Article: Young Apostles Speak Out; Big Red Challenge
By Catherine Smibert
SYDNEY, Australia, DEC. 6, 2007 ( Zenit.org).- An international survey investigating the challenges facing young people has been launched by two student organizations as part of their World Youth Day preparations.
The Australian Young Christian Students (YCS) and Australian Young Christian Workers (YCW) conducted the Real Life Survey, asking young people about their everyday experiences, their faith and Catholic social teaching.
The research will form the basis of a proposed forum at World Youth Day in Sydney called "Act Today, Change Tomorrow: A New Generation of Apostles Speaks Out!"
Chantelle Ogilvie, World Youth Day coordinator for the Australian YCS and YCW, commented that "World Youth Day is a chance to celebrate the mission of young people to live the Gospel in their daily lives, and in this way to transform their communities and world. The Real Life Survey is one way that we're helping young people to live out their call to be witnesses."
"Act Today, Change Tomorrow" is supported by the network of International Catholic Youth Organizations, which includes 10 youth movements which between them are present in almost every nation.
YCS and YCW are conducting the Real Live Survey online with groups of young people all over the world. Young people can complete or download the survey in English, French, Spanish and Italian at www.ycw.org.au.
If accepted as an official World Youth Day event, "Act Today, Change Tomorrow" will bring together 1,000 youths, which will result in a public statement regarding the vision of young people for the world.
This is very much in keeping with the mission of the local and international branches of the YCS and YCW movements which animate young people to live out their faith in action to build up the kingdom of God in their own lives in communities.
They aim to work together to produce events and resources that highlight young people's lives and their call to action.
In fact, earlier this year they produced two World Youth Day formation resources, "On Fertile Ground" and "The Holy Spirit Comes," which have been endorsed by Australian bishops and adopted by hundreds of local communities throughout the country.
Chantelle underlines that their "dream is that through World Youth Day, young people will discover their vocation to do something in and about the world around them; [...] that they'll find out they are apostles, called to live like Jesus, through loving and courageous action."
* * *
Supporting AIDS Victims
Last Sunday, the Diocese of Broken Bay hosted the World Youth Day cross once again, where it was welcomed by a sea of young people in bright red T-shirts marking the combination of this event with the occasion of World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.
"The diocesan youth team felt that it would be appropriate and indeed important to mark the proximity of dates by hosting an AIDS awareness and action forum," explained Penny Elsley, World Youth Day coordinator for the diocese.
Mark McDonald, the event's master of ceremonies, noted that this consideration was in line with the charge given to young people when they received the cross originally in 1986 from Pope John Paul II, who told them to carry it through the world as a symbol of Christ's love for humanity.
"Throughout the Gospels," he said, "Jesus repeatedly urges his followers to care for those who are suffering or in peril, telling us that by doing so we are ministering to him; and now, the youth of Broken Bay have chosen to respond to this call."
As a sign of their commitment to raising awareness of AIDS-related issues, the hundreds of youth in attendance donned T-shirts with the slogan "Take the Lead," and venerated the World Youth Day cross.
The event titled "The Big Red Call" was as Bishop David Walker of Broken Bay assured me, a mere taste of what is in store for pilgrims traveling to them for the Days in the Diocese program.
He told me that "with the overall vision for World Youth Day in Broken Bay being that it will act as a catalyst for the personal transformation of our young people through being immersed in experiences which deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, [...] we are confident that our team has and will continue to shine light on what that means to be Christ-like through initiatives such as today's."
And for all those who might have expressed any apprehension with respect to the potential controversy surrounding such an event, Penny Elsley had the answer: "The fight against AIDS goes beyond the sexual questions. [...] For these reasons we did not wish to have condoms handed out -- or made an issue of -- because it is not the focus of our event. It is about demanding justice and equality for our world and the people that inhabit it."
The president of the St. Vincent's Social Justice Society of Brigidine Catholic College, 17-year-old Charlotte Owen, agreed: "It's about reminding all of us that we are called to minister to those who suffer and to those who are powerless. And it is about standing up and taking leadership, at a local level, to stop AIDS and other injustice in our world."
