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Krakow, Poland, Aug 1, 2016 / 04:53 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- After Pope Francis announced Panama as the host of the next World Youth Day, the country’s bishops said the decision is a reflection of his attention to the peripheries and voiced their hope to be a “bridge” for those who come from all continents.

“I think that it will be an occasion a revitalization of the Church in general, and for the youth in particular … not just from Panama, but from Central America and all of Latin America,” Cardinal José Luis Lacunza Maestrojuán of David told CNA July 31.

Panama, he said, will be an opportunity for a demographically young Latin America to “charge their battery” in living the Christian life.

He noted how the decision to hold the 2019 WYD in Panama comes just a year after he was named the country’s first cardinal, jesting that Pope Francis “made a lot of mischief, the first of which was appointing me cardinal. It was a great mischief!”

Now Panamanians “have the opportunity to show what we really are,” he said, explaining that while Pope Francis might have made “this mischief” in giving Panama the task of organizing the 2019 event, “with a big smile gives us this challenge to go forward.”

Pope Francis announced Panama as the location of the next international WYD gathering after celebrating the closing Mass for the July 26-31 youth encounter in Krakow.

In his comments to CNA, Cardinal Lacunza noted that given its geographical location, Panama serves as “a bridge” connecting North, South, and Central America.

Given the fact that many youth from Central America will be able to arrive to Panama by land at a low cost, the cardinal said that though he’s not 100 percent sure, “this must be one of the reasons why Pope Francis elected Panama to be the host.”

In a July 31 press briefing following the official announcement, the cardinal addressed the obvious question as to whether, given its size and population, Panama can actually handle organizing a WYD.

In response, Cardinal Lacunza pointed to the Panama Canal Treaties that handed over control of the canal from the U.S. to Panama, nothing that many people asked the same thing: “will the Panamanians be able to manage the Panama Canal?”

“The Panamanians demonstrated that they had the ability not only to manage the canal, but also to broaden the canal,” he said, explaining that given its location Panama can serve as a bridge for the Americas and for youth from around the world.

He told CNA that while there will certainly be challenges, the organizing committee has already begun to plan the event, and will meet with the Pontifical Council for the Laity July 3 in Rome to sketch out some initial ideas the event’s theme and organization.

Bishop Manuel Ochogavía Barahona of Colon-Kuna Yala, who also took part in the briefing, told CNA that in his opinion the idea for the bishops of Central America to propose Panama as the location of the next WYD “was born from a Church that wants to serve the youth.”

“Our reality in Latin America is a reality that really needs God,” he added. As a continent plagued by various forms of violence, trafficking and poverty, they need youth who will be able to give answers, he said.

They need youth “who can give answers to a society that needs peace in order to confront the violence, a society that needs solidarity in front of the poor distribution of wealth, a society that needs to strengthen the ties of the family, of fraternity and to build a future for God.”

“This is how I think the petition arrived,” he said, observing how Pope Francis frequently talks about the need to reach out to the peripheries.

Bishop Ochogavía noted that his own diocese sits on the periphery where there are “various forms of poverty and marginalized and excluded people,” explaining that the presence of WYD can bring the Gospel to these people and put “hope to their hearts.”

Similarly, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panama City told journalists during the briefing that WYD will be “a balm” for the youth affected by violence, trafficking, and drugs.

World Youth Day Panama will serve as a stimulus so the youth “can rediscover the path that God wants for each one of them.”

He spoke about the cultural richness of Panama that those who come will find, which stems from the country’s multi-cultural background, the sense of love and openness Panamanians have, and their love of salsa dancing.

While there is already a strong collaboration with the government in terms of getting things started, the archbishop jested, “the best preparation will be to learn how to dance salsa.”

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IMAGE: CNS photo/Agencja Gazeta, Jakub Porzycki, via Reuters

By Jonathan Luxmoore

KRAKOW, Poland (CNS) -- Panama, which will host World Youth Day in 2019, is a small country, but the head of its bishops' conference has no doubts the church will be able to organize the event.

"Panama, with its canal, is a bridge between two continents, and we'll also make it a symbolic bridge between young people, especially in Latin America," said Cardinal Jose Lacunza Maestrojuan of David, Panama.

At a news conference in Krakow July 31, the cardinal said Panama was well-placed for air, road and sea communications with North and South America and would give the World Youth Day a distinctive character.

"We truly hope this will be a blessing for our country, placing it at the center of the whole world's attention," Cardinal Lacunza said.

Bishop Manuel Ochogavia Barahona of Colon-Kuna Yala said Panama was "a multicultural country, incorporating all the world's races," and would make World Youth Day a "fiesta Latina," adding that plans would include "a lot of sun and salsa."

Archbishop Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendieta of Panama told journalists Pope Francis had "once again surprised us" by choosing Central America as a venue, adding that World Youth Day would be an opportunity to "promote the region's youth."

"Panama's youngsters are suffering from mass emigration, unemployment, violence and (human) trafficking -- so this will be a great stimulus for us to start again," the archbishop said. "It'll also be important for following the pope's call to bring the faith to the peripheries. Panama is one of those peripheries, and the World Youth Day will achieve this end."

Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela attended the final weekend of World Youth Day with his wife, Lorena Castillo, visiting Wadowice, hometown of St. John Paul II, and the former Nazi concentration camp of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp. He accepted rosaries at a Spanish prayer service at Krakow's Divine Mercy Sanctuary and met the pope after the closing World Youth Day Mass.

In a July 31 statement, he said he was happy Pope Francis had recognized that Panama's values of "peace, dialogue and coexistence" were similar to those of World Youth Day, adding that his government would back the Catholic Church in facilitating "an event which includes every part of society."

Catholics traditionally make up three-quarters of the 3.3 million inhabitants of Panama.

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(Vatican Radio) St Lawrence Shrine at Attur, Karkala, the Diocese of Udupi, has been elevated to the status of a minor basilica on Monday, August, 1, 2016, making it the second Minor Basilica in the Southern Indian state of Karnataka and the 22nd Basilica in the country.

The sacred Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, of the Vatican, declared the famous South Indian shrine of St. Lawrence, a minor Basilica, in the month of May this year.

The solemn Eucharistic Celebration on Monday, was presided over by the Bombay Archbishop, Cardinal Oswald Gracias, who is the President of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) and the Federation of the Asian Bishops Conferences (FABC).

Archbishop Bernard Moras in his homily said that this was a historical event and expressed gratitude to God for making St Lawrence Shrine a Minor Basilica. "This event will be written in the golden annals of the history of the diocese of Udupi," he said.

Explaining the significance of a Minor Basilica, he said, "Basilica means a beautiful and royal house. In Christianity, the term basilica was used by early Christians who celebrated the holy Mass in the royal house of the kings. There are 1,742 Minor Basilicas in the world, out of which 21 are in India. This is the 22nd Minor Basilica in the country and the 2nd in the state after St Mary's Basilica in Bengaluru.

Baselios Cardinal Cleemis presided over the public function that followed. Among the prominent Church dignitaries present, were Telephore Cardinal Toppo and Mar George Cardinal Alencherry. Arcbishop of the Bangalore Archdiocese, Dr. Bernard Moras, Dr Aloysius P D'Souza, Bishop of Mangaluru, Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi, the host diocese, and more than 25 archbishops and bishops from various parts of the country were present on the solemn occasion.

The Shrine has always been proud of its popularity among people of various Faiths, who have frequented the shrine with a belief that their prayers will be answered, attributing the many miracles to St. Lawrence which they have received as favours through his intercession.  

The presence of the local political leaders was ample evidence to the interreligious harmony. A minister in the state, Pramod Madhwaraj, in his address said, "It is a joyful day for the district of Udupi and for the state of Karnataka. St Lawrence Minor Basilica is not only for Catholics but for all. When miracles take place, people will come in huge numbers. When they get peace, blessings, and prayers are answered, they visit the holy place. I had also prayed here and my intention was answered. As Jesus Christ said what we do to the least is the real service of God. It is a proud moment for me as the minister of this district."

Bishop Gerald Isaac Lobo, of the Diocese of Udupi welcomed the gathering and in keeping with the Papal encyclical, Laudato si, all guest were presented various saplings as a sign of welcome, which were to be planted on the premises of the Minor Basilica.

Baselios Cardinal Cleemis unveiled the marble Plaque of the Basilica. “This Minor Basilica will attract thousands and thousands of devotees to this place of miracles in the coming days," he said.

Unfurling the papal flag Mar George Cardinal Alencherry said "St Lawrence is martyr for the poor. That is why we witness the large number of devotees. May this place become a national sanctuary very soon.”

While Archbishop Bernard Moras read out the message by the Pope Francis, Bishop Aloysius D'Souza read out the message by the Apostolic Nuncio in India, Salvatore Pennacchio. Bishop D’Souza handed over the Chalice to the rector of the Minor Basilica, Fr George D'Souza, which was presented by the Nuncio.

Oswald Cardinal Gracias  in his address, once again reminded that "During the year of Mercy, the Pope had given the call that the church belonged to the poor."

(Source: Daijiworld)

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(Vatican Radio) After ten years as Director of the Holy See Press Office, Father Federico Lombardi SJ has been appointed Chairman  of the “Joseph Ratzinger-Benedict XVI Vatican Foundation”.

Father Lombardi was appointed by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State.

The Ratzinger Foundation was founded by Pope Benedict XVI in 2010 with the aim to promote theology in the spirit of Joseph Ratzinger, which it achieves by funding scholarships and bursaries for students across the world.

It also promotes  formation activities, conferences, seminars and Theology training courses which are offered throughout the world thanks to the Foundation’s proceeds. These partly come from the royalties that derive from the sale of almost 100 volumes written by Joseph Ratzinger.

In a statement the Foundation states that it  places all its scientific and charity activities at the service of the Church and the Pope.

The former Chairman is Msg. Giuseppe Scotti who concluded his mandate on July 31.

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