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IMAGE: CNS/Nancy Wiechec

By Colleen Dulle

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- As World Youth Day approaches, U.S. organizers offered tips on how pilgrims can prepare logistically, spiritually and even digitally.

The largest U.S. group to attend a World Youth Day outside of North America, 30,000 American pilgrims plan to attend the July 26-31 festival in Krakow, Poland. They will join 2.5 million pilgrims from around the world.

Bishop Frank J. Caggiano of Bridgeport, Connecticut, the U.S. bishops' episcopal liaison for World Youth Day, said in a July 7 news conference that, despite security concerns in the European Union, "There is no evidence of any credible threat being made."

Paul Jarzembowski, World Youth Day USA national coordinator, said his office has been working with the Polish Embassy in Washington, along with the U.S. and Polish governments, to ensure pilgrims' safety.

At the news conference, he encouraged participants to read the State Department's World Youth Day webpage and to sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program, which provides travel alerts and warnings for Americans abroad.

The World Youth Day team also encouraged pilgrims to finish registering if they had not already. In addition to the 30,000 fully registered participants, another 10,000 have yet to complete registration and pay.

Bishop Caggiano reminded participants to tell their banks that they're traveling, take enough of their medications, rest well before departing and stay hydrated in Poland.

Spiritually, he said, pilgrims can prepare their hearts by praying regularly and docilely, asking for the Holy Spirit's guidance and being open to the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

"No one is excluded from the pilgrimage," Bishop Caggiano said.

Those staying home can follow along on social media or through the World Youth Day app, which has not yet been released.

Matt Palmer, social media specialist at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' Office of Public Affairs, also announced that a 360-degree video would be used to record several of the World Youth Day events.

Jarzembowski encouraged pilgrims staying home to "carve out time" to follow along on the app or to attend World Youth Day gatherings across the U.S., including in Washington, Connecticut and Detroit.

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Latest on the presidential campaign ahead of the Democratic and Republican nominating conventions (all times EDT):...

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WARSAW, Poland (AP) -- President Barack Obama opened a five-day, two-country mission early Friday to buck up a beleaguered Europe and brush back an aggressive Moscow....

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- A defiant Donald Trump made it clear he won't change his brash tone or message as he courted anxious Republican lawmakers Thursday, blaming the media for stumbles that continue to alarm GOP leaders and energize Democrats with voting less than three months away....

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- The State Department is reopening an internal investigation of possible mishandling of classified information by Hillary Clinton and top aides, officials told The Associated Press on Thursday....

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WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama called on American law enforcement to root out bias in its ranks and said all Americans should be troubled by frequent police shootings of blacks and Hispanics, insisting that fatal incidents in Minnesota and Louisiana are not isolated....

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ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) -- One black man is shot dead by police while selling CDs outside of a convenience store in Louisiana. A day later, another is fatally shot by an officer in Minnesota during a traffic stop over a tail light. The two killings captured on video and broadcast across the world have left many African-Americans seething and disconsolate, and wondering if they ever will see an end to the drumbeat of minority death at the hand of law enforcement in the United States....

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In an exceptional show of solidarity with the Universal Church and responding to the call of Pope Francis, bishops, priests, religious and laity of the Church in Sri Lanka have taken the Year of Mercy to heart and pledged to help the marginalized in society.

Bishop Valance Mendis of Chilaw even directed priests to tone down the celebration of church feasts in order to free-up funds to help the poor.

The diocese plan is raising awareness about the Year of Mercy with youth programs and activities in villages and communities. Programs are conducted both at parish and diocesan level, said Father Prasad Chaminda Fernando, vicar general of Chilaw Diocese.

"We’re constructing 50 houses at Nachchikalliya, Kalpitiya for homeless people," he said. "We’re doing it with the support of well-wishers."

Pope Francis declared the "Year of Mercy" encouraging people to "be merciful like the Father." Pope Francis declared an "Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy" beginning Dec. 8 on the feast of the Immaculate Conception and concluding Nov. 20 on the feast of Christ the King.

A group of nuns in Chilaw Diocese found that alcoholism was a problem when they visited villages. So they helped conduct an awareness program in April with the support of Healthy Lanka Alliance organization, according to Father Roncalli De Silva.

