News from down under

Speaking of something new for the celebration of World Youth Day, have you heard the latest from down under. There is more than a little excitement brewing in the Archdiocese of Sydney, and 'across the pond' in New Zealand.

The other day, I received an email from a friend who lives in Sydney. 'I noticed when we drove past St Mary's Cathedral in Sydney the other day there is a big sign there with 129 days until (the 23rd) WYD...' and the city seems to be all abuz about young people, faith and the wonderful things that happen when human hearts are moulded by the values of love, joy and forgiveness.

Take for example the initiative of the Archbishop of Sydney. His Grace personally participates in monthly meetings with youth ... held in pubs. He calls these gatherings Theology on Tap. They are frank conversations, challenging youth today to explore the issues of the day in the light of faith.

“Not everyone is called to be a politician, thanks be to God!” Cardinal Pell said recently amid knowing laughter from the youth. “But I would like to encourage you to each seriously think about participating in politics as we desperately need more good men, and especially women, in there.”

Three and a half hours by plane to the east of Australia lies the country of New Zealand. The kiwis (as New Zealanders refer to themselves) will participate in hosting Days in the Diocese in anticipation of the World Youth Day events scheduled to take place in Sydney. This is the first time in history that two countries are cooperating in hosting jointly the activities for a WYD encounter. Preparations for the local youth include a mini pilgrimage on the South Island of New Zealand and even web blogs to encourage faith sharing among the youth of that country.

Each time that World Youth Day takes place on an international level, there are many different things to prepare. Cardinals, bishops, priests and deacons who attend all receive themed vestments which are used for the celebration of Mass during the week. So far, 700 chasubles have been produced and more than 3,000 stoles are in production. They are an earthy red in colour, reflecting Australia's unique landscape, and bear indigenous images and the Southern Cross as reminders of the land down under.

• read more about the preparations taking place down under

Previous international gatherings of World Youth Days have taken place in Rome, Italy (1986); Buenos Aires, Argentina (1987); Santiago de Compostela, Spain (1989); Czestochowa, Poland (1991); Denver, USA (1993); Manila, Philippines (1995); Paris, France (1997); Rome, Italy (2000); Toronto, Canada (2002); and Cologne, Germany (2005).

The 23rd World Youth Day, an international gathering of youth who celebrate faith will take place in Sydney, Australia from July 15 to 20, 2008 .... 123 days to go!

Something new

Since the early years of the pontificate of John Paul II, gatherings of young people have taken place. Perhaps the most well known of these encounters is known as World Youth Days, a period of five days each two to three years when youth aged 18 to 35 years old are invited to gather in a designated place somewhere in the world. These international gatherings are actually chapter 2 in the story.

Chapter 1, the original meetings proposed by the Holy Father, are annual events meant to gather the youth of a particular diocese. John Paul began by inviting the youth of the Diocese of Rome (since the Pope is the Bishop of Rome) to a gathering which was held in St. Peter's Square. These annual gatherings are encouraged also in all dioceses throughout the world.

Pope Benedict XVI has continued the tradition of these annual gatherings which happen on Palm Sunday - this coming weekend, but this year he has asked for a slightly different twist to be added. According to an article published today by ZENIT, the Holy Father has expressed a desire for this traditional meeting with youth, which 'is a sort of party,' to be transformed into 'a real celebration, not only an external' one.

Today in Rome, the Holy Father is hosting a penitential liturgy in St. Peter's Basilica, in preparation for this weekend's celebration of World Youth Day. More than 20,000 young people have signed up for this event, a testament to the fact that at least in Rome.

Through this liturgy, the organizers hope to facilitate a meeting between the participants and God who is love. The Father's divine love is experienced perhaps most poignantly in the celebration of the Sacrament of Reconciliation, so what better way to invite youth to discover the tender mercy of the Lord!

• Read more about Benedict's invitation to celebrate

In a world where fewer and fewer people find relevance in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, perhaps this gathering will enflame the youth of Rome to discover the tender heart of the loving God who reaches out to all of us, offering us the gift of his forgiveness.

Not so fast

Earlier this week, some media sources reported that the Vatican had issued revisions to it's list of 'the seven deadly sins' and thus were providing more fodder for confessions.

• See Vatican puts new spin on the definition of sin, in the Globe and Mail (March 11, 2008)

In reality, the story is based on an interview conducted by the Vatican newspaper L'Osservatore Romano with Bishop Gianfranco Girotti, regent of the tribunal of the Apostolic Penitentiary, the Vatican office that is responsible for matters pertaining to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, among others.

The issues discussed in this interview are personal reflections on the part of Bishop Girotti and not official edicts of the Apostolic Penitentiary. L'Osservatore asked him to comment on new forms of social sins in the age of globalization, and he offered a few suggestions of modern-day thinking as it might apply to the rhelm of one's personal responsibility for care of the earth.

