Youth Today (World Youth Day)

 "The youth of today, with weakened existential roots due to a rampant spiritual and moral relativism, "imprisoned by the dominant power" (Benedict XVI. Message for WYD 2011, 1), and can find no solid foundation on which to build your life in today’s culture and society, even sometimes, in the family. You are tempted to your absolute limit to lose your way in life: How could your faith not be sometimes shaken?

Youth of the 21st century need, even more than previous generations, to find the Lord through the only path that has proven spiritually effective: that of a humble and simple pilgrim seeking God’s face. The youth of today need to see Jesus Christ when He comes to meet them in the Word, the sacraments, “as well, and most importantly, in the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Penance, the poor and the sick, in those brothers experiencing difficulty and in need of help” (Benedict XVI. Message, 4). They need to see and enter into an intimate dialogue with Him, who loves them without asking anything in return except that you answer with your own love.

The intention of the Pope who loves you so much, is to guide you in this very way: that you may experience in the communion of the Catholic Church the truth and the urgency of making the theme of World Youth Day 2011your life: "rooted and built upin Christ, firm in the faith” (cf. Col 2.7)."

- An excerpt from Cardinal Rouco's Homily at World Youth Day 2011