3 million are in Copacabana beach today. More photos: http://g1.globo.com/jornada-mundial.../fotos-jornada-mundial-da-juventude-2013.html
Pope to Youths: Don't let life pass you by. Just like Jesus, take action! http://www.romereports.com/palio/index.php?newlang=english
Pope Francis to youths: Be true 'athletes of Christ!' http://www.romereports.com/palio/po...be-true-athletes-of-christ-english-10685.html
According to census data, the number of Catholics in Brazil dipped from 125 million in 2000 to 123 million in 2010, with the church’s share of the total population dropping from 74 percent to 65 percent. During the same time period, the number of evangelical Protestants and Pentecostals skyrocketed from 26 million to 42 million, increasing from 15 percent to 22 percent of the population in 2010. Francis offered a breathtakingly blunt list of explanations for the “exodus.” “Perhaps the church appeared too weak, perhaps too distant from their needs, perhaps too poor to respond to their concerns, perhaps too cold, perhaps too caught up with itself, perhaps a prisoner of its own rigid formulas,” he said. “Perhaps the world seems to have made the church a relic of the past, unfit for new questions. Perhaps the church could speak to people in their infancy but not to those come of age.” Could it be that the youth of the world do not want truth? I have taught religion long enough to know the youth, resembling their parents, do not want anything to do with the truth if it affects the way they want to live. I understand the Church is to blame for much of the confusion in the youth and the adults, but it started from the bishops and priests modernizing the doctrines and liturgy of the faith to be more acceptable to the world.
“Permit me to say that we must be almost obsessive in this matter. We do not want to be presumptuous, imposing ‘our truths.’ What must guide us is the humble yet joyful certainty of those who have been found, touched, and transformed by the Truth who is Christ, ever to be proclaimed,” the Pope said in his Mass at the Cathedral of Saint Sebastian in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil during World Youth Day. Francis has made the "culture of encounter" a key theme of his papacy. The Pope mentioned it, too, last May 22, when he criticized “intolerant” believers and said good atheists exist. He said the culture of encounter is the foundation of peace. The Pope, who has consistently stressed a more welcoming Church, also told priests and religious to form young people “in mission.” He said: “Let us help our young people. Let us open our ears to their questions. They need to be listened to when in difficulty; of course patience is needed to listen, in confession and in spiritual direction. We need to know how best to spend time with them. Let us spare no effort in the formation of our young people!” What am I missing here? American's and European's have lost their faith because we have not "imposed our truths" to the young. We have tolerated dissent and feel good theology and look what it has brought us. When a faithful Catholic invites a person to the "Truth who is Christ" they may at first desire that, until the doctrines of Christ 'his truths' are revealed and then they run from the Truth who is Christ as fast as they can. This has been my experience. Anyone have a different experience? I guess we have to be happy to bring back one out of a hundred that wants more than the world has to offer.
Full text The CWR Blog Full text: Francis celebrates Mass with bishops, priests, and religious “What must guide us is the humble yet joyful certainty of those who have been found, touched, and transformed by the Truth who is Christ.” July 27, 2013 03:46 EST By Catherine Harmon Today at Rio de Janeiro’s Cathedral of St. Sebastian, Pope Francis celebrated Mass with bishops, priests, seminarians, and religious assembled in the city for World Youth Day. Below is the full text of the Holy Father’s homily from the Mass, via Vatican Radio. *** Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, Seeing this cathedral full of bishops, priests, seminarians, and men and women religious from the whole world, I think of the Psalmist’s words from today’s Mass: “Let the peoples praise you, O God” (Ps 66). We are indeed here to praise the Lord, and we do so reaffirming our desire to be his instruments so that not only some peoples may praise God, but all. With the same parrhesia of Paul and Barnabas, we proclaim the Gospel to our young people, so that they may encounter Christ, the light for our path, and build a more fraternal world. I wish to reflect with you on three aspects of our vocation: we are called by God, called to proclaim the Gospel, and called to promote the culture of encounter. 1. Called by God – It is important to rekindle an awareness of our divine vocation, which we often take for granted in the midst of our many daily responsibilities: as Jesus says, “You did not choose me, but I chose you” (Jn 15:16). This means returning to the source of our calling. At the beginning of our vocational journey, there is a divine election. For this reason, a bishop, a priest, a consecrated man or woman, a seminarian cannot have a bad memory. He or she must safeguard that grace and never forget his or her first calling. We were called by God and we were called to be with Jesus (cf. Mk 3:14), united with him in a way so profound that we are able to say with Saint Paul: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:20). This living in Christ, in fact, marks all that we are and all that we do. And this “life in Christ” is precisely what ensures the effectiveness of our apostolate, that our service is fruitful: “I appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide” (Jn 15:16). It is not pastoral creativity, or