In true Broken Bay style, the event consisted of music and dance performances, information stalls and activities, a panel discussion on different aspects of the AIDS issue and a keynote address from Hugh Evans, Young Australian of the Year 2004 and founder and director of the Oak Tree Foundation.
Evans called upon this generation to make a commitment to end the hold that AIDS has on our world and to show compassion to those who are already trapped in its grasp.
The cross and icon were then involved in a solidarity walk for all those who suffer because of AIDS, taking on the burden of individual sufferers as their stories are shared.
Throughout the day there was also be a chance for the attendees to "make their mark" on a canvas by taking on the physical symbol of the AIDS fight through paint and making a personal symbol on badges and kites.
The diocesan youth team prepared numerous banners containing Gospel messages, inspiring quotes and real-life stories which they displayed to reflect their purpose and vision for this event.
So it doesn't have to stop here. Your own diocese and youth group can benefit from the material produced by Broken Bay to make a difference to the lives of those suffering from AIDS in your community by clicking here http://www.wydbrokenbay.org.au/bigredchallenge.php
* * *
Receiving the Power
Responding to the call to be witnesses of Christ is a phenomenon explored by Father Ken Barker in his new book "A Radical Way of Love," which was launched last week at the Sydney offices of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
"The spirit is moving in a new way at this time again," he told me following the launch event, which was attended by a variety of members from the World Youth Day office.
"And in the book," said Father Barker, "I try to give testimony to this reality, by talking out of our own experience in the ecclesial community that we are part of, the new grace that comes forward in consecrated life and just saying 'yes' when the Holy Spirit comes upon you."
In the book the priest draws from his own experience recognizing and responding to the Holy Spirit in the process of setting up a new religious order in the Church, the Missionaries of God's Love.
Auxiliary Bishop Julian Porteous of Sydney, who spoke at the launch, affirmed that "Father Ken is one of those wise stewards who is able to bring out of his storehouse things both new and old."
"Father Ken has a 'new wine' and it is put into 'fresh skins,' but these are skins proven as enduring from the agelong experience of the Church," he added.
In fact, it's to the past saints such as Francis of Assisi which the author of "A Radical Way of Love" uses to underline his point of recognizing and responding to the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"We have to live the Gospel before we can preach the Gospel," explained Father Barker. "Though the way St. Francis lived may be bizarre to us today, in his age it was his way of being able to take hold of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to live it fully and proclaim it in a way that would bring life and repentance to the Church."
The once-diocesan priest notes in his book that St. Francis' call to "rebuild God's Church" by radically presenting the Gospel is the same call made by Pope Paul VI in "Evangelii Nuntiandi," and also by Pope John Paul II in "Redemptoris Missio."
And he is confident that young people are up for the challenge.
"Whenever the Church is experiencing a crisis in its life," the author told me "the Holy Spirit moves in a new way. In the Western world we are currently experiencing a crisis of secularism, relativism, indifferentism and scientism, many 'isms' that are debilitating a life of faith."
The founder of the Missionaries of God's Love told me after the launch: "It's wrong to consider that young people today will only come to the Church through a compromising or watering down of the Gospel. [...] We need to give the message clear and truthfully without compromise and young people will respond."
But, Father Barker said, echoing a point he made in his book, "on top of this, the grace of the new Pentecost which has been flowing steadily since the Second Vatican Council will be stirred up by this Sydney World Youth Day for young people to receive wholeheartedly."
Bishop Porteous agreed, saying that in light of World Youth Day the book "gives us in Australia a record of the way the Spirit is moving among us and how God is at work here in this great southland today."
This is the second book by Father Barker, and Bishop Porteous said that it should be considered together with his first book, "Becoming Fire."
"Both books are grounded in the experience of the outpouring of -- or baptism in -- the Holy Spirit and the subsequent journey in the spiritual life expressed in a new ecclesial community, and more particularly in a new expression of consecrated brotherhood and sisterhood," says the bishop.
He added: "This is Father Ken's journey, and his gift to the Church ... and indeed will be a gift experienced by pilgrims on the World Youth Day journey."
SYDNEY, Australia, DEC. 6, 2007 ( Zenit.org).- An international survey investigating the challenges facing young people has been launched by two student organizations as part of their World Youth Day preparations.
The Australian Young Christian Students (YCS) and Australian Young Christian Workers (YCW) conducted the Real Life Survey, asking young people about their everyday experiences, their faith and Catholic social teaching.
The research will form the basis of a proposed forum at World Youth Day in Sydney called "Act Today, Change Tomorrow: A New Generation of Apostles Speaks Out!"
Chantelle Ogilvie, World Youth Day coordinator for the Australian YCS and YCW, commented that "World Youth Day is a chance to celebrate the mission of young people to live the Gospel in their daily lives, and in this way to transform their communities and world. The Real Life Survey is one way that we're helping young people to live out their call to be witnesses."
"Act Today, Change Tomorrow" is supported by the network of International Catholic Youth Organizations, which includes 10 youth movements which between them are present in almost every nation.
YCS and YCW are conducting the Real Live Survey online with groups of young people all over the world. Young people can complete or download the survey in English, French, Spanish and Italian at www.ycw.org.au.
If accepted as an official World Youth Day event, "Act Today, Change Tomorrow" will bring together 1,000 youths, which will result in a public statement regarding the vision of young people for the world.
This is very much in keeping with the mission of the local and international branches of the YCS and YCW movements which animate young people to live out their faith in action to build up the kingdom of God in their own lives in communities.
They aim to work together to produce events and resources that highlight young people's lives and their call to action.
In fact, earlier this year they produced two World Youth Day formation resources, "On Fertile Ground" and "The Holy Spirit Comes," which have been endorsed by Australian bishops and adopted by hundreds of local communities throughout the country.
Chantelle underlines that their "dream is that through World Youth Day, young people will discover their vocation to do something in and about the world around them; [...] that they'll find out they are apostles, called to live like Jesus, through loving and courageous action."
* * *
Supporting AIDS Victims
Last Sunday, the Diocese of Broken Bay hosted the World Youth Day cross once again, where it was welcomed by a sea of young people in bright red T-shirts marking the combination of this event with the occasion of World AIDS Day, Dec. 1.
"The diocesan youth team felt that it would be appropriate and indeed important to mark the proximity of dates by hosting an AIDS awareness and action forum," explained Penny Elsley, World Youth Day coordinator for the diocese.
Mark McDonald, the event's master of ceremonies, noted that this consideration was in line with the charge given to young people when they received the cross originally in 1986 from Pope John Paul II, who told them to carry it through the world as a symbol of Christ's love for humanity.
"Throughout the Gospels," he said, "Jesus repeatedly urges his followers to care for those who are suffering or in peril, telling us that by doing so we are ministering to him; and now, the youth of Broken Bay have chosen to respond to this call."
As a sign of their commitment to raising awareness of AIDS-related issues, the hundreds of youth in attendance donned T-shirts with the slogan "Take the Lead," and venerated the World Youth Day cross.
The event titled "The Big Red Call" was as Bishop David Walker of Broken Bay assured me, a mere taste of what is in store for pilgrims traveling to them for the Days in the Diocese program.
He told me that "with the overall vision for World Youth Day in Broken Bay being that it will act as a catalyst for the personal transformation of our young people through being immersed in experiences which deepen their relationship with Jesus Christ, [...] we are confident that our team has and will continue to shine light on what that means to be Christ-like through initiatives such as today's."
And for all those who might have expressed any apprehension with respect to the potential controversy surrounding such an event, Penny Elsley had the answer: "The fight against AIDS goes beyond the sexual questions. [...] For these reasons we did not wish to have condoms handed out -- or made an issue of -- because it is not the focus of our event. It is about demanding justice and equality for our world and the people that inhabit it."
The president of the St. Vincent's Social Justice Society of Brigidine Catholic College, 17-year-old Charlotte Owen, agreed: "It's about reminding all of us that we are called to minister to those who suffer and to those who are powerless. And it is about standing up and taking leadership, at a local level, to stop AIDS and other injustice in our world."