• Check out the commentary on this issue published by the Episcopal Conference of England and Wales in the on-line magazine ZENIT (March 12, 2008)

Stewardship of creation seems to be all the rage these days. Even young children are being sensitized to the fact that if we don't take care of the earth, we will have to deal with the ravages of global warming and other major climate changes. From recycling to eco-friendly tourism, the trend is going green, so why should it be so surprising that some of the officials of the Church should be thinking along the same lines?

Perhaps as we prepare for the approaching celebrations of Holy Week and Easter, it might do us all good to consider how we conciously or unconciously contribute to the desensitization of human thought, especially as it pertains to issues such as the environment.

Considering the Church in China

This week, there are really important meetings going on in Vatican City. Yesterday, representatives from various dicasteries (administrative offices within the governance of the Church) along with some bishops and members of the religious communities of priests who are presently serving in China began their deliberations.

The impetus for this gathering was the Holy Father's message to Catholics in China, published last May.

For some time now, the Church has had a special interest in demonstrating the special care with which we care for the Catholics of China who have been all but lost in the overwhelming majority of non-Christian religions which are present there. In addition, practice of the Roman Catholic faith has happened thanks to the devotion of very few, despite the fact that many freedoms which are taken for granted in other parts of the world are absolutely denied.

This meeting in Rome demonstrates the continued interest in putting the words of His Holiness into practice. The process begins with examining the situation as it now is in that land, and then considering the implementation of the hopes and dreams voiced in the Pope's letter.

The press release issued by the Vatican Press Office yesterday says that 'This first meeting will examine the reactions to the Letter which the Holy Father sent to Chinese Catholics on 27 May 2007. The rich contents of the pontifical document will be analysed in-depth and, in the light thereof, the principal aspects of the life of the Church in China will be considered'.

China has one of the oldest recorded histories. It is also one of the few places where the message of Christ and his gospel has encountered the most obstacles, but the strange thing about the Catholic Church is that it seems to thrive in places where questions of faith are denied or repressed. Stay tuned for further developments ...

• a commentary on freedom for Chinese Catholics

Restoring life

The Canadian Catholic Organization for Development and Peace was established by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops in 1969 as a means of providing tangible assistance to the people of God, especially outside the country.

Each year, Development and Peace calls the attention of Canadian Catholics to the plight of other Christians throughout the world. In addition, this organization is among the first to respond when disaster strikes. From the tsunami of Southwestern Asia to the earthquakes which have devastated parts of South America in recent years, the Church is there providing help for all those who find themselves facing these challenges.

Today is referred to as Solidarity Sunday, traditionally a time for all Catholics in Canada to remember the work of Development and Peace, and to be spiritually united with the actions adanced toward those who are most in need. To mark this day, special messages are issued by the president of the CCCB and by many other bishops in Canada.

My homily for this weekend, available in text or podcast format, is meant to educate about the Share Lent campaign and to prepare the hearer-reader for the upcoming Share Lent collection which traditionally takes place on Good Friday.

On the in-side

For many who worship according to other religious traditions, the Roman Catholic Church can sometimes appear to be full of secret codes and signs. Ask anyone from the Protestant traditions who has ever attended a Catholic funeral whether they truly understand how everyone around them knows when to sit, kneel, stand .... all without any verbal announcement being made.

Finally, here are some of the so-called 'secrets' of the Catholic Church. Believe it or not, some of the long-time Roman Catholics may not understand these either, but instead of publishing an entire dictionary of Catholic understandings, how's this for a kind of 'Coles Notes' version?

The list was published last week by a Canadian church periodical known as The New Catholic Times. They have just recently introduced an on-line version of their long-standing publication. Thanks to our friends for the work they have done to assemble these references for us.

When east meets west

History is in the making.

During the first millenium of Chiristianity, thinigs were going rather well, but in 1066 there occurred what is referred to as the great schism. Since that time, the Church of the East (known also as the Oriental Church) and the Church of the West (referred to by most as the Roman Church) have been separated.

While the Western Church recognizes the primacy of the Bishop of Rome, meaning he is seen as the head of the Church, the Eastern Church (those we refer to as the Orthodox) do not. Instead their leader is the Patriarch of Constantinople.

For almost a millenium, the Patriarch of Constantinople and the Bishop of Rome (who by the way once also held the title Patriarch of the West), weren't on speaking terms. Only during the pontificate of John Paul II did the ice seem to melt a bit, and the two finally met face to face. Since that time, discussion has taken place from time to time between the two, thanks to lots of politics which is no doubt going on in the back rooms of the respective Churches.

Yesterday, the Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I of Constantinople met with Benedict XVI in the Vatican. This is the third such meeting during the current pope's pontificate. Discussions such as these are encouraging signs of promise that some day there might be hope of reunification. How long this process will take is still unknown, but little by little, steps are being taken. Like most negotiations, this is a fragile process and must be handled with care. The possibilities are encouraging but there is still a long road ahead.

• Read more about the meeting of Pope Benedict XVI and the Orthodox Patriarch of Constantinople