meetings or planning that ensure our fruitfulness, but our being faithful to Jesus, who says insistently: “Abide in me and I in you” (Jn 15:4). And we know well what that means: to contemplate him, to worship him, to embrace him, especially through our faithfulness to a life of prayer, and in our daily encounter with him, present in the Eucharist and in those most in need. “Being with” Christ does not isolate us from others. Rather, it is a “being with” in order to go forth and encounter others. This brings to mind some words of Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta: “We must be very proud of our vocation because it gives us the opportunity to serve Christ in the poor. It is in the favelas, in the cantegriles, in the villas miseria, that one must go to seek and to serve Christ. We must go to them as the priest presents himself at the altar, with joy” (Mother’s Instructions, I, p. 80). Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is our true treasure. Let us try to unite our hearts ever more closely to his (cf. Lk 12:34). 2. Called to proclaim the Gospel – dear Bishops and priests, many of you, if not all, have accompanied your young people to World Youth Day. They too have heard the mandate of Jesus: “Go and make disciples of all nations” (cf. Mt 28:19). It is our responsibility to help kindle within their hearts the desire to be missionary disciples of Jesus. Certainly, this invitation could cause many to feel somewhat afraid, thinking that to be missionaries requires leaving their own homes and countries, family and friends. God asks us to be missionaries where we are, where He puts us! Let us help our young people to realize that the call to be missionary disciples flows from our baptism and is an essential part of what it means to be a Christian. We must also help them to realize that we are called first to evangelize in our own homes and our places of study and work, to evangelize our family and friends. Let us help our young people, let us open our ears to their questions, they need to be listened to when in difficulty; of course patience is needed to listen, in confession and in spiritual direction. We need to know how best to spend time with them. Let us spare no effort in the formation of our young people! Saint Paul uses a beautiful expression that he embodied in his own life, when he addressed the Christian community: “My little children, with whom I am again in travail until Christ be formed in you” (Gal 4:19). Let us embody this also in our own ministry! Let us help our young people to discover the courage and joy of faith, the joy of being loved personally by God, who gave his Son Jesus for our salvation. Let us form them in mission, in going out and going forth. Jesus did this with his own disciples: he did not keep them under his wing like a hen with her chicks. He sent them out! We cannot keep ourselves shut up in parishes, in our communities, when so many people are waiting for the Gospel! It is not enough simply to open the door in welcome, but we must go out through that door to seek and meet the people! Let us courageously look to pastoral needs, beginning on the outskirts, with those who are farthest away, with those who do not usually go to church. They are the V.I.P.s invited to the table of the Lord... go and look for them in the nooks and crannies of the streets. 3. Called to promote the culture of encounter – Unfortunately, in many places, generally in this economic humanism that prevails in the world, the culture of exclusion, of rejection, is spreading. There is no place for the elderly or for the unwanted child; there is no time for that poor person on the edge of the street. At times, it seems that for some people, human relations are regulated by two modern “dogmas”: efficiency and pragmatism. Dear bishops, priests, religious, and you seminarians who are preparing for ministry: have the courage to go against the tide. Let us not reject this gift of God which is the one family of his children. Encountering and welcoming everyone, solidarity... this is a word that in this culture is being hidden away, as if it was a swear word... solidarity and fraternity: these are what make our society truly human. Be servants of communion and of the culture of encounter! Permit me to say that we must be almost obsessive in this matter. We do not want to be presumptuous, imposing “our truths”. What must guide us is the humble yet joyful certainty of those who have been found, touched, and transformed by the Truth who is Christ, ever to be proclaimed (cf. Lk 24:13-35). Dear brothers and sisters, we are called by God, called to proclaim the Gospel and called to promote with courage the culture of encounter. May the Virgin Mary be our exemplar. In her life she was “a model of that motherly love with which all who join in the Church’s apostolic mission for the regeneration of humanity should be animated” (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 65). Let us ask her to teach us to meet Jesus every day, let us ask her to encourage us to go out to meet our many brothers and sisters who are on the edges and are thirsty for God but do not have anyone to announce Him; let us ask her not to throw us out of home, but to encourage us to leave home; in this way we will be disciples of the Lord. 3About the Author Catherine Harmon Catherine Harmon is managing editor of Catholic World Report. Write a comment View all Comments CWR Blog
