SAINT JOSEPH YOUTH GROUP

Pope Benedict XVI at WYD 2008: “Unity of Faith in a divide world “

July 7, 2009

Thousands of peoples, mostly teenagers, from all over the world, including 50 delegates from Cambodia, gathered in Sydney, Australia to celebrate the Catholic Church’s 23^rd

World Youth Day 2008 with Pope Benedict XVI from July 15-10, 2008. The theme of this WYD was “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8). The Pontiff reminded the youth to be witnesses of “Christ”, since there are still so many people who have not yet heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, while many others have not recognized in this Good News the saving truth that alone can satisfy the deepest longing of their hearts”, Said the Holy Father. On the arrival day of Pope Benedict XVI at the Royal Renwick Racecourse in the eastern side of Sydney City, about 200,000 peoples were waiting for him for a prayer session.

The Holy Father made a call to be “unity of faith in a divided world and in the middle of a growing secularism”. Unity is of the “essence of the Church”, emphasized the Pope while urging the young people to “resist any temptation to walk away “from it.

“You are already well aware the our Christian witnessing is offered to a world which in many ways is fragile”, the Pope said gave thanks to God for the “great gift” of the Catholic Youth faith.

On Thursday July 17, the Holy Father recommended to believers of all faiths to be concerned about the environmental problem of our planet, urging the young to reject this consumerisms society.”There are scars which mark the surface of the earth such as erosion, deforestation and ocean resources” the Pope said.

The 81 year-old pontiff also have dubbed violence, sexual exploitation and consumerism as “false idols”. He spoke out against the human exploitation and violence produced by the phonographic material made for amusement in movies and on the internet.

The Holy Father met privately at St. Mary’s Cathedral in central Sydney, four victims of sexual abuse by some members of the clergy in Australia, as sign of healing and forgiveness, before leaving Australia. The Pontiff listened to their stories and consoled them. He assured them of his spiritual proximity and proposed to continue to pray for them. He spoke individually with each victim in an atmosphere of “respect, spirituality and of intense emotions”. Pope Benedict XVI said with sorrow in his last homily at St. Mary’s Cathedral “I would like to pause to acknowledge the shame which we have all felt of the sexual abuse of minors by some clergy and religious in this country”. These sincere words of the Pope gave great encouragement to the thousands of youngsters gathered for this final celebration.

Young people meeting Pope Benedict XVI in Sydney, on July 15-10, 2008 at the World Youth Day celebrations .

Another WYDs took places in Rome, Italy: 1984 and 1985. Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1987. Antigo de Compostela, Spain in 1989. Czestochowa, Poland in 1991. Denver, U.S in 1993. Manila, Philippine in 1995. Paris, France in 1997. Rome, Italy in 2000. Toroto. Canada in 2002. Cologne, Germany in 2005. The next WYD will take place in Madrid, Spain, in the year 2011.

Website: www.sjygkh.tk
Email: sjygkh@gmail.com

Posted by CSC.

Cambodia Youth Are Ready for WYD 2008, Sydney-Australia

July 7, 2009

By Ly Sovanna

After several meetings of preparation, we are ready for WYD 2008 in Sydney, Australia from July 15^th to 25^th said Father leo Ochoa , SDB the team leader for the young Cambodian attending WYD. Father Leo Ochoa added that “WYD 2008” in Sydney is indeed an extraordinary gift to the Catholic Church in Cambodia.

There will be a group of 50 Cambodians participation in this gathering, including young people, priests and sisters: From the three Church jurisdictions there wil...

Posted by LY SOVANNA.

Church in dark years of recent history

July 7, 2009

World Youth Day International level celebration: 1984 in Rome- Italy with present of late Pope John Paul II, 1985 in Rome-Italy, 1987 in Buenos Aires –Argentina, 1989 in Santiago de compostela, Spain, 1991 in Czestochowa- Poland, 1993 in Denver Unites States, 1995 in Manila- Philippine, 1997 in Paris- France, 2000 in Rome- Italy 2002 in Toroto Canada, 2005 in Cologne- Germany with the present new Pope Benedict XXI, and 2008 Sydney- Australia.

On July 3^rd 2008 a group of 49 Cambodian Cath...

Posted by CSC.

WYD Delegates Meet Government Official

July 7, 2009

Young Cambodian Catholics met a high government official the day before they departed for the 2008 World Youth Day (WYD) celebration in Sydney, Australia.

On July 2 about 30 youths and father Leo Ochoa, leader of the Cambodia WYD delegation, visited Mr. Uch Borith, a secretary of state under the foreign affairs minister, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Father Ochoa told Mr. Borith the delegates to the July 15-20 International WYD celebration are represent...

Posted by HIN ROTH DARA.

World Youth Day is making waves

July 7, 2009

The Pope and the pilgrims have dispersed, and Sydneysiders return to their daily routine now that World Youth Day has finished. The last week's events have left an overwhelmingly positive impression, both in the Australian media, which had at first been sceptical and focused on clerical sexual abuse, and on the young people returning home. If all goes well the seeds that were planted by Pope Benedict's words, by the young people's confessions, by the catechesis, the Masses and their peers, ...

Posted by CHERA.

Pope speaks to abuse victims Pope speaks to abuse victims

July 7, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI met with victims of clerical sexual abuse this morning in a gesture of reparation before leaving Australia.

The Holy Father celebrated Mass with a representative group of those who had been abused by members of the clergy “as an expression of his ongoing pastoral concern”. Although there are no reports of the private meeting that went on between the Pope and the victims afterwards, the Vatican issued a statement which said that Benedict XVI had “listened to their stor...

Posted by Chetra.

Pope Benedict celebrates the final Mass at World Youth Day

July 7, 2009

Pope Benedict XVI expressed his hope that the 23rd World Youth Day would act as a new upper room from which the young pilgrims would leave filled with the fire of the Holy Spirit ready to proclaim the risen Christ.

Speaking to the young pilgrims from around the world at the Papal "final" Mass which was the culmination of the World Youth Day events today, Pope Benedict called upon the young to open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and be like the Apostles at Pentecost.

As sunlight streamed do...

Posted by NARONG ( 855 17 88 48 14 ).

Pope Benedict urges the young to answer humanity's cry for unity

July 7, 2009

Humanity seeks unity which can be found through the Holy Spirit, Pope Benedict XVI said in his second address to the young World Youth Day people today.

Speaking in front of the tens of thousands of young people gathered for this evening's prayer vigil in Randwick Racecourse, Pope Benedict said that the human soul cried out for unity a fragmented and divided world.

"You are already well aware that our Christian witness is offered to a world which in many ways is fragile. The unity of God's cre...

Posted by NAKRY.

Cardinal Pell celebrates the Opening Mass for World Youth Day

July 7, 2009

Cardinal George Pell opened the World Youth Day celebrations in Sydney today with a call to not just to the young people who were there to open their hearts to the Spirit but to all those, young and old, who are lost or in despair.

During the opening Mass in Barangaroo, where hundreds and thousands of young people gathered to celebrate the official beginning of the 23rd World Youth Day, Cardinal Pell opened his homily by citing the parable of the shepherd with the 99 sheep, who went in sear...

Posted by Chetra.