The Office of Youth Ministry - World Youth Day

World Youth Day

Sr. M. Dolorosa — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:29:33 -0500

Start: Jul 8 2008 - 10:00am

End: Jul 23 2008 - 10:59am

The Pope's heading to Australia and guess what? (what?) The OYM is too! We will be joining thousands of young people from all over the world in bearing witness to Christ!

Celebrate Youth!

Sr. M. Dolorosa — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 15:01:30 -0500

Start: Mar 16 2008 - 1:00pm

End: Mar 16 2008 - 5:00pm

Join the Office of Youth Ministry along with Archbishop Burke and Bishop Hermann this Palm Sunday March 16, 2008 from 1-5 as we celebrate YOU- the youth. This will conclude the pilgrimage of the World Youth Day pilgrim cross throughout our diocese. Holy Mass will be celebrated along with a talk, praise and worship, and time to recognize the youth for their dedication to following Christ.

Location

Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center

1 University Blvd.

St. Louis, MO, 63121-4400

See map: Google Maps, Yahoo! Maps, MapQuest

Frequently Asked Questions - WYD 2008

stlyouth — Wed, 29 Nov 2006 18:16:06 -0500

Most of your questions should be answered by looking at our WYD brochure, below you will find a few questions that are commonly asked about WYD. If you have any other questions please contact Liz Buncher at the Office of Youth Ministry

What is World Youth Day?
WYD was created by our late Holy Father Pope John Paul II when he noticed a decline in attendance of youth in the Catholic Church. WYD is a gathering of youth from all over world. They come together for pilgrimage, prayer, and to experience the love of God. While at world youth day the young people will have a true experience of the Universal Catholic Church, and grow in their own faith, becoming witnesses of Christ to the world.

Who is invited to World Youth day in Australia?
World youth day is designed for people ages 16-35. To attend the trip you must be 16 years old on or before July 6th 2008. Groups must have one Chaperone for each 8 youth that they bring, and Chaperones must be in compliance with Protecting God’s Children.

What is the Catholic culture like in Australia?
The Auxiliary Bishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney says,
“Australia represents for some “the ends of the earth,” so it’s a place that offers young people of the world an opportunity to come and be witnesses to their Faith beyond their own surroundings. They come bearing gifts to share——their enthusiasm will help evangelize our whole culture.
We in turn, will offer those young people a place of hospitality, a place of pilgrimage, a place where they will meet the Holy Father and the young people of the world to celebrate and deepen their faith so they may return to wherever they came from with renewed zeal.
They will find a place of great welcome — we’re a very multicultural society so wherever they’re from, they will find people who speak, think and act like them. But they will also find every other nation represented there, wonderfully united as one country.
Many pilgrims will be coming from countries that are hundreds or thousands of years old and Australia offers them a new land — Our European Settlers arrives just over 200 years ago – with a very ancient aboriginal culture both of which they will have a chance to encounter.
We are very determined that we are going to offer people a very genuine pilgrimage experience.
Though it’s true that we don’t have ancient cathedrals with the relics of saints, what we do have is a young culture, a young Church that wants to be a place of living saints. We believe the pilgrims will help make Australia into a true pilgrimage center where they will meet Jesus Christ and where they’ll experience the Holy Spirit.”

Why travel with the OYM?
The Office of Youth Ministry has been taking groups to World Youth Day since Rome in 2000. We are experienced in planning these international events. We are working with Youth in Europe which is a travel agency specializing in youth pilgrimages and has loads of experience with World Youth Day.

What will the “Days in the Diocese” experience be like?
The first few days of our trip will be spent with generous Australian host that will open their homes to us. They will feed us Australian food, show us Australian culture, and hopefully we will pick up their accents. In Germany our times with host families was fabulous, many of us are still in contact with our families. This is a great way to experience first hand another culture.

What will the World Youth Day activities be like?
There will be many different activities going on throughout our time in Sydney. Daily mass will be offered, welcome ceremonies, youth rallies, catechesis sessions, and many more chances to grow in your faith. The streets of Sydney will be filled with people, trading of trinkets, dancing, games, singing. There will be tons of people to meet and much fun to be had.

