World Youth Day-2011-Hope From The Young

I looked in the secular press this morning and yesterday morning and in the two New York newspapers I read there was not an article, not even a small one in international news about World Youth Day. In today's Sunday NY Times, not a word (unless it was so small I missed it!) That's puzzling to me. A million or more young people from 193 countries from around the world gather in Madrid, Spain for an event and not a word. Incredible! On the front page of the Sunday NY Times there's a photograph of the turmoil in Libya, (a depressing photograph),which is, of course, important news, but not a word about one million young people gathering in peace to demonstrate faith, peace and hope. It's absurd that one million young people gathering in Spain is not news, (to some editors) no one should know about it, unless you read a Catholic newspaper, visit a Catholic website or blog or watch Catholic television??

On a more joyful note, I've been watching EWTN's coverage of World Youth Day and of Pope Benedict in Spain meeting and praying with the young pilgrims and I have been uplifted by their faith and joy. Smiling, faith-filled, joyful young people waving flags, jumping for joy and having a good time expressing their faith was cause for hope. I was particularly moved when I participated (from home) in the solemn praying of the Stations of the Cross on Friday evening. It was very moving. When the marginalized young people, with disabilities, picked up the cross and carried it so reverently I was moved to tears. (I noticed a young man with Down's Syndrome carrying the Cross so proudly, it was touching.)

It seems to me the Church gets this so right, WYD is planned with precision and it's amazing to watch it unfold thousands of miles away. What a great, inspiring Catholic event this is. This is something the Church can be proud of.

John Allen in an article called these faith-filled young people-Evangelical Catholics. I don't doubt that the future Church rests on their shoulders and others like them. Most have traveled from all parts of the globe, they are withstanding heat, discomfort and even a rainstorm on Saturday night. And still they wave their flags, they pray, and smile while giving a positive witness to us all.

From what I've observed so far on TV and from the blog posts I've read, these young people have given me hope, not only me but I'm sure all the bishops, priests, nuns and laypeople who are there as well. And of course the Pope himself. These young people are filled with the light of Christ, I'm grateful for their enthusiasm and faith. God Bless them all!

Seeing you gathered here in such great numbers, from all parts of the world, fills my heart with joy. I think of the special love with which Jesus is looking upon you. Yes, the Lord loves you and calls you His friends. He goes out to meet you and He wants to accompany you on your journey, to open the door to a life of fulfillment and to give you a share in His own closeness to the Father"..........Pope Benedict-Closing Mass-WYD-2011

**Update-Finally, on Monday, Aug. 22nd an article appeared in the New York Times about World Youth Day!

A Fringe Pastor Gains Worldwide Attention

Reading the New York Times on Friday morning, with my breakfast, I was surprised to see a couple of items in the paper. For one, there was a front page article about Protestant Pastor Terry Jones from Gainesville, Florida, who gained worldwide media attention for his inflammatory idea to burn copies of the Koran on Sept. 11th. I was concerned as to what the repercussions would be, if that ever happened. I wasn't the only one. General Petraeus warned that if Koran's were set on fire, American troops could be endangered. 

 Pastor Jones managed to be interviewed on CNN the other night and he has consented to 150 other interviews. His congregation is small but his present audience is very large. The article in the Times blamed the summer news lull and the 24-hour news cycle (the internet) for the amount of media attention given to this story. Kathleen Carroll, the executive editor of  The Associated Press, said this, "Before there were riots and heads of states talking about him, it could have been a couple of paragraphs in a story about September 11th commemorations....It's beyond that now." I'll say it is.

As stated in the New York Times article, Chris Cuomo, an ABC News anchor wrote this on Twitter, "I am in the media, but think media gave life to this Florida burning......and that was reckless." 

Getting back to my morning reading of the Times, I was surprised to see a full page advertisement, in the middle of the paper (I can't imagine what that cost!), titled, "Burning the Qur'an does not illuminate the Bible." The American Bible Society sponsored the ad but the names listed of those who supported the message were impressive. Among them Catholic Archbishops: Archbishop Charles Chaput, Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Archbishop Timothy Dolan, Archbishop Wilton Gregory (U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops), and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Demetrios and many other Protestant leaders, and others as well.  

When I studied at Fordham, I had a religion professor, Dr. Gloria Durka who had a favorite expression that I loved, "You can't make this stuff up." I think it applies here....this story took on a life of its own. 

I ask: When will we all learn to live in peace and respect each other and our common beliefs that are good and holy? Maybe future generations will learn to live in peace and goodness.  I hope so. Having said that, I'll go to sleep.

NJA