Participants singing at the evening concert
A bishop is encouraging youths to spend less time surfing the Internet in order to talk with God and spread the Good News to their friends. Young Catholics should be God’s living witnesses and attract their peers to Jesus, said Archbishop Peter Liu Cheng-chung of Kaohsiung at the closing Mass of the annual Taiwan Youth Day. “We need the vigor of young Catholics to renew the Church,” the 60-year-old archbishop told the 600 participants. This year’s event, hosted by Kaohsiung diocese, was held at Wenzao Ursuline College of Languages and St. Dominic High School, July 14-17. The theme was: “Love and communion -- bring everything together under Christ.” Heavy rain forced an open air concert outside the Kaohsiung Cultural Center on Saturday night indoors into the school hall. But it did not diminish the joyous atmosphere. Participants waved luminous sticks while singing and dancing together. Other activities during the four-day program included a pilgrimage to eight historical churches to let the young people from all seven dioceses in Taiwan learn about the 150-year history of Kaohsiung diocese, as well as seminars on vocations and the Theology of the Body – the late Pope John Paul II's integrated vision of the human person; namely their body, soul, and spirit. Organizer, Bishop Thomas Chung An-zu of Chiayi, told the young participants that this year’s theme was similar to that of World Youth Day next month. The gathering in Madrid August 16-21 bears the theme: “Planted and built up in Jesus Christ, firm in the faith.” The verbs “planted” and “built” means Jesus takes the initiative in planting, building and making firm His people’s faith, explained the director of the Catholic bishops’ youth desk at the opening Mass. At the end of the gathering, Archbishop Liu also blessed the delegates who are to attend World Youth Day and wished them a smooth and safe journey. Related reports Bishop asks for financial support for youth ministryTaiwanese Youths Challenged To Proclaim Their Faith At Youth DayYouth Day To Motivate Young Catholics To Take Action To Spread Good News
