Santafe de Bogota (Fides Service) - A Meeting of Diocesan Youth Pastoral Delegates in Colombia organised by the Sector for Youth and Childhood of the Colombian Bishops Conference (CEC) opens today March 23 at the Conference’s Offices in Santafe de Bogota. The five day meeting is attended by about 80 diocesan youth pastoral delegates from all over Colombia. Special guests will include Bishop Ismael Rueda Sierra, Bishop of Soccorro y San Gil and also head of the CEC Youth and Childhood Commission and Father Gustavo Monge, Youth Delegate for the Council of Latin American Bishops’ Conferences, CELAM.
Father Camilo Sánchez, director of the CEC department for Youth and Childhood, informed Fides of the main objectives of the meeting: “to build a spirit of communion; provide formation with the support of experts in the situation of youth and individual accompaniment of youth; evaluate in the light of the National Youth Pastoral Plan progress and difficulties encountered in local Churches and regional initiatives”.
The Meeting will use its findings to “outline objectives for 2004 and share significant experiences to stimulate and encourage others ”, Father Sánchez informs us.
Reflection will be guided by two experts on matters of youth pastoral. Father German Medina will speak about “youth culture and individual accompaniment of young people”, and Dr German Muñoz, youth problems researcher, will give an overall view on the life of young Colombians today.
The Meeting will open with a solemn Mass followed by a brief report on major events in youth pastoral. On Day 2 there will be a presentation of situations in the different regions followed by the first of the formative interventions. On the same day there will be a presentation of Basic Course in Youth Pastoral scheduled for July this year and regional programming. In the afternoon there will be a presentation of a 2004 Guide for Easter Celebrations with Youth as well as suggestions for preparing for 20th World Youth Day in Germany, Cologne August 2005. In view of the importance of music for young people and is power of dialogue there will be a presentation of a Concert of Religious Music for Youth. Reflection on Day 4 will focus on the delicate question of individual accompaniment for young people.
On the last Day the participants will be presented with the Project of Missionary Youth and Voluntary Work and a report on Pastoral Care for Little Children. (R.Z.) (Agenzia Fides, righe 37, parole 424)