SYM echoes the message of the Pope for the XXXVI WYD

04 October 2021 Photo ©: Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life (ANS – Rome) – On 22 November 2020 Pope Francis called for a relaunch of the celebration of WYD in the particular Churches. He announced that this celebration which has been traditionally held on Palm Sunday, starting in 2021 will be held on the Sunday of the Solemnity of Christ the King. On 14 September 2021, in his message for the WYD 2021, he invited all the young people to “ARISE” presenting the reflections on the conversion story of St. Paul. He also appreciated the contribution of young people during the pandemic days of sowing seeds of hope, upholding freedom and justice, and acting as peacemakers and bridge builders. He is convinced that today Christ speaks to the young people the same words that he spoke to Paul: ‘Arise! Do not remain downcast or caught up in yourself: a mission awaits you! You too can testify to what Jesus has begun to accomplish in your lives’. Following the message of Pope Francis, the Councillor for Youth Ministry Fr Miguel Angel Garcia Morcuende, along with the coordinator for Salesian Youth Movement Fr Patrick Anthonyraj, invite and encourage all the young...

Pope to the elderly: God sends his angels to console your loneliness – Vatican News

Pope to the elderly: God sends his angels to console your loneliness Pope Francis reassures the elderly that God is always with them in his message for the first-ever World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly. He also reminds them of their vocation to preserve our roots and to pass on the faith to the younger ones. By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ Pope Francis on Tuesday released a message for the First World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly ahead of the date of the celebration which is scheduled for 25 July. The theme chosen by the Pope for the inaugural commemoration is “I am with you always” (Mt 28: 30). The Holy Father addressed the theme from the Gospel of Matthew to all Grandparents and the elderly, reminding them that this is the promise the Lord made to his disciples before he ascended into heaven. “The whole Church is close to you – to us – and cares about you, loves you and does not want to leave you alone!” the Pope said, identifying with the elderly, as one of them. Comfort amid the pandemic The Pope’s message comes amid the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic that...

The strength of a people who believe in what they pray for – Vatican News

The strength of a people who believe in what they pray for The Marian marathon convened by Pope Francis for the month of May to pray for an end to the pandemic brings to the fore the power of prayer in times of danger, and in particular, the intercession of the Virgin, to whom Christians have had recourse since the dawn of the Gospel. By Alessandro De Carolis Defeating the invisible nemesis that slowly extinguishes your capacity to breathe in a hospital room – or perhaps in the street because there simply isn’t a hospital that will take you in – and believing you can do so by getting down on your knees. This might seem a solution more suited to times in which ancient collective superstitions competed with the fresh words of the Gospel, rather than to an era like ours in which individualism exhibited everywhere tends to debase the sense of community action, especially if it as intangible as the spiritual. A promise In reality, to dispel doubts and misgivings about the efficacy of shared prayer, it is enough to read Matthew 18: 19, which contains Jesus’ assurance that: “If two of you agree on earth about anything...

Pope on Earth Day: “It is time to act!” – Vatican News

Pope on Earth Day: “It is time to act!” Pope Francis calls for urgency in joint efforts on the path towards protecting our planet, in two separate video messages for Earth Day 2021. By Vatican News staff writer Commemorating the 51st Earth Day on Thursday, Pope Francis sent two video messages reminding everyone of the importance of working together to protect our planet. In a message for the Leaders Summit on Climate, the Pope said the initiative sets world leaders on a path towards the COP26 meeting to take place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November 2021. He said the Leaders Summit encourages nations to “take charge of the care of nature, of this gift that we have received and that we have to heal, guard, and carry forward.” “Our concern is to see that the environment is cleaner, purer, and preserved,” said the Pope, “and to take care of nature so that it takes care of us.” Earth Day 2021 In a separate video message marking Earth Day 2021, Pope Francis continued in the same vein. “It is always good to recall things that we have said to one another so that they will not fall into oblivion,” the...