has given me the grace to see and hear you for myself and, as we gather together, to listen to his word.
In the reading which has just been proclaimed, we heard a passage from the Gospel which talks of welcoming the words of Jesus and putting them into practice. There are words which serve only to amuse, as fleeting as an empty breeze; others, to an extent, inform us; those of Jesus, on the other hand, must reach our hearts, take root and bloom there all our lives. If not, they remain empty and become ephemeral. They do not bring us to him and, as a result, Christ stays remote, just one voice among the many others around us which are so familiar. Furthermore, the Master who speaks teaches, not something learned from others, but that which he himself is, the only one who truly knows the path of man towards God, because he is the one who opened it up for us, he made it so that we might have authentic lives, lives which are always worth living, in every circumstance, and which not even death can destroy. The Gospel continues, explaining these things with the evocative image of someone who builds on solid rock, resistant to the onslaught of adversity, and in contrast to someone who builds on sand - we would say today in what appears a paradise - but which collapses with the first gust of wind and falls into ruins.
Dear young people, listen closely to the words of the Lord, that they may be for you “spirit and life” (Jn 6:63), roots which nourish your being, a rule of life which likens us - poor in spirit, thirsting for justice, merciful, pure in heart, lovers of peace - to the person of Christ. Listen regularly every day as if he were the one friend who does not deceive, the one with whom we wish to share the path of life. Of course, you know that when we do not walk beside Christ our guide, we get lost on other paths, like the path of our blind and selfish impulses, or the path of flattering but self-serving suggestions, deceiving and fickle, which leave emptiness and frustration in their wake.
Use these days to know Christ better and to make sure that, rooted in him, your enthusiasm and happiness, your desire to go further, to reach the heights, even God himself, always hold a sure future, because the fullness of life has already been placed within you. Let that life grow with divine grace, generously and without half-measures, as you remain steadfast in your aim for holiness. And, in the face of our weaknesses which sometimes overwhelm us, we can rely on the mercy of the Lord who is always ready to help us again and who offers us pardon in the sacrament of Penance.
If you build on solid rock, not only your life will be solid and stable, but it will also help project the light of Christ shining upon those of your own age and upon the whole of humanity, presenting a valid alternative to all those who have fallen short, because the essentials in their lives were inconsistent; to all those who are content to follow fashionable ideas, they take shelter in the here and now, forgetting true justice, or they take refuge in their own opinions instead of seeking the simple truth.
Indeed, there are many who, creating their own gods, believe they need no roots or foundations other than themselves. They take it upon themselves to decide what is true or not, what is good and evil, what is just and unjust; who should live and who can be sacrificed in the interests of other preferences; leaving each step to chance, with no clear path, letting themselves be led by the whim of each moment. These temptations are always lying in wait. It is important not to give in to them because, in reality, they lead to something so evanescent, like an existence with no horizons, a liberty without God. We, on the other hand, know well that we have been created free, in the image of God, precisely so that we might be in the forefront of the search for truth and goodness, responsible for our actions, not mere blind executives, but creative co-workers in the task of cultivating and beautifying the work of creation. God is looking for a responsible interlocutor, someone who can dialogue with him and love him. Through Christ we can truly succeed and, established in him, we give wings to our freedom. Is this not the great reason for our joy? Isn’t this the firm ground upon which to build the civilization of love and life, capable of humanizing all of us?
Dear friends: be prudent and wise, build your lives upon the firm foundation which is Christ. This wisdom and prudence will guide your steps, nothing will make you fear and peace will reign in your hearts. Then you will be blessed and happy and your happiness will influence others. They will wonder what the secret of your life is and they will discover that the rock which underpins the entire building and upon which rests your whole existence is the very person of Christ, your friend, brother and Lord, the Son of God incarnate, who gives meaning to all the universe.
He died for us all, rising that we might have life, and now, from the throne of the Father, he accompanies all men and women, watching continually over each one of us.
I commend the fruits of this World Youth Day to the most holy Virgin Mary, who said “Yes” to the will of God, and teaches us a unique example of fidelity to her divine son, whom she followed to his death upon the Cross. Let us meditate upon this more deeply in the Stations of the Cross. And let us pray that, like her, our “Yes” to Christ today may also be an unconditional “Yes” to his friendship, both at the end of this Day and throughout our entire lives. Thank you very much.
Emily from Reading shares her view of World Youth Day.
We have been in Spain for a week now.
 