Father J.P. Jebaratnam, vicar general for Jaffna Diocese which was at the epicenter of three decades of war, is hoping that the Year of Mercy will aid in the reconciliation process in Sri Lanka. We’re teaching the youth to "forgive and create inner healing," he said.

Father Upul Silva, a "Missionary of Mercy" from Kurunegala Diocese, said that he is traversing the country to educate Catholics on the importance of the year.

"The meaning of the word ‘mercy’ is not well understood by many of our Catholics," he said. "I teach that the merciful act of a Christian comes from self-sacrifice."

Recently, Sri Lanka was affected by severe floods and at least 4,000 houses were damaged and more than 319,000 people were displaced.

Catholics in Sri Lanka made use of this opportunity to show their merciful hearts. They immediately started collecting necessities such as food and medicine to address the needs of the affected.

Most of the church associations donated money saved for their annual pilgrimages and celebrations. "Our Sunday school children collected exercise books and stationery to share with flood-affected children who lost their belongings." said Priyasadi Malsha Fernando, a Sunday school teacher from Negombo, in the Archdiocese of Colombo.

The Young Catholic Student Movement of Moratuwa in Colombo helped a group of poor families with food and clothes. They organized this project as part of the Year of Mercy and raised funds themselves.

"The unit has organized various events for children and youth to help them understand the importance of the Year of Mercy," said Father Edmond Tillekeratne, the archdiocesan director of Social Communication.

Kandy Diocese decided to establish a network of laypeople equipped with the knowledge of the Bible. About 45 laymen from nine parishes in Nuwaraeliya were trained and established bible study groups.

Father Daya Shelton Welikadaarachchi, director for evangelization and the biblical apostolate in Colombo archdiocese, said that two new courses were available to educate the laity about the theological background of the Year of Mercy.

A group of trained laity from Tamil, Sinhalese and English higher education centers were selected and formed into a special committee. They traveled to all parts of the diocese educating catechists, Sunday school students and parishioners about the year. At the end of every workshop a charity action plan was built, for example, to visit hospitalized villagers and homes for the elderly.

At the request of Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith of Colombo, a permanent confession chair was established in every parish. A booklet was prepared on the importance of confession and distributed among the children and youth.

A "Holy Door" was opened at the Basilica of Our Lady of Lank in Tewatta Shrine and Kotahena Cathedral in Colombo Archdiocese. Sunday schools were encouraged to make a pilgrimage to either church and pass through one of the doors.

Last year, Pope Francis organized for Holy Doors to be made available throughout the world as part of the special jubilee. Holy Doors have been designated at various pilgrimage sites around the world during this Year of Mercy.

Catholics have the opportunity during this special year to obtain a plenary indulgence by passing through one of these doors while on pilgrimage.

A Holy Childhood Day function was held in Tewatta. Nearly 5,000 children flocked there. About 700 of them got the opportunity to enter though the holy door hand in hand with a priest to symbolize the mercy of the Father.

"Our bishop is insisting we go the extra mile, as followers of Christ, to share mercy like the Heavenly Father," said a child.

 (ucanews.com reporters, Colombo)

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(Vatican Radio) A Spanish priest and an Italian lay woman at the heart of the so-called Vatileaks 2 trial have been given jail sentences for leaking confidential documents, while two journalists also on trial were cleared by the Vatican court on Thursday.

Msgr. Lucio Angel Vallejo Balda was sentenced to eighteen months in prison, while Francesca Immacolata Chaouqui, who has a three-week old son, was given a suspended ten months sentence.

The two Italian journalists, Gianluigi Nuzzi and Emiliano Fittipaldi, who wrote best-selling books based on the leaked documents last year, were cleared by the court on the grounds that the Vatican judiciary has no jurisdiction over them.

A fifth defendant, Nicola Maio, an assistant to Vallejo, was found innocent at the end of the eight-month trial.

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(Vatican Radio) Germany's Parliament has passed a law that will make it easier for victims of rape and other sex crimes to file criminal complaints even if they did not fight back, clarifying that "no means no".

Thursday's vote was partly sparked by a recent nationwide outcry over sexual assaults that happened in the western city of Cologne during New Year's Eve celebrations. 

Listen to the report by Stefan Bos:

Legislation to tackle sex crimes more seriously was passed by an overwhelming majority in the Bundestag, Germany's parliament in the capital Berlin. German law previously required victims