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FOCUS: Youth and
Young Adults
A GLIMPSE OF
WORLD YOUTH DAY 2008
by
Dick
Lajiness
“You will receive power
when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and
you will be my witnesses.”
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What a fitting theme set for the 2008 World
Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, which
happened July 15 th
though July 20th.
Some 26 cardinals, 400 bishops, 4,000
priests and well over a hundred thousand
pilgrims traveled to Sydney to be with Pope
Benedict XVI. Originated in 1984 by Pope
John Paul II, World Youth Day continues to
be an outpouring of love from our Holy
Father to the Church’s youth. |
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Much could be written on the
week’s
happenings, both the good
news of the call to
holiness through the Holy
Spirit and the not-so-good news, apologies offered by
the Holy Father for the sexual abuse by the
clergy. But through it all, the power of the Holy
Spirit was clearly evident with all the pilgrims, as
they became witnesses to the people of Sydney merely
by their demonstration of God’s love for one
another and respect for the people of Sydney. Indeed,
the Holy Spirit theme was not only discussed but
also experienced by all in attendance.
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From the very
beginning, the tone was set by Australia’s Prime Minister, Kevin
Rudd, who gave the welcoming comments to
the pilgrims from 177 countries,
telling them, “You are the light of the world at a time when the
world has so much darkness. Too often when young people travel
in great number to other parts of the world they do so in the
cause of war. But you are here today as pilgrims of peace.”
Sydney’s Archbishop,
Cardinal George Pell, said at the opening, “The causes of the
wounds are secondary, whether they be drugs or alcohol, family
breakups, the lusts of the flesh, loneliness or a death, perhaps
even the emptiness of success. We must pray for an openness of
heart, for a willingness to take the next step even if we are
fearful of venturing too much further. If we take God’s hand, He
will do the rest. Trust is the key. God will not fail us. Don’t
spend your life sitting on the fence, keeping your options open,
because commitments bring fulfillment.”
With this enthusiastic
start, the pilgrims began their week. Pope Benedict XVI’s
arrival and continued contact with the pilgrims during the next
six days brought about great excitement. In one of his later
appearances, the Holy Father thanked the some 200,000 pilgrims
gathered at the Radwick Racecourse on Saturday night for their
faith. He stated, “Who satisfies that essential human yearning
to be one, to be immersed in communion, to be built up, to be
led to truth? The Holy Spirit.” He spoke to them on how to be
witnesses, to bring about unity and reconciliation, stating that
we cannot do it by ourselves. He noted, “It is the Spirit, in
fact, who guides the Church in the way of all truth and unifies
her in communion and in works of ministry.”
After citing the three
insights of St. Augustine on the Holy Spirit – namely, that the
Holy Spirit’s particular quality is unity, His abiding love, and
that He is God’s gift – he stated, “Dear young people… let
unifying love be your measure, abiding love your challenge,
self-giving love your mission.” Later stating, “Turn to him (the
Holy Spirit), dear young people, and you will find the true
meaning of renewal. Let His gifts shape you.”
The Holy Father’s homily at the closing Mass on
Sunday was a call for young people to help in the renewal of the
Catholic Church, calling for a new generation of apostles
through the Holy Spirit. He told them, “Do not be afraid to say
‘Yes’ to Jesus, to find your joy in doing His will, giving
yourself completely to the pursuit of holiness.”
Challenging them to lives of firm foundation, he
asked them, “What difference will you make?” He called on them
to open up space in their hearts for the Holy Spirit, to use the
gifts of the Holy Spirit, and to help build a world where God’s
will is welcomed. He noted that the Church needs the gifts of
all young people, so it can be young in the Holy Spirit. So he
asked them to open their hearts to this power.
A mere glimpse of what
was said to the pilgrims on the theme of World Youth Day 2008,
you say? Indeed it is, but a theme and a glimpse of what all of
us, young and old, should consider.
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( Dick Lajiness and his
wife, Sue, serve in the healing ministry at their parish,
St. Anne, in Monroe, Michigan.
Dick is a member of the DCCR Assembly, representing the South
Region.)
(Editor’s Note: There is a report on the dynamic
evening event for World Youth Day, “Receive the Power LIVE,”
sponsored by the Australian Catholic Charismatic Renewal. Visit
http://www.zenit.org/article-23259?l=english.
Also contact the DCCR for a copy of a marvelous review of this
event by Allan Panozza,
Chairman of the
National Service Committee for Australia.)
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NOW WORD
Sept./Oct. 2008
“Minister to My People”
by
Tom
Murphy
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When we support our faith as
Servants of Christ, we may think of this ministry as belonging to
Deacons in our Catholic Faith, but it really applies to all believers.Not only do we serve others as needed, but we also can and
should share the Good News of Jesus with them.This opportunity seems to
be given to me quite frequently, and it is always to my benefit.
Just the other day, when I was leaving a store on a hot afternoon, a young woman with two young children approached me. She asked if I would drive them home, as they had beenwaiting for a cab for an hour and a half. I said I would try to do so, since I only had a small car, and she had a cart full of groceries. Well, we all managed to fit in my car, so Idrove them a short distance to their home. After unloading the groceries, we exchanged God’s blessings, and I felt really good about being able to help her out.
A few days before that, I was ministered to while in a hospital waiting
room, along with several other
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people.
This one gentleman started talking about
how Our Lord had rescued him during a robbery. He was stopped in his
car and attacked by two young men who said that they would kill him if
he gave them trouble. They stole his money, his watch and his cell
phone. All the time, he was praising the Lord silently. When asked
what he had in his top pocket, he took out his copy of the New Testament
of the Bible. One robber said he didn’t believe in God, and then with
his gun, he bashed the man on the side of his head. The robbery victim
fell down in the seat of his car, acting like he was knocked out. He
lay there awhile until he felt it was safe to move. Then, seeing that
they had gone, he went and filled out a police report. He found out a
while later that the police had caught the thieves, both 18 years old,
and they were subsequently sentenced to long prison terms for having
committed other robberies of the same nature.
Everyone in the hospital waiting room listened intently to this story,
as the man kept quoting Scripture and praising the Lord as he told of
his experience. All I could add was, “Amen!”
Let
us always be prepared to minister to those the Lord puts in our
path, either with deeds of kindness, or sharing the love of Jesus,
or both. This is what the Lord calls us to, as He spoke to us in
our current NOW Word.
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(Tom
Murphy is a Prayer Group Leader of the Joy of Jesus Prayer Group at St.
Athanasius Church, in Roseville, Michigan.
He is also a member of
the DCCR Assembly, representing the East Region.)
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