For the first four days of our trip, we were staying in San Sebastian, a city in the north of Spain. San Sebastian is in the Basque region of Spain, and it came as a shock to many to find bilingual street signs all over the town. On the Sunday, we even experienced a mass in Basque, which was very difficult to understand, but an enjoyable experience for everyone involved!
 
San Sebastian is by the sea, and there is a very large and sandy beach there, which many of us used in our free time. However, the cloudy weather left much to be desired as no one was able to get a tan!
 
On the Friday, we visited Loyola with many other pilgrims who were staying in the area, and visited the Basilica and St. Ignatius´ house. We celebrated mass together and shared songs and dances from our own countries.
 
We left for Madrid on Monday, after a beautiful firework display on the previous night. Madrid is much warmer than San Sebastian - on the first night, it was still 30C at 10pm!
 
There have been many activities around town as part of the cultural festival and it seems that everywhere you go, you bump into crowds of pilgrims from every country on earth, who are all willing to say "Hola!" to you, and share their stories.
 
The opening mass on Tuesday had millions of attendants, and so it was very hard to see what was going on, but it was a great experience with people from all around the world.
 
This morning, we shared a catechisis session with other english speaking pilgrims, and celebrated mass with them all. There were many interesting speakers, especially Cardinal George Pell, from Australia, who shared his thoughts on science and God.
 
Tomorrow, the Pope will arrive and we will hold another mass welcoming him. Everyone is very excited for this great event and I´m sure it will be as amazing as all the other events that we have attended so far.
After a few glitches with the accommodation (we had been given a wrong address and a group had been directed to a derelict building!) we woke to our first full day in Madrid. After a morning spent exploring the local area the pilgrims received their packs. this was full of goodies including a hat, t shirt and fan as well as a copy of YouCat - the Youth catechism. The pilgrims then headed off into Madrid to look at the sights as well as meet people from all around the world.
Many headed to the Parque del Retiro, one of the major parks in central Madrid. here they met with some familiar faces as Fr Mark Hogan, the Diocesan Vocations promoter and Phil Carroll, one of our seminarians were on duty at the National Office for Vocations stand!
In the evening we gathered to celebrate the Opening Mass with the Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid. We gathered at the Puerta d´Alcala with many thousands of pilgrims as the World Youth Day celebrations.
Afterwards some pilgrims went wearily home, whilst others still had energy to party till midnight with pilgrims from the USA, Canade, Australia and Ireland at a concert. Even Dave and Angela had enough energy to boogie on down!
A sad day as we had to leave San Sebastian but this was more than made up with the excitement that we were finally heading to Madrid for the World Youth Day celebrations. Unfortunately, due to time constraints we had to miss the Final Mass, however Fr Chris celebrated our final Mass in San Sebastian. He spoke of his experiences of World Youth Days in Toronto and Cologne and shared the joy and excitement of these events. Bishop Crispian sent a message of support saying how he was praying for all the pilgrims.
As we journeyed down we started to experience the full blast of a Spanish summer - onward to Madrid!
One part of the Days in the Diocese programme is to link up with a local parish, so we visited the Church of St Sebastiab the Martyr to celebrate Mass with the local people. As San Sebastian is in the Basque country it has its own local dialect of Euskkaria. The Mass we attended was in this language. Fortunately, they had a large screen on which some of the prayers and the hymns were projected onto. This allowed the pilgrims to join in! We were commended by one of the organisers, who belongs to the parish, as to the way the group entered prayerfully into the celebration.
After Mass it was time to sample the delights of San sebastian. It was the start of the Fiesta and so there was lots to see and do. Some people went off to the beach, wilst others discovered the old town. Some brave souls even climbed Mount Urguell, which overlooks the town with its imposing statue of the Sacred Heart.
In the evening we met up for a shared meal with all the other pilgrims at the Cathedral before the Prayer Vigil. We managed to get front row seats! The absolute thrill at the vigil were the bringing in of the relics of St therese of Lisieux, Some of the young people remembered the relics coming to the Cathedral 2 years ago. Bishop Jose Ignacio spoke powerfully of the need to make the right choices in life. He asked us to write a blank cheque to Christ and be open to responding to God´s call, whenever, wherever and however that may come.
The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks display on the seafront. As the display ended there was a brief downpour but even this could not douse the wonderful feeling left by the evening of prayer.
 
