Vatican City (Fides Service) - Over 230 representatives of youth ministry will come to Rome from 10 to 13 April to take part in an international conference on World Youth Day at Domus Mariae organised by the Pontifical Council for the Laity. The delegates represent 80 countries or regions and about 50 Movements, Associations and Communities. This conference has several objectives: on the first day, to put together participants' experiences and observations of World Youth Day 2002 in Toronto from both the logistic and pastoral points of view; on the second day, to initiate the path of spiritual preparation towards the next World Gathering scheduled to take place in Cologne in two years time; to reflect together on the many challenges and priorities facing youth ministry today. Discussions will be opened on the first day by Cardinal Aloysius Ambrozic, Archbishop of Toronto, and Bishop François Lapierre, representing the Canadian Bishops' Conference. The German Committee will lead the second day when they will inform participants of the first steps being taken in the huge and complex task of organisation for WYD 2005, already underway under the direction of Cardinal Joachim Meisner, Archbishop of Cologne, Cardinal Karl Lehmann, President of the German Bishops' Conference, and Bishop Franz-Josef Bode, President of the Episcopal Commission for Youth, who will be attending the conference.
The 230 participants, together with several bishops and cardinals, will be officially present at the gathering of the young people of the diocese of Rome with the Holy Father, in Saint Peter's Square on Thursday afternoon, 10 April, part of the celebrations of the 18th World Youth Day. In the evening of Saturday 12 April, they will take part in the prayer vigil organised by the San Lorenzo International Youth Centre at the church of San Lorenzo in Piscibus. The Centre was founded by Pope John Paul II to offer a point of reference, prayer and welcome for young people visiting Rome. The prayer vigil is in celebration of the 20th anniversary (13 March) of its foundation. The Conference will conclude with delegates' participation in Palm Sunday Mass presided by the Holy Father in Saint Peter's Square, dedicated to the celebration of the 18th World Youth Day. The ceremony will conclude with the passing of the Holy Year Cross from the youth of Canada to the youth of Germany. This Cross has been with young people in their World Meetings from the beginning, and it now starts out on a new pilgrimage in countries near Germany and in eastern Europe before it travels around the dioceses of Germany on its way to Cologne for the 20th World Youth Day. See statement in English and Italian at www.fides.org (Fides Service 4/4/2003 EM lines 33 Words: 471)