Thursday, August 25, 2005

Catechesis of Pope reflects on WYD; calls youth to deep interior conversion

Catholic Online News
International News Story

Pope looks back on his world youth day (wyd) experience

By MISNA
8/24/2005

In today’s catechesis the Pope reflected on his recent pilgrimage to Cologne for the World Youth Day. He noted the youth’s call "Come let us worship him" as young people from all cultures of the world gathered as pilgrims in search of Jesus Christ "whom we adore in the Eucharist," he noted. The Pope commented on the experience saying "Together, they made a journey of interior conversion, coming to embrace and know our Lord more intimately, in order to bear witness to his light and joy."

Benedict XVI was especially struck by his meeting with seminarians, "called to a radical following of Jesus the Shepherd and Teacher. World Youth Days have given rise to many vocations to the Priesthood and Religious Life. Let us pray that many more young adults will heed Christ’s call!" The Pope also met representatives of other Churches and ecclesial communities "with the hope that our continuing ecumenical dialogue will contribute to the goal of Christian unity."

Benedict XVI also remarked on one of the highlights of WYD XX, his visit to the Synagogue of Cologne. "With great emotion I visited the Synagogue of Cologne where I recalled the Shoà and the sixtieth anniversary of the liberation of the Nazi concentration camps". On the same day of that visit, the Pope also met representatives of Muslim communities remarking that he "underlined our need to work together to eliminate fanaticism and violence and to defend the dignity all people while promoting fundamental human rights."

Before, closing the session with a salute to all the pilgrims in attendance from various countries, the Pope asked "Dear Friends, let us together pray for our young people! Bearing the light of Christ’s truth and love, may they witness to a springtime of hope in Germany, Europe and the whole world!".

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