We set out today to spend the day at Loyola, the birthplace of St ignatius of loyola, Founder of the Society of Friends (Jesuits). It was a short drive up into the mountains, however, it was also our first real tast of Spanish summer with perfect blue skies and temperatures of 30°+! 
The event started with a concelebrated celebration of Mass by Bishop Jose Ignacio, the Bishop of San Sebastian. Frs Chris, Joe and Mark all concelebrated. Katy from Southampton was chosen to read some prayers during the Mass.
At the end of the Mass the Blessed Sacrament was processed around the square before being placed in the Basilica for adoration and exposition all day.
There followed an opportunity to discover the life of St Ignatius by visiting his place of birth and where he recovered from his injuries in battle. Whilst he was recovering he wrote his spirtual exercises and rule for the Jesuit order.
After a giant paella lunch, there was entertainment from the various nations present. These included songs, storytelling, dance and plays. Paul from reading and Helen from Bournemouth treated the 6,000 crowd with a Portsmouth Riverdancewhich went down a storm.
The day ended with an International Rosary, with prayers in many different languages. Unfortunately we had to be back on the coach and missed the concert in the evening.
"It was really great to meet with people from all over the world. I met people from Australia and tried my German out on people from Austria. It was great to meet with so many young people from Chile. They make a lot of noise!"
Christian from Reading.
Emma, one of our WYD Media people, has put a report on UKPilgrims. You can read about it here!
Another full day of travelling, but this time we knew our destination would be San Sebastian and the Days in the Diocese. The day started with a celebration of Mass before breakfast. We then boarded our coaches and again went in convoy towards Spain.
Lots of sharing of hopes and expectations as well how each person is involved in their parish communities.
As we approached Spain , the terrain changed dramatically, with the low flatlands of south eastern France being replaced by the Pyrenees. We entered Spain in late afternoon and quickly arrived at our accommodation, where everyone was glad to unpack and then get refreshed.In the evening we walked to the nearby Diocesan seminary (up a very steep hill!) to get our evening meal. We were greeted with great enthusiasm from a large group of Italian pilgrims from the Genoa area. After eating, sharing of shirts and flags took place and the pilgrims helped cement Anglo-Italian relations in song and football.
The evening ended with a short walk to the seafront to see San Sebastian in its evening finery.
We arrived back at our accommodation to meet the small group of pilgrims who flew into Spain because of visa difficulties.
Three groups set off from Chandlers Ford, Basingstoke and Reading. After a brief pit-stop at Clackett Lane services we went in convoy to Dover to meet our ferry and to pick up Fr Chris from Woodley.
After a short crossing we journeyed under blue skies to our evening detination of Poitiers. The pilgrims went wearily to their rooms, ready to arrive in San Sebastian tomorrow.
Dave Hill

MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE BENEDICT XVI
FOR THE TWENTY-SIXTH WORLD YOUTH DAY (2011)
 

“Planted and built up in Jesus Christ,
firm in the faith”
(cf. Col 2:7)

