Young prisoners not forgotten in World Youth Day plans
Encounters with young people in prison and living with HIV will feature in Pope Francis’ itinerary when he visits Panama for World Youth Day, the Vatican has announced.
The January 23-27 visit will be the Pope’s 26th trip outside Italy, and will see the Pontiff celebrating two Masses and a penitential liturgy as well as delivering seven speeches, dedicating the altar of Panama’s newly-renovated 400-year-old cathedral and meeting with bishops from across Central America.
According to a statement from the World Youth Day organising committee, Francis’ meeting with young people unable to take part in the activities is a response to the Gospel’s call to clothe the naked, visit the sick and comfort the imprisoned, and will entail a penitential liturgy “in an act of repentance, reconciliation and forgiveness”.
World Youth Day 2019’s theme is ‘I am the servant of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.’
Jewish, Catholic communities issue call to protect children
Leaders from the Jewish and Catholic communities met at the Vatican last week to discuss what their communities can do to ensure the dignity and development of children.
Leaders on both sides said children are the future of society but are still too vulnerable to protect themselves.
The bilateral commission for Jewish-Catholic relations met at the Vatican to discuss the topic: ‘The dignity of the human being: Jewish and Catholic teachings on children.’
Delegations from both the Grand Rabbinate of Israel, led by Rabbi Rasson Arusi, and the Holy See, led by Cardinal Peter Turkson, Prefect of the Vatican department for Integral Human Development, met as the United Nations’ Universal Children’s Day was celebrated.
In a joint statement after the discussion, participants stressed the importance of recognising “the inviolability of human life and the inalienability of human dignity”, which they said are fully expressed in both a person’s relationship with God and with others.
Within this, they said, there’s a special obligation to care for the most vulnerable in society, especially children.