What paper work will I need to travel to Australia?
Everyone attending will need to have a Passport and a copy of their health insurance card. The Office of Youth Ministry will have additional forms that must be signed and turned in.

What if my youth group isn’t brining anyone, but I still want to go?
If you are an individual who still would like to participate in World Youth Day but you youth group is not going, please contact the Office of Youth Ministry and we will make arrangements within our group.

What will the weather be like in Australia?
Our summer is Australia’s winter, but their winter is like our fall. The temperature will be cool and like any travels you should be prepared for rain.

World Youth Day 2005

Liz Buncher — Wed, 22 Nov 2006 10:34:00 -0500

World Youth Day 2005

In August of 2004 a group of teens from our Diocese had the privilage of attending World Youth day in Cologne Germany. We spent several days with host families in the Netherlands, learning lots of Dutch and eating lots of Hagelslag. Then we travelled to Dusseldorf and Cologne, Germany to join 800,000 worldwide Catholics in long lines, crowded trains, and crazy food-hunts, but we learned lots of national chants and can all easily identify Italians when we see one - they were everywhere! The pilgrimage to Marienfeld, where the vigil and Papal Mass were held, was truly an experience nobody will forget. And seeing and listening to our Holy Father inspire us to love Christ more made every suffering worthwhile. So, thanks for the prayers, and now surf around to find all the gems we did like the magi, you must search to find the Christ-child!

Pictures Galleries
Adventures of Brigid, the WYD Mascot
WYD Day of Recollection
Days in the Diocese of Roermond
The Pilgrimage to Marienfeld

Addresses by our Holy Father
A Sign of the Church's Vitality - upon arriving in Germany
Let Yourselves Be Surprised by Christ - from the Rhine River
We Become Aware of the Legacy of Values Handed Down to Us
If You Abide in Christ, You Will Bear Much Fruit - homily to seminarians
Only From God Does True Revolution Come - Marienfeld vigil
Let Us Go Forward with Christ - homily from closing Mass
Bring to All the Joy of Christ That You Have Found Here - Angelus

In the News - OYM at WYD
Local Catholic teens spiriting toward World Youth Day celebration
World Youth Day 2005 at Cologne - message by Archbishop Burke
St. Louis teens join WYD gathering
St. Louisans experience universal Church at World Youth Day
Two local seminarians meet Pope Benedict XVI in Germany
World Youth Day 2005 - message by Archbishop Burke

Sydney Here We Come!!!

stlyouth — Wed, 01 Nov 2006 02:08:23 -0500

“You will receive the power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.” Acts 1:8

Imagine you, a few kangaroo’s, hundreds of thousands of young Catholics and the Pope all heading Down Under to celebrate the universality of our amazing faith. In July of 2008 you may not have to use your imagination. The Office of Youth Ministry in collaboration with Youth in Europe will be hosting a trip to World Youth Day in Sydney Australia. We will have the chance to make some great Australian friends through “Days in the Diocese”, four nights spent with an Aussie host family. Then we will head to the World Youth Day festivities joining the thousands gathered in Sydney. With daily mass, prayer, Catechesis sessions, guided tours, and the presence of our Holy Father this will be a pilgrimage worth taking. The cost will be $3500, so start your fundraising and saving up now! It’s a trip that will be well worth the cost. Memories will be made that will never be forgotten, you will make friends from all corners of the planet, and you will have a profound experience of the Universal Church. Come let the Holy Sprit work in your life and be a witness of Christ to the World.

Registration will open at www.stlyouth.org on November 20, 2006. For more information or questions please contact Liz Buncher at 314.633.2503 or lizbuncher@archstl.org.

Watch out Sydney...Here we come!

stlyouth — Fri, 01 Sep 2006 14:53:50 -0500

By Crikey!
The next World Youth Day will be in the gorgeous city of Sydney Australia. The OYM is planning a trip Down Under. More information will be available in the near future. If you would like information about the trip please contact Liz Buncher at the Office of Youth Ministry.

Palm Sunday = World Youth Day?