Dear Friends,

I often think back on the World Youth Day held in Sydney in 2008. There we had an experience of a great festival of faith in which the Spirit of God was actively at work, building deep communion among the participants who had come from all over the world. That gathering, like those on previous occasions, bore rich fruit in the lives of many young people and in the life of the whole Church. Now we are looking forward to the next World Youth Day, to be held in Madrid in August 2011. Back in 1989, several months before the historic fall of the Berlin Wall, this pilgrimage of young people halted in Spain, in Santiago de Compostela. Now, at a time when Europe greatly needs to rediscover its Christian roots, our meeting will take place in Madrid with the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). I encourage you to take part in this event, which is so important for the Church in Europe and for the universal Church. I would like all young people – those who share our faith in Jesus Christ, but also those who are wavering or uncertain, or who do not believe in him – to share this experience, which can prove decisive for their lives. It is an experience of the Lord Jesus, risen and alive, and of his love for each of us.

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1. At the source of your deepest aspirations

In every period of history, including our own, many young people experience a deep desire for personal relationships marked by truth and solidarity. Many of them yearn to build authentic friendships, to know true love, to start a family that will remain united, to achieve personal fulfilment and real security, all of which are the guarantee of a serene and happy future. In thinking of my own youth, I realize that stability and security are not the questions that most occupy the minds of young people. True enough, it is important to have a job and thus to have firm ground beneath our feet, yet the years of our youth are also a time when we are seeking to get the most out of life. When I think back on that time, I remember above all that we were not willing to settle for a conventional middle-class life. We wanted something great, something new. We wanted to discover life itself, in all its grandeur and beauty. Naturally, part of that was due to the times we lived in. During the Nazi dictatorship and the war, we were, so to speak, “hemmed in” by the dominant power structure. So we wanted to break out into the open, to experience the whole range of human possibilities. I think that, to some extent, this urge to break out of the ordinary is present in every generation. Part of being young is desiring something beyond everyday life and a secure job, a yearning for something really truly greater. Is this simply an empty dream that fades away as we become older? No! Men and women were created for something great, for infinity. Nothing else will ever be enough. Saint Augustine was right when he said “our hearts are restless till they find their rest in you”. The desire for a more meaningful life is a sign that God created us and that we bear his “imprint”. God is life, and that is why every creature reaches out towards life. Because human beings are made in the image of God, we do this in a unique and special way. We reach out for love, joy and peace. So we can see how absurd it is to think that we can truly live by removing God from the picture! God is the source of life. To set God aside is to separate ourselves from that source and, inevitably, to deprive ourselves of fulfilment and joy: “without the Creator, the creature fades into nothingness” (Second Vatican Council, Gaudium et Spes, 36). In some parts of the world, particularly in the West, today’s culture tends to exclude God, and to consider faith a purely private issue with no relevance for the life of society. Even though the set of values underpinning society comes from the Gospel – values like the sense of the dignity of the person, of solidarity, of work and of the family –, we see a certain “eclipse of God” taking place, a kind of amnesia which, albeit not an outright rejection of Christianity, is nonetheless a denial of the treasure of our faith, a denial that could lead to the loss of our deepest identity.

For this reason, dear friends, I encourage you to strengthen your faith in God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. You are the future of society and of the Church! As the Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians of Colossae, it is vital to have roots, a solid foundation! This is particularly true today. Many people have no stable points of reference on which to build their lives, and so they end up deeply insecure. There is a growing mentality of relativism, which holds that everything is equally valid, that truth and absolute points of reference do not exist. But this way of thinking does not lead to true freedom, but rather to instability, confusion and blind conformity to the fads of the moment. As young people, you are entitled to receive from previous generations solid points of reference to help you to make choices and on which to build your lives: like a young plant which needs solid support until it can sink deep roots and become a sturdy tree capable of bearing fruit.

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2. Planted and built up in Jesus Christ

In order to highlight the importance of faith in the lives of believers, I would like to reflect with you on each of the three terms used by Saint Paul in the expression: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). We can distinguish three images: “planted” calls to mind a tree and the roots that feed it; “built up” refers to the construction of a house; “firm” indicates growth in physical or moral strength. These images are very eloquent. Before commenting on them, I would like to point out that grammatically all three terms in the original text are in the passive voice. This means that it is Christ himself who takes the initiative to plant, build up and confirm the faithful.

