Khartoum (Fides Service)- “This year the Lord wanted us to begin and hold our Diocesan Youth Congress under the banner of Christ the King. He is the Leader and King who is guiding his people in the third millennium”. With these words Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir Wako, Archbishop of Khartoum, opened the 4th Diocesan Youth Congress in Khartoum, 22 to 27 November.
Some 407 delegates from the diocese’s 29 parishes attended: 20 delegates to represent each of the larger parishes and 12 for the smaller ones. Each parish delegation was accompanied by a priest co-ordinator, a Sister and at least three members (and at least one of them women) of the parish council. In addition there were 18 members of the diocesan central committee for youth pastoral which organised the Congress. Moreover religious congregations in the diocese sent at least one representative to the Meeting. Cardinal Wako was present for almost every session. First the parish delegations presented a report on the situation of youth in the parish since 2000 and then the delegates formed work groups to prepare a Congress message.
During the days leading up to the Congress Cardinal Wako visited parishes to share with the young people reflections on Pope John Paul II’s documents and teaching on youth.
The Congress marked the conclusion of a journey started in 1995, when, following World Youth Day in Manila, during the week before the feast of Christ the King the Archbishop asked 5 delegates of each parish to take part in a formation Seminar. Starting from this point, youth in the different parishes reflected on various themes in preparation for the Great Jubilee 2000: the role of youth in the Church; Christian matrimony and relative problems; correct way of living sexuality in youth; inter-generation relations especially with parents; alcohol and drug abuse among youth. They also discussed problems such as the political and social conditions in Khartoum: civil was in Sudan; problems due to their being refugees; government programmes to Islamise and Arabise Sudan society; situation of discrimination and extreme poverty in which Christians are forced to live.
After the Great Jubilee, the diocese of Khartoum held 4 Youth Congresses the first at the end of the Holy Year, 27 December 2000 and 1 January 2001. It was a marvellous manifestation of faith with the participation of thousands of young people. Some 20,000 Catholics walked through the streets of Khartoum from the Comboni House to the Cathedral praying and singing. (L.M.) (Fides Service 29/11/2003 lines 39 words 492)