Liz Buncher — Thu, 09 Mar 2006 16:27:27 -0500

Did you know that World Youth Day is celebrated all over the globe on Palm Sunday? This year the Holy father has called us to reflect on part of Psalm 119 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path”. In preparation for World Youth Day 2008 Pope Benedict is challenging all youth of the world to come to know Christ through the Sacred Scriptures. Over the next three years the themes of the World Youth Days will be the Holy Spirit of truth, love, fortitude, and witness. Whether we plan on taking the big trip in 08’ to Sydney or not, we shouldn’t take this challenge lightly. The more we know scripture, the more we will know Christ and be able recognize the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

OYM World Youth Day Travel Log

stlyouth — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 23:00:00 -0500

In only 4 days a group of 177 people from our Archdiocese will be heading to World Youth Day. Starting next week, you can check out our travel log at www.stlyouth.org and follow our adventures!

Show the world your smiling face!

stlyouth — Thu, 04 Aug 2005 23:00:00 -0500

Late Pope John Paul II. is the grandfather of World Youth Day. It was him, who – in 1984 - initiated the first world meeting of young people in Rome. His idea: Every two years, the Pope invites young people from all over the world to come to one town to experience Christ and his living church.

It was late Pope John Paul II.’s wish to come to Cologne, Germany in August and to celebrate the World Youth Day 2005 with the youth of the world.

We want to say thank you to the inventor of the World Youth Day: By means of the biggest mosaic portrait the world has ever seen. To accomplish this, we need your photograph. From thousands of portrait photographs, your portraits, we will build an image of late Pope JP II. Join us in this challenging endeavour and unique project!

Better Dust off Your Catechism

stlyouth — Mon, 18 Jul 2005 23:00:00 -0500

Take from Zenit.org BERLIN, JUNE 7, 2005- Youth requesting visas to visit Germany for World Youth Day should study their catechism.

More than a million young people are expected to attend the event in August, and the German government wants to make sure illegal immigrants, especially from the Balkans, aren’t among them. German embassies abroad have developed a test to sort out the true pilgrims from those seeking to take advantage of the fast-lane regulation visas. The questionnaire asks, among other things, how and when Jesus died, the seven deadly sins and the sacraments. A passing score is 70.

Over 23,000 Americans Attending

stlyouth — Mon, 18 Jul 2005 23:00:00 -0500

Taken from Zenit.org WASHINGTON, D.C., JUNE 20, 2005- More than 23,000 young pilgrims and 70 bishops from the United States plan to attend World Youth Day in Germany this Aug. 16-21, according to the U.S. episcopal conference.

Benedict XVI plans to attend the event, his first foreign trip as Pope. There are currently 833 U.S. groups signed up, representing almost all the states and 81% of the U.S. dioceses and eparchies. These youth will be joined by an additional 300,000 young people from around the world already registered for the event, The German bishops’ conference has set a goal of 400,000 registrants and 600 bishops. In addition there will be over 20,000 volunteers deployed by the World Youth Day organizers to assist pilgrims and bishops throughout the entire program.

Five thousand youth from the United States also will participate in the diocesan Days of Encounter to be held in Cologne from Aug. 11-15. The Days of Encounter provide an opportunity for youth to participate in Mass and other prayers and to enjoy local attractions.

Message of our NEW Holy Father

stlyouth — Tue, 19 Apr 2005 23:00:00 -0500

From his first Papal mass: “I am thinking especially about the youths. My affectionate thought goes to them, Pope John Paul II’s privileged interlocutors, while, God willing, I wait to meet with them in Cologne on the occasion of the next World Youth Day. I will continue the dialogue with you, dear youths, future and hope of the church and mankind.”

Venimus Adorare Eum

stlyouth — Mon, 06 Dec 2004 00:00:00 -0500

Exciting things are happening by way of World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany.

All of the programs are falling into place for the next World Youth Day. The vigil site has been selected at Marienfeld about 15 km away from the heart of the city of Cologne where the Cathedral is. Even our “Days in the Diocese”, which we are participating in this year, is panning out as we prepare to trek through Holland and Germany getting to know the culture of the Church today throughout these countries.

They have just released the theme song, entitled “Venimus adorare eum”. The title of the song is latin for “We have come to worship Him”. The theme song was composed by songwriter Gregor Linssen from Neuss, Germany. To get a taste of the theme song you can click here.