The first image is that of a tree which is firmly planted thanks to its roots, which keep it upright and give it nourishment. Without those roots, it would be blown away by the wind and would die. What are our roots? Naturally our parents, our families and the culture of our country are very important elements of our personal identity. But the Bible reveals a further element. The prophet Jeremiah wrote: “Blessed are those who trust in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord. They shall be like a tree planted by water, sending out its roots by the stream. It shall not fear when heat comes, and its leaves shall stay green; in the year of drought it is not anxious, and it does not cease to bear fruit” (Jer 17:7-8). For the prophet, to send out roots means to put one’s trust in God. From him we draw our life. Without him, we cannot truly live. “God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son” (1 Jn 5:11). Jesus himself tells us that he is our life (cf. Jn 14:6). Consequently, Christian faith is not only a matter of believing that certain things are true, but above all a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It is an encounter with the Son of God that gives new energy to the whole of our existence. When we enter into a personal relationship with him, Christ reveals our true identity and, in friendship with him, our life grows towards complete fulfilment. There is a moment, when we are young, when each of us wonders: what meaning does my life have? What purpose and direction should I give to it? This is a very important moment, and it can worry us, perhaps for some time. We start wondering about the kind of work we should take up, the kind of relationships we should establish, the friendships we should cultivate... Here, once more, I think of my own youth. I was somehow aware quite early on that the Lord wanted me to be a priest. Then later, after the war, when I was in the seminary and at university on the way towards that goal, I had to recapture that certainty. I had to ask myself: is this really the path I was meant to take? Is this really God’s will for me? Will I be able to remain faithful to him and completely at his service? A decision like this demands a certain struggle. It cannot be otherwise. But then came the certainty: this is the right thing! Yes, the Lord wants me, and he will give me strength. If I listen to him and walk with him, I become truly myself. What counts is not the fulfilment of my desires, but of his will. In this way life becomes authentic.

Just as the roots of a tree keep it firmly planted in the soil, so the foundations of a house give it long-lasting stability. Through faith, we have been built up in Jesus Christ (cfr Col 2:7), even as a house is built on its foundations. Sacred history provides many examples of saints who built their lives on the word of God. The first is Abraham, our father in faith, who obeyed God when he was asked to leave his ancestral home and to set out for an unknown land. “Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was called the friend of God” (Jas 2:23). Being built up in Jesus Christ means responding positively to God’s call, trusting in him and putting his word into practice. Jesus himself reprimanded his disciples: “Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord’, and do not do what I tell you?” (Lk 6:46). He went on to use the image of building a house: “I will show you what someone is like who comes to me, listens to my words, and acts on them. That one is like a person building a house, who dug deeply and laid the foundation on rock; when the flood came, the river burst against that house but could not shake it because it had been well built” (Lk 6:47-48).

Dear friends, build your own house on rock, just like the person who “dug deeply”. Try each day to follow Christ’s word. Listen to him as a true friend with whom you can share your path in life. With him at your side, you will find courage and hope to face difficulties and problems, and even to overcome disappointments and set-backs. You are constantly being offered easier choices, but you yourselves know that these are ultimately deceptive and cannot bring you serenity and joy. Only the word of God can show us the authentic way, and only the faith we have received is the light which shines on our path. Gratefully accept this spiritual gift which you have received from your families; strive to respond responsibly to God’s call, and to grow in your faith. Do not believe those who tell you that you don’t need others to build up your life! Find support in the faith of those who are dear to you, in the faith of the Church, and thank the Lord that you have received it and have made it your own!

