Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Santo Domingo (Agenzia Fides) – On January 31, the Dominican Republic will celebrate its National Youth Day, organized by the National Commission for Youth Ministry, presided by Msgr. Julio Cesar Corniel. There will be a Mass celebrated on Friday, January 30 at 10 am in the Cathedral of Santo Domingo, in anticipation of the event. Youth from all the 11 dioceses of the country will participate. After the Mass, there will be the presentation of the National Youth Award, in which 14 young people will be awarded for outstanding contributions in the areas of health, culture of peace, business development, leadership, social services, academic excellence, etc. On the 31st, in the Archdiocese of Santo Domingo, the 14 pastoral zones will hold local celebrations.
The Youth Ministry recently ended their 9th National Youth Congress on January 24, with the theme: “The Role of the Youth in the Church and Society,” in which 600 young people took part. During the Congress, the youth discussed and reflected on how to take up their role amidst the crisis found today in society.
Fr. Luis Rosario, coordinator of Youth Ministry, says that the Congress reflected on the role of the youth today and concluded with the conviction that better norms must be established for social living. Fr. Rosario explained that the congress is an initial encounter that the Ministry sponsors, in order to analyze the national situation, etc. The theme this year for Youth Ministry in general is “The Role of the Youth.”
The Congress concluded with the launching of the Great Mission, which was simultaneously celebrated in all the 11 dioceses on January 25. Fr. Rosario explained that “a period of intense work and constant challenges begins now. The youth need missionaries that carry out their apostolate with normality, energy, and joy.” He also mentioned that “no one can evangelize the youth better than the youth themselves.” Thus, the youth are being called to join in parish groups of missionaries and prepare themselves through the courses that are being held in several areas of the dioceses.
Youth Ministry in the country has also publicized its program for 2009, following the guidelines of the Dominican Bishops' Conference for the Continental Mission. Three years (2009-2011) will be spent in preparation for the jubilee anniversary of the creation of the first dioceses in America (Santo Domingo and La Vega), focusing on the content of the mission and organizing the itinerary of the National Pastoral Plan on the three following themes: The personal encounter with Christ who forms his disciples (2009); Community life, where the disciples are invited to form the community (2010); The disciples are invited and launched to the mission (2011). (RG) (Agenzia Fides 29/1/2009)