Message of the Holy Father

stlyouth — Thu, 09 Sep 2004 23:00:00 -0500

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER JOHN PAUL II TO THE YOUTH OF THE WORLD ON THE OCCASION OF THE 20th WORLD YOUTH DAY (COLOGNE, AUGUST 2005)

“We have come to worship him” (Mt 2:2)

*My dear young people! *

This year we have celebrated the 19th World Youth Day, meditating on the desire expressed by some Greeks who had gone to Jerusalem for the Passover: “We wish to see Jesus” (Jn 12:21). And here we are now, making our way to Cologne where, in August 2005, the 20th World Youth Day is to be celebrated.

“We have come to worship him” (Mt 2:2): this is the theme of the next World Youth Day. It is a theme that enables young people from every continent to follow in spirit the path taken by the Magi whose relics, according to a pious tradition, are venerated in this very city, and to meet, as they did, the Messiah of all nations.

It is true to say that the light of Christ had already opened the minds and the hearts of the Magi. “They went their way” (Mt 2:9), says the Evangelist, setting out boldly along unknown paths on a long, and by no means easy, journey. They did not hesitate to leave everything behind in order to follow the star that they had seen in the East (cf Mt 2:2). Imitating the Magi, you young people are also making preparations to set out on a “journey” from every region of the world to go to Cologne. It is important for you not only to concern yourselves with the practical arrangements for World Youth Day, but first of all you must carefully prepare yourselves spiritually, in an atmosphere of faith and listening to the Word of God.

“And the star… went before them, till it came to rest over the place where the child was” (Mt 2:9). The Magi reached Bethlehem because they had obediently allowed themselves to be guided by the star. Indeed, “When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy” (Mt 2:10). It is important, my dear friends, to learn to observe the signs with which God is calling us and guiding us. When we are conscious of being led by Him, our heart experiences authentic and deep joy as well as a powerful desire to meet Him and a persevering strength to follow Him obediently.

“And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother” (Mt 2:11). There is nothing extraordinary about this at first sight. Yet that Child was different from any other: He is the only Son of God, yet He emptied Himself of His glory (cf Phil 2:7) and came to earth to die on the Cross. He came down among us and became poor in order to reveal to us His divine glory, which we shall contemplate fully in heaven, our blessed home.

Who could have invented a greater sign of love? We are left in awe before the mystery of a God who lowered himself to take on our human condition, to the point of giving His life for us on the Cross (cf Phil 2:6-8). In His poverty, - as Saint Paul reminds us - “though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that by his poverty you might become rich” (2 Cor 8:9), and came to offer salvation to sinners. How can we give thanks to God for such magnanimous goodness?

The Magi found Jesus at “Bêth-lehem” which means “house of bread”. In the humble stable in Bethlehem on some straw lay the “grain of wheat” who, by dying, would bring forth “much fruit” (cf Jn 12:24). When speaking of Himself and His saving mission in the course of His public life, Jesus would later use the image of bread. He would say “I am the bread of life”, “I am the bread which came down from heaven”, “the bread that I shall give for the life of the world is my flesh”. (Jn 6: 35.41.51).

Faithfully pursuing the path of our Redeemer from the poverty of the Crib to His abandonment on the Cross we can better understand the mystery of His love which redeems humanity. The Child, laid by Mary in the manger, is the Man-God we shall see nailed to the Cross. The same Redeemer is present in the sacrament of the Eucharist. In the stable at Bethlehem He allowed himself to be worshipped under the humble outward appearances of a newborn baby, by Mary, by Joseph and by the shepherds; in the consecrated Host we adore Him sacramentally present in his body, blood, soul and godhead, and He offers himself to us as the food of eternal life. The Mass then becomes a truly loving encounter with the One who gave himself wholly for us. Do not hesitate, my dear young friends, to respond to Him when He invites you “to the wedding feast of the Lamb (cf Rev 19:9). Listen to him, prepare yourselves properly and draw close to the Sacrament of the Altar, particularly in this Year of the Eucharist (October 2004-2005) which I have proclaimed for the whole Church.

“They fell down and worshipped Him” (Mt 2:11). While the Magi acknowledged and worshipped the baby that Mary cradled in her arms as the One awaited by the nations and foretold by prophets, today we can also worship Him in the Eucharist, and acknowledge Him as our Creator, our only Lord and Saviour.