3. Called to promote the culture of encounter – Unfortunately, in many places, generally in this economic humanism that prevails in the world, the culture of exclusion, of rejection, is spreading. There is no place for the elderly or for the unwanted child; there is no time for that poor person on the edge of the street. At times, it seems that for some people, human relations are regulated by two modern “dogmas”: efficiency and pragmatism. Dear bishops, priests, religious, and you seminarians who are preparing for ministry: have the courage to go against the tide. Let us not reject this gift of God which is the one family of his children. Encountering and welcoming everyone, solidarity... this is a word that in this culture is being hidden away, as if it was a swear word... solidarity and fraternity: these are what make our society truly human. Be servants of communion and of the culture of encounter! Permit me to say that we must be almost obsessive in this matter. We do not want to be presumptuous, imposing “our truths”. What must guide us is the humble yet joyful certainty of those who have been found, touched, and transformed by the Truth who is Christ, ever to be proclaimed (cf. Lk 24:13-35). Dear brothers and sisters, we are called by God, called to proclaim the Gospel and called to promote with courage the culture of encounter. May the Virgin Mary be our exemplar. In her life she was “a model of that motherly love with which all who join in the Church’s apostolic mission for the regeneration of humanity should be animated” (Second Vatican Ecumenical Council, Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, 65). Let us ask her to teach us to meet Jesus every day, let us ask her to encourage us to go out to meet our many brothers and sisters who are on the edges and are thirsty for God but do not have anyone to announce Him; let us ask her not to throw us out of home, but to encourage us to leave home; in this way we will be disciples of the Lord. ] Hope, thank you for giving us the full context of the Pope's words. In addition, i think it is also important to read the Gospel passage he references: Luke 24:13-35, The Road to Emmaus 13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was [a]about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary for the [c]Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning [d]with Moses and [e]with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. 28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day [f]is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from [g]their sight. 32 They said to one another, “[h]Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?” 33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them, 34 saying, “The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 They began to relate [j]their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Pope to WYD volunteers: Marriage, Vocational life or still undecided? Ask God for guidance http://www.romereports.com/palio/po...-for-guidance-english-10712.html#.UfZNYTbD-Uk
Pope's last speech in Brazil: May WYD bear new fruit for the Church http://www.romereports.com/palio/po...or-the-church-english-10714.html#.UfZNtDbD-Uk
Pope shows his love, by outlining a heart by helicopter's window http://www.romereports.com/palio/po...opters-window-english-10711.html#.UfZOCTbD-Uk
I love a pope full of joy. I love people full joy too, but the other side of the coin is the reality that people do not want truth. How does one be optomistic, in a world where truth is scoffed at? I could have so many church "friends" if I just walked in the life of the world as most parishioners do. However that is a false joy, it is hollow and superficial, because it is not rooted in the truth which is everlasting. I would be willing to bet my house that if Pope Francis had admonished the sins of contraception, sterilization, co-habitation, fornication, adultry, gay-marriage, drunkeness etc.. that his crowd would have dwindelled to thousands, not millions. I guess he is still in the honeymoon period where he will be loved for not being to "dogmatic" or "doctrinal". I just know from experience that friends and popularity in the faith comes easy when you go along to get along, but bring up Catholic disciplines, dogma or doctrine and you will find yourself an island in today's church and world. I feel soon, many will say to Pope Francis "these are hard sayings, who could endure it" and many of his disiples will follow him no more.
I hope Pope Francis will speak very clearly on these matters. That is when we will see division. Let us pray for him to be strong... Clearly he has entrusted himself to Our Lady,..so I think it will be just a matter of time...
INTERESTING COMPARISON! It tells us a lot of media tricks! http://www.ansa.it/web/notizie/rubriche/english/2013/07/29/am-judge-gays-says-pope_9092772.html (ANSA) - Rome, July 29 - In a candid exchange with journalists as he ended his first foreign trip as pontiff, Pope Francis turned heads Monday when he said that he could not judge someone for being gay. "I don't judge. If a person is of good will, who am I to judge?" he said aboard a Rome-bound flight from Rio De Janeiro http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-holds-80-minute-press-conference-on-return-flight-from-rio “If a person is gay,” the Pope continued, “and he is searching for the Lord with good will, who am I to judge him? The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches that gay people should not be discriminated against but received. The problem is not about having these tendencies, the problem is to lobby it and this goes the same for business lobbies, political lobbies, and masonic lobbies.”
http://multimedia.lastampa.it/multimedia/vatican-insider/lstp/185152/ "Se una persona è gay e cerca il Signore e ha buona volontà, chi sono io per giudicarla?», ha detto ancora Francesco, aggiungendo: «Il catechismo della Chiesa cattolica dice che queste persone non devono essere discriminate ma accolte» These, perhaps, are his real words....
The whole interview (many pages): http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/gmg-26831/