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3. Firm in the faith

You are “planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2:7). The Letter from which these words are taken was written by Saint Paul in order to respond to a specific need of the Christians in the city of Colossae. That community was threatened by the influence of certain cultural trends that were turning the faithful away from the Gospel. Our own cultural context, dear young people, is not unlike that of the ancient Colossians. Indeed, there is a strong current of secularist thought that aims to make God marginal in the lives of people and society by proposing and attempting to create a “paradise” without him. Yet experience tells us that a world without God becomes a “hell”: filled with selfishness, broken families, hatred between individuals and nations, and a great deficit of love, joy and hope. On the other hand, wherever individuals and nations accept God’s presence, worship him in truth and listen to his voice, then the civilization of love is being built, a civilization in which the dignity of all is respected, and communion increases, with all its benefits. Yet some Christians allow themselves to be seduced by secularism or attracted by religious currents that draw them away from faith in Jesus Christ. There are others who, while not yielding to these enticements, have simply allowed their faith to grow cold, with inevitable negative effects on their moral lives.

To those Christians influenced by ideas alien to the Gospel the Apostle Paul spoke of the power of Christ’s death and resurrection. This mystery is the foundation of our lives and the centre of Christian faith. All philosophies that disregard it and consider it “foolishness” (1 Cor 1:23) reveal their limitations with respect to the great questions deep in the hearts of human beings. As the Successor of the Apostle Peter, I too want to confirm you in the faith (cf. Lk 22:32). We firmly believe that Jesus Christ offered himself on the Cross in order to give us his love. In his passion, he bore our sufferings, took upon himself our sins, obtained forgiveness for us and reconciled us with God the Father, opening for us the way to eternal life. Thus we were freed from the thing that most encumbers our lives: the slavery of sin. We can love everyone, even our enemies, and we can share this love with the poorest of our brothers and sisters and all those in difficulty.

Dear friends, the Cross often frightens us because it seems to be a denial of life. In fact, the opposite is true! It is God’s “yes” to mankind, the supreme expression of his love and the source from which eternal life flows. Indeed, it is from Jesus’ heart, pierced on the Cross, that this divine life streamed forth, ever accessible to those who raise their eyes towards the Crucified One. I can only urge you, then, to embrace the Cross of Jesus, the sign of God’s love, as the source of new life. Apart from Jesus Christ risen from the dead, there can be no salvation! He alone can free the world from evil and bring about the growth of the Kingdom of justice, peace and love to which we all aspire.

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4. Believing in Jesus Christ without having seen him

In the Gospel we find a description of the Apostle Thomas’s experience of faith when he accepted the mystery of the Cross and resurrection of Christ. Thomas was one of the twelve Apostles. He followed Jesus and was an eyewitness of his healings and miracles. He listened to his words, and he experienced dismay at Jesus’ death. That Easter evening when the Lord appeared to the disciples, Thomas was not present. When he was told that Jesus was alive and had shown himself, Thomas stated: “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe” (Jn 20:25).

We too want to be able to see Jesus, to speak with him and to feel his presence even more powerfully. For many people today, it has become difficult to approach Jesus. There are so many images of Jesus in circulation which, while claiming to be scientific, detract from his greatness and the uniqueness of his person. That is why, after many years of study and reflection, I thought of sharing something of my own personal encounter with Jesus by writing a book. It was a way to help others see, hear and touch the Lord in whom God came to us in order to make himself known. Jesus himself, when he appeared again to his disciples a week later, said to Thomas: “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe” (Jn 20:27). We too can have tangible contact with Jesus and put our hand, so to speak, upon the signs of his Passion, the signs of his love. It is in the sacraments that he draws particularly near to us and gives himself to us. Dear young people, learn to “see” and to “meet” Jesus in the Eucharist, where he is present and close to us, and even becomes food for our journey. In the sacrament of Penance the Lord reveals his mercy and always grants us his forgiveness. Recognize and serve Jesus in the poor, the sick, and in our brothers and sisters who are in difficulty and in need of help.

Enter into a personal dialogue with Jesus Christ and cultivate it in faith. Get to know him better by reading the Gospels and the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Converse with him in prayer, and place your trust in him. He will never betray that trust! “Faith is first of all a personal adherence of man to God. At the same time, and inseparably, it is a free assent to the whole truth that God has revealed” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 150). Thus you will acquire a mature and solid faith, one which will not be based simply on religious sentiment or on a vague memory of the catechism you studied as a child. You will come to know God and to live authentically in union with him, like the Apostle Thomas who showed his firm faith in Jesus in the words: “My Lord and my God!”.