“Opening their treasures they offered Him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh” (Mt 2:11). The gifts that the Magi offered the Messiah symbolised true worship. With gold, they emphasised His Royal Godhead; with incense, they acknowledged Him as the priest of the New Covenant; by offering Him myrrh, they celebrated the prophet who would shed His own blood to reconcile humanity with the Father.

My dear young people, you too offer to the Lord the gold of your lives, namely, your freedom to follow Him out of love, responding faithfully to His call; let the incense of your fervent prayer rise up to him, in praise of His glory; offer Him your myrrh, that is your affection of total gratitude to Him, true Man, who loved us to the point of dying as a criminal on Golgotha.

Be worshippers of the only true God, giving Him pride of place in your lives! Idolatry is an ever-present temptation. Sadly, there are those who seek the solution to their problems in religious practices that are incompatible with the Christian faith. There is a strong urge to believe in the facile myths of success and power; it is dangerous to accept the fleeting ideas of the sacred which present God in the form of cosmic energy, or in any other manner that is inconsistent with Catholic teaching.

My dear young people, do not yield to false illusions and passing fads which so frequently leave behind a tragic spiritual vacuum! Reject the seduction of wealth, consumerism and the subtle violence sometimes used by the mass media.

Worshipping the true God is an authentic act of resistance to all forms of idolatry. Worship Christ: He is the Rock on which to build your future and a world of greater justice and solidarity. Jesus is the Prince of peace: the source of forgiveness and reconciliation, who can make brothers and sisters of all the members of the human family.

“And they departed to their own country by another way” (Mt 2:12). The Gospel tells us that after their meeting with Christ, the Magi returned home “by another way”. This change of route can symbolise the conversion to which all those who encounter Jesus are called, in order to become the true worshippers that He desires (cf Jn 4: 23-24). This entails imitating the way He acted by becoming, as the apostle Paul writes, “a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God”. The apostle then adds that we must not be conformed to the mentality of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of our minds, to “prove what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (cf Rm 12: 1-2).

Listening to Christ and worshipping Him leads us to make courageous choices, to take what are sometimes heroic decisions. Jesus is demanding, because He wishes our genuine happiness. He calls some to give up everything to follow Him in the priestly or consecrated life. Those who hear this invitation must not be afraid to say “yes” and to generously set about following Him as His disciples. But in addition to vocations to special forms of consecration there is also the specific vocation of all baptised Christians: that is also a vocation to that “high standard” of ordinary Christian living which is expressed in holiness (cf Novo Millennio Ineunte, 31). When we meet Christ and accept His Gospel, life changes and we are driven to communicate our experience to others.

There are so many of our contemporaries who do not yet know the love of God or who are seeking to fill their hearts with trifling substitutes. It is therefore urgently necessary for us to be witnesses to love contemplated in Christ. The invitation to take part in World Youth Day is also extended to you, dear friends, who are not baptised or who do not identify with the Church. Are you not perhaps yearning for the Absolute and in search of “something” to give a meaning to your lives? Turn to Christ and you will not be let down.

Dear young people, the Church needs genuine witnesses for the new evangelisation: men and women whose lives have been transformed by meeting with Jesus, men and women who are capable of communicating this experience to others. The Church needs saints. All are called to holiness, and holy people alone can renew humanity. Many have gone before us along this path of Gospel heroism, and I urge you to turn often to them to pray for their intercession. By meeting in Cologne you will learn to become better acquainted with some of them, such as St Boniface, the apostle of Germany, the Saints of Cologne, and in particular Ursula, Albert the Great, Teresa Benedicta of the Cross (Edith Stein) and Blessed Adolph Kolping. Of these I would like to specifically mention St Albert and Teresa Benedicta of the Cross who, with the same interior attitude as the Magi, were passionate seekers after the truth. They had no hesitation in placing their intellectual abilities at the service of the faith, thereby demonstrating that faith and reason are linked and seek each other.

My dear young people as you move forward in spirit towards Cologne, the pope will accompany you with his prayers. May Mary, “Eucharistic woman” and Mother of Wisdom, support you along the way, enlighten your decisions, and teach you to love what is true, good and beautiful. May she lead you all to her Son, who alone can satisfy the innermost yearnings of the human mind and heart.

Go with my blessing!

