World Youth Day this year takes place in Rio De Janerio next
week from July 23rd to July 28th and it is expected that millions
of young people from all over the world will be in attendance. This will be the first World Youth Day with Pope Francis in
attendance and the first time he has returned to South America since his
election.
This years world
youth day has been given the title “Go and make disciples of all nations” Taken
from the end of Matthew’s gospel, the context of the theme is to respect the
Resurrection of Christ. The disciples, who until then were frightened and
locked inside for fear of the Jews, encounter Christ, the victor over death.
The encounter with Christ Risen encourages all to the living
of this mandate. Mary Magdalene sees the empty tomb and witnesses! Peter and
John believe and testify when they see the strips of linen and the cloth! The
disciples of Emmaus recognize Christ in the sharing of bread and testify that
Christ lives!
It is in this context that Christ gives the mandate: Go! Go
because He is alive and he walks in front of his friends. Go because Christ is
victor and remains with each member of the Church. Go and announce the
resurrection!
This is what the theme of WYD Rio2013 seeks to generate in
the heart of every young pilgrim. It motivates each participant to let the
light of the Risen Christ dissipate the darkness of fear and doubts that
paralyze. It encourages young people to be missionaries even in situations of
conflict, in countries where Christians are persecuted, amid a secularized
world that does not want to live Christian values.
The Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, sponsor of World Youth
Day 2013, requested that a Student’s Guide to Bioethics be distributed to all
the pilgrims attending World Youth Day in Rio. 2 million copies have been printed in French, English, Spanish, and
Portuguese and inserted into the “pilgrim’s bags” so that all attending will
have a copy.
Every youth taking part will receive a "kit" from
organizers. Within each kit is a
copy of this excellent pro-life booklet published by the Lejeune Foundation.
This is one of a number of pro-life materials that are going
to be shared with the millions of people expected in Rio.
Titled in French, Manuel Bioéthique des Jeunes, the
Student’s Guide to Bioethics was first published in 2006 by the Jérôme Lejeune
Foundation to counter the ideological bias in a qualifying examination in
science for youth. The objective
of the Student’s Guide to Bioethics is “to go beyond cosmetic rhetoric to focus
on the reality of biological facts and their ethical implications”. The French
edition has been a great success: more than 300,000 copies have been
distributed free of charge to students, parents and schools that have requested
it. The book has been translated into Spanish, Italian, Romanian, Hungarian,
and Swedish.
The English translation is now available and puts critical
questions facing our society and culture on an objectively scientific basis. It
encourages readers to make well-informed judgments based upon scientific fact
and sound ethical principles. The
approach is rigorous, yet accessible making this small book a valuable
educational tool, not just for young people but also for adults.
