Dhaka (Fides Service) - "Do not be afraid to open the doors of your hearts to Christ through Mary who wants to lead you to Him" the Pope said to young people on Palm Sunday April 12, in Rome, during the diocesan celebration of the 18th World Youth Day. Young Catholics in Bangladesh have promised to reflect on this commitment during Holy Week 2003 and they are already looking forward to the next international celebration of the 20th World Youth Day in 2005 in Germany.
During Lent some 400 young people of Dhaka archdiocese took part in a special day of reflection on the need for detachment from worldly goods in order to concentrate on the gifts of the Spirit, and building a personal relationship with God. The young participants said the day helped them to realise that material wealth alone cannot make a person complete, there must be spiritual life too. They were told by Fr Subrato B. Gomes, Youth Commission co-ordinator that many young people consider a car, a credit card, cell phone and computer as things that make life meaningful, but, the priest stressed, "we Christians know that life is meaningless if we have no spirituality and do not follow the teachings of Christ".
A computer science and engineering student, Porimol Costa of the Asia Pacific University in Dhaka said the day enabled him to look at his spiritual life from a new point of view after prayer and meditation, clear explanation about sin and sharing with friends about Lenten practices. He said that in the modern world people have little time to pray, meditate and attend Mass and that young people would benefit if spiritual programmes were organised more often to help them make self-correction and improve themselves.
Even poorer young people in Bangladesh lived Lent of prayer and good works. Thanks to funds collected a among young people in richer countries, a group of young Catholics of Bangladesh were able to attend World Youth Day 2002, held in Toronto, Canada last year, and now they have already begun spiritual preparation for the 20th World Youth Day In Cologne, Germany. PA (Fides Service 14/4/2003 EM lines 30 Words: 357)