Castel Gandolfo, 6 August 2004

—JOHN PAUL II

2005 Official Prayer

stlyouth — Mon, 26 Jul 2004 23:00:00 -0500

Please pray with us the official prayer in preparation for the 20th World Youth Day:

Lord Jesus Christ, Savior of the World, You became man, to give us a life in abundance. You promised to remain with Your Church until the end of time. Then Your Kingdom will come: a new heaven and earth full of love, justice and peace. This is our hope, our foundation. Thanks be to You.

Lord, we pray: Bless the young people around the world. Reveal Yourself to those who are in search of You. Awake the non-believers. Strengthen the faith of those who confess You. Let them continuously search for You like the three Wise Men from the East. Make them architects of a new civilization of love and witnesses of hope for the whole world. Through them may You be with those who suffer from hunger, war and violence.

Inspire those who are contributing to the World Youth Day 2005. May they serve Your kingdom with the power of their faith and their love and may they welcome their brothers and sisters from all over the world with open hearts.

Lord, You gave us Mary as our mother. Let her be our advocate for this World Youth Day. May it become a celebration of faith. Bless Your Church with new strength in these days, so that it can become a credible witness for You.

We ask this through our Lord and God, living in the unity of the Father and the Holy Spirit, reigning forever and ever.

Amen

World Youth Day

stlyouth — Mon, 22 Mar 2004 00:00:00 -0500

Rev up the Volkswagens! Youth and young adults from the Archdiocese of St. Louis will be headed to Cologne, Germany in 2005 to meet with the Holy Father and hundreds of thousands of Catholic youth from around the world to re-dedicate themselves to Christ while having a blast!

Registration for World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany is open!! Visit here for more information and to learn how to sign up.

In spiritual preparation for WYD, the OYM is placing its pilgrimage under the patronage of the “White Rose” martyrs. We ask that you join us in asking these martyrs to remember our St. Louis youth as they prepare for this unforgettable experience. More on the “White Rose” martyrs follows below.

Student Martyrs Under Nazism Seen as Models for World Youth Day “White Rose” Cost Them Their Lives in Wartime Germany

COLOGNE, Germany, DEC. 17, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Student martyrs who stood up to Nazism would make good models for participants in World Youth Day 2005, says a Church official in Germany.

Monsignor Helmut Moll of the Cologne Archdiocese, a theological consulter of the Vatican Congregation for Sainthood Causes, made that suggestion about the wartime “White Rose” martyrs, according to the Italian bishops’ SIR news agency.

“If I had to suggest a model of holiness for Cologne WYD 2005,” he said, “I would choose the White Rose youths — Orthodox, Protestant and Catholic students of Munich who, in 1942, fought to defend the dignity of man and religion in face of Nazism.”

The Munich youths “had understood that [Nazism] represented a great threat and opposed it clearly in six leaflets, taking positions against the deportation of Jews,” explained Monsignor Moll, who was the vice postulator of the cause of canonization of Edith Stein and Nicholas Gross.

“The leaflet, which they circulated in German cities and universities, were signed with a ‘white rose.’ When they were discovered, they were all killed,” he said.

“They were youths rich in faith, with a profound ecumenical vision. Although they lived at a different time, they are of enormous importance” at present, said the priest. He is the author of the 20th-century German martyrology, which lists more than 700 people recognized as martyrs by the Church.

In the priest’s opinion, “Our society is poor in Christian models; therefore, as the Pope has said, we need figures who are an example of faith, hope and charity. These martyrs are real models of faith who have something to say to all our young people.”

He added: “Events such as WYD are a special occasion to show that one can be a witness of faith even though one is young.”

Reprint permission from Zenit.

As parents you will appreciate the theme our Holy Father has chosen for Lent this year: “Whoever receives one such child in my name receives me.” (Mt 18:5) He says, ” ‘To become’ one of the least and ‘to receive’ the little ones: these are two aspects of a single teaching which the Lord repeats to his disciples in our time. Only the one who makes himself one of the ‘least’ is able to receive with love the ‘least’ of our brothers and sisters.”

Pope John Paul II comments on the condition of children today and encourages us to pray the “Our Father” this Lent. Calling upon “Abba” will remind us that we are each a child of Our Father.