Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Madrid (Agenzia Fides) - After 3 intense years of the “Misión Joven” (Youth Mission), a closing ceremony will be held in Cerro de los Angeles in Madrid (Spain) on Friday, May 30, with an Act of Consecration to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, thanking God for its apostolic fruits. “Misión Joven” was organized by the Bishops of the Dioceses of Madrid, Alcalá, and Getafe. Following over a year of preparation, it was launched November 11, 2006, in the Plaza de Oriente, with a group of 10,000 young people.
In light of the upcoming event, the 7 Bishops of the above mentioned dioceses have sent a Pastoral Letter to the youth, inviting them to participate in the closing act.
“The mission we have carried out,” the Bishops say, “has above all been the action of Christ, who has served of each one of us to conquer evil and sin that exists in our world, especially among the young people.” At the end of the letter, the Bishops say, “we are glad that through our diverse activities, we have served Christ in His work of salvation. We have offered Him our hands and feet, our words and actions, our entire person, in order to be his witnesses and bring the good news of the Gospel, that is above all forgiveness and mercy.” During the mission, according to the Bishops, the youth were witnesses to the love God has for all men, finding that “the Word of God is powerful, capable of penetrating hearts and converting souls,” that “His love overcomes all obstacles and that the worst that could happen to a young person today is not to know Christ.”
In light of all this and in thanksgiving for the fruits received, the Bishops are inviting the youth to gather in Cerro de los Angeles (Getafe), a revered pilgrimage site, where there is a popular devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the burial ground of five young people who gave their lives for Christ on July 23, 1936 and whose “unforgettable testimony, together with the many other young people who have given their lives for Christ, will help us to remain faithful to the Lord, placing our lives at His service.”
“As youth just beginning of your lives,” the Letter reads, “place your gaze in the Love that is Christ Crucified, and in Him you will find, just as the saints have, your true vocation to love, your way and full plenitude.” With that in mind, the Bishops remind the youth of the need to be with Christ, “to spend time with Him and allow ourselves to be transformed according to His sentiments and attitudes, until we ourselves begin to have a heart meek and humble, like His.”
The Bishops later encourage the young people to look with hope towards the future, reminding them that “the Church is always in mission, because it cannot cease to proclaim that God is love and that He wants to be loved by all men.” (RG) (Agenzia Fides 7/4/2008 righe 36, parole 499)