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5. Sustained by the faith of the Church, in order to be witnesses

Jesus said to Thomas: “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe” (Jn 20:29). He was thinking of the path the Church was to follow, based on the faith of eyewitnesses: the Apostles. Thus we come to see that our personal faith in Christ, which comes into being through dialogue with him, is bound to the faith of the Church. We do not believe as isolated individuals, but rather, through Baptism, we are members of this great family; it is the faith professed by the Church which reinforces our personal faith. The Creed that we proclaim at Sunday Mass protects us from the danger of believing in a God other than the one revealed by Christ: “Each believer is thus a link in the great chain of believers. I cannot believe without being carried by the faith of others, and by my faith I help support others in the faith” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 166). Let us always thank the Lord for the gift of the Church, for the Church helps us to advance securely in the faith that gives us true life (cf. Jn 20:31).

In the history of the Church, the saints and the martyrs have always drawn from the glorious Cross of Christ the strength to be faithful to God even to the point of offering their own lives. In faith they found the strength to overcome their weaknesses and to prevail over every adversity. Indeed, as the Apostle John says, “Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?” (1 Jn 5:5). The victory born of faith is that of love. There have been, and still are, many Christians who are living witnesses of the power of faith that is expressed in charity. They have been peacemakers, promoters of justice and workers for a more humane world, a world in accordance with God’s plan. With competence and professionalism, they have been committed in different sectors of the life of society, contributing effectively to the welfare of all. The charity that comes from faith led them to offer concrete witness by their actions and words. Christ is not a treasure meant for us alone; he is the most precious treasure we have, one that is meant to be shared with others. In our age of globalization, be witnesses of Christian hope all over the world. How many people long to receive this hope! Standing before the tomb of his friend Lazarus, who had died four days earlier, as he was about to call the dead man back to life, Jesus said to Lazarus’ sister Martha: “If you believe, you will see the glory of God” (cf. Jn 11:40). In the same way, if you believe, and if you are able to live out your faith and bear witness to it every day, you will become a means of helping other young people like yourselves to find the meaning and joy of life, which is born of an encounter with Christ!

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6. On the way to World Youth Day in Madrid

Dear friends, once again I invite you to attend World Youth Day in Madrid. I await each of you with great joy. Jesus Christ wishes to make you firm in faith through the Church. The decision to believe in Jesus Christ and to follow him is not an easy one. It is hindered by our personal failures and by the many voices that point us towards easier paths. Do not be discouraged. Rather, look for the support of the Christian community, the support of the Church! Throughout this year, carefully prepare for the meeting in Madrid with the bishops, priests and youth leaders in your dioceses, parish communities, associations and movements. The quality of our meeting will depend above all on our spiritual preparation, our prayer, our common hearing of the word of God and our mutual support.

Dear young people, the Church depends on you! She needs your lively faith, your creative charity and the energy of your hope. Your presence renews, rejuvenates and gives new energy to the Church. That is why World Youth Days are a grace, not only for you, but for the entire People of God. The Church in Spain is actively preparing to welcome you and to share this joyful experience of faith with you. I thank the dioceses, parishes, shrines, religious communities, ecclesial associations and movements, and all who are hard at work in preparing for this event. The Lord will not fail to grant them his blessings. May the Virgin Mary accompany you along this path of preparation. At the message of the angel, she received God’s word with faith. It was in faith that she consented to what God was accomplishing in her. By proclaiming her “fiat”, her “yes”, she received the gift of immense charity which led her to give herself entirely to God. May she intercede for each one of you so that, in the coming World Youth Day you may grow in faith and love. I assure you of a paternal remembrance in my prayers and I give you my heartfelt blessing.

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From the Vatican, 6 August 2010, Feast of the Transfiguration of the Lord.

 

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI