WYD: Indian young people travelling to Sydney, to overcome ills of globalisation
New Delhi (AsiaNews) - "India's hope is her youth, and this emerging generation must be instilled with a spirit of greater commitment, more faith-oriented, to answer the challenges of the times": this is the exhortation of Leo Cornelio, archbishop of Bhopal and member of the bishops' commission for youth, illustrating the participation of the Indian delegation at the World Youth Day in Sydney, Australia, from July 15-20.
"The power of the Holy Spirit", affirms the prelate, taking up the slogan of the 23rd WYD, "is essential for our young people, who are constantly bombarded with the attractions and the values of the world. In order to combat this onslaught, our youth need to be instilled with another vision of life, a vision that is so attractive that it becomes their first choice". This is the proposal at the basis of the pilgrimage of the Indian young people, who want to encounter the pope in order to renew together with him their journey of faith. This event, the archbishop explains, testifies to the concept of the "universality of the Catholic Church", capable of "illuminating the lives of young people" and renewing "the vocation and missionary commitment of religious".
"Globalisation", Archbishop Cornelio continues, "along with its positive impact, has sadly also brought along with it negative consequences, and our Indian youth are struggling with this consumerism and individualist materialism and the pursuit of worldly riches". For this reason, experiences like WYD become essential moments in the formation of young people, calling them back to "solidarity, love, and peace", a message important for India, whose society is based on caste, and where there is no lack of episodes of violence and marginalisation against its weakest members. "The World Youth Days represent the ideal opportunity for cultural exchange, and a chance to grow in faith. This is true for us priests as well", the archbishop of Bhopal concludes, "so that we may maintain a youthful heart and spirit, essential elements for overcoming the generational gap and becoming true points of reference for young people, who often accuse us of not understanding their problems or needs".
More than 500 Indian young people will participate in the upcoming World Youth Day: the largest Indian Catholic delegation ever sent to the event. Together with the young people, 14 bishops and 80 priests and religious are ready to depart.
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