In true Broken Bay style, the event consisted of music and dance performances, information stalls and activities, a panel discussion on different aspects of the AIDS issue and a keynote address from Hugh Evans, Young Australian of the Year 2004 and founder and director of the Oak Tree Foundation.
Evans called upon this generation to make a commitment to end the hold that AIDS has on our world and to show compassion to those who are already trapped in its grasp.
The cross and icon were then involved in a solidarity walk for all those who suffer because of AIDS, taking on the burden of individual sufferers as their stories are shared.
Throughout the day there was also be a chance for the attendees to "make their mark" on a canvas by taking on the physical symbol of the AIDS fight through paint and making a personal symbol on badges and kites.
The diocesan youth team prepared numerous banners containing Gospel messages, inspiring quotes and real-life stories which they displayed to reflect their purpose and vision for this event.
So it doesn't have to stop here. Your own diocese and youth group can benefit from the material produced by Broken Bay to make a difference to the lives of those suffering from AIDS in your community by clicking here http://www.wydbrokenbay.org.au/bigredchallenge.php
* * *
Receiving the Power
Responding to the call to be witnesses of Christ is a phenomenon explored by Father Ken Barker in his new book "A Radical Way of Love," which was launched last week at the Sydney offices of the Catholic Charismatic Renewal.
"The spirit is moving in a new way at this time again," he told me following the launch event, which was attended by a variety of members from the World Youth Day office.
"And in the book," said Father Barker, "I try to give testimony to this reality, by talking out of our own experience in the ecclesial community that we are part of, the new grace that comes forward in consecrated life and just saying 'yes' when the Holy Spirit comes upon you."
In the book the priest draws from his own experience recognizing and responding to the Holy Spirit in the process of setting up a new religious order in the Church, the Missionaries of God's Love.
Auxiliary Bishop Julian Porteous of Sydney, who spoke at the launch, affirmed that "Father Ken is one of those wise stewards who is able to bring out of his storehouse things both new and old."
"Father Ken has a 'new wine' and it is put into 'fresh skins,' but these are skins proven as enduring from the agelong experience of the Church," he added.
In fact, it's to the past saints such as Francis of Assisi which the author of "A Radical Way of Love" uses to underline his point of recognizing and responding to the Holy Spirit in our lives.
"We have to live the Gospel before we can preach the Gospel," explained Father Barker. "Though the way St. Francis lived may be bizarre to us today, in his age it was his way of being able to take hold of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to live it fully and proclaim it in a way that would bring life and repentance to the Church."
The once-diocesan priest notes in his book that St. Francis' call to "rebuild God's Church" by radically presenting the Gospel is the same call made by Pope Paul VI in "Evangelii Nuntiandi," and also by Pope John Paul II in "Redemptoris Missio."
And he is confident that young people are up for the challenge.
"Whenever the Church is experiencing a crisis in its life," the author told me "the Holy Spirit moves in a new way. In the Western world we are currently experiencing a crisis of secularism, relativism, indifferentism and scientism, many 'isms' that are debilitating a life of faith."
The founder of the Missionaries of God's Love told me after the launch: "It's wrong to consider that young people today will only come to the Church through a compromising or watering down of the Gospel. [...] We need to give the message clear and truthfully without compromise and young people will respond."
But, Father Barker said, echoing a point he made in his book, "on top of this, the grace of the new Pentecost which has been flowing steadily since the Second Vatican Council will be stirred up by this Sydney World Youth Day for young people to receive wholeheartedly."
Bishop Porteous agreed, saying that in light of World Youth Day the book "gives us in Australia a record of the way the Spirit is moving among us and how God is at work here in this great southland today."
This is the second book by Father Barker, and Bishop Porteous said that it should be considered together with his first book, "Becoming Fire."
"Both books are grounded in the experience of the outpouring of -- or baptism in -- the Holy Spirit and the subsequent journey in the spiritual life expressed in a new ecclesial community, and more particularly in a new expression of consecrated brotherhood and sisterhood," says the bishop.
He added: "This is Father Ken's journey, and his gift to the Church ... and indeed will be a gift experienced by pilgrims on the World Youth Day journey."
posted by Chipi Buenafe at
12:45 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home