| Cologne (Fides Service) - During the “Days of encounter in German dioceses” 11 to 15 August in preparation for the Catholic Church’s 20th World Youth Day organised this year in Cologne Germany, the young participants will spend a ‘Day of Social Commitment’ with the slogan “Under-construction - help us to build a more just world!”.
“The dioceses of Germany are looking forward to welcoming their international guests and they are preparing carefully for their arrival” Mrs Rafaela Ernst, head of the Meeting section of the WYD Organising Committee told Fides. “Parishes are giving special attention to the Day of Social Commitment and to identify their specific social aspect”. With the help of a Map of local Catholic social/charity ‘Deacon Services’ and on the basis of information regarding their particular area, (population and age groups, existing social centres, number of unemployed, number of foreign residents) young parishioners are planning social work to undertake together with their young guests on 12 August such as giving a coat of paint to a social centre, or some repair work on a children’s playground etc. The purpose is to help young people realise that they can make a difference if they should responsibility for the environment. Concrete interventions will be followed by reflection and sharing of experience with regard to social situations in the different towns and countries.
“This is the first time that social work is part of preparation for WYD” Mrs Ernst told Fides, “and it will be interesting to see young people from 160 different countries doing together something concrete to build a better world. For the young people involved and for the general public it will be universal solidarity in action. It will also show that universal solidarity is possible and it is indispensable for building a civilisation of love and justice”
The slogan of the day for social commitment “Under-construction - help us build a more just world!” is in response to a call which Pope John Paul II made to young people in his message for the 20th World Youth Day: “a world of greater justice and solidarity”. (MS) (Agenzia Fides, 28/5/2005 - 29 righe, 401 parole)
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