3072 FIN Blessed JP II Seminar
austraLasia #3072

 

MAKATI CITY: 18 May 2012 - The Eighth Blessed John Paul II Catechetics and Youth Ministry Conference began yesterday with a Mass at which Bishop Giuseppe Pinto, Papal Nuncio to the Philippines, presided.

The Provincial Superior of the Philippine North Province (FIN), Fr. Eli Cruz, SDB and the General Councilor for Youth Ministry of the Salesians of Don Bosco, Fr. Fabio Attard, SDB, and a handful of priest-delegates concelebrated the Mass.

In his homily, Fr. Eli emphasized, “In order to listen to the Word, one has to be evangelized by it.”

Fr. Attard gave a talk on “Mary, Mother of God’s Word, Mother of Faith, Icon for the New Youth.”

He stressed the importance of witnessing in the fields of catechesis and youth ministry. He underlined the fact that “the whole question of catechesis is not just about doing, but more importantly, on who we are.”

He described Mary as “the perfect example of the one who attentively listened to God’s Word in a complete and total way.” Fr. Attard gave down-to-earth, theological key points from pastoral-experiential viewpoints.

One of the highlights of this year’s conference is the exposition of the relics of Blessed Pope John Paul II in the exhibit area for veneration. Fr. Mark Cruz, AM, officiated in the blessing of the exhibit. After the plenary talk, the participants visited the exhibit.

In the afternoon, around sixty participants went to their respective workshops.

After the activities, the conference organizers offered Taize prayer service to the participants. It was animated by the National Secretariat and Youth Apostolate in collaboration with youth animators from various dioceses.

In its first installment, the Blessed John Paul II Catechetics and Youth Ministry Conference took the theme “Mary and the Eucharist.” After seven years, the theme returns to Mary, this time in relation to God’s Word.

As before, both the strong Marian spirit of Blessed John Paul II and the profound thought of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI became the inspiration of this theme: “Mary, Mother of God’s Word and Mother of Faith.”

Some one thousand participants from various Philippine dioceses as well as from neighboring Asian countries attended the conference.


















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