the Catechism of the Catholic Church specifically for youth.
-------
In light of World Youth Days "we asked ourselves if we should not seek to translate the Catechism of the Catholic Church into the language of young people and make its words penetrate their world."
Hence, the Holy Father noted, the work was entrusted to the same editor as for the adult version: Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, archbishop of Vienna.
"I hope that many young people will let themselves be fascinated by this book," he said.
The Pontiff continued, "Some persons tell me that the Catechism does not interest today's youth, but I do not believe this affirmation and I am sure I am right."
Young people are not superficial as they are accused of being, the Holy Father affirmed: "Young people want to know what life truly consists of. [...] This book is fascinating because it speaks to us of our very destiny and that is why it concerns each one of us very closely. "Because of this I invite you: Study the Catechism! This is my heartfelt wish."
He noted that the youth version of the Catechism doesn't underestimate young people.
"[I]t does not," the Pope said, "offer easy solutions; it calls for a new life on your part; it presents to you the message of the Gospel as the 'precious pearl' for which there is need to give everything."
"Because of this I ask you: Study the Catechism with passion and perseverance! Sacrifice your time for it! Study it in the silence of your room, read it together, if you are friends, form groups and study networks, exchange ideas on the Internet. In any case remain in dialogue on your faith," he exhorted. "You must know what you believe; you must know your faith with the same precision with which a specialist in information technology knows the working system of a computer; you must know it as a musician knows his piece; yes, you must be much more profoundly rooted in the faith of the generation of your parents, to be able to resist forcefully and with determination the challenges and temptations of this time.
"You have need of divine help, if you do not want your faith to dry up as a dewdrop in the sun, if you do not want to succumb to the temptations of consumerism, if you do not want your love to be drowned in pornography, if you do not want to betray the weak and the victims of abuse and violence."
Love the Church
The Pope concluded with a final counsel: "You all know in what way the community of believers has been wounded in recent times by the attacks of evil, by the penetration of sin in the interior, in fact in the heart of the Church. Do not take this as a pretext to flee from God's presence; you yourselves are the Body of Christ, the Church! Carry intact the fire of your love in this Church every time that men have obscured her face."
And he noted God's predilection for the young: "When Israel was in the darkest point of its history, God called to the rescue no great and esteemed persons, but a youth called Jeremiah; Jeremiah felt invested with too great a mission: 'Ah, Lord God! Behold, I do not know how to speak, for I am only a youth!'
"But God did not let himself be misled: 'Do not say, "I am only a youth;" for to all to whom I send you you shall go, and whatever I command you you shall speak.'" "I bless you," the Holy Father concluded, "and pray every day for all of you."
No comments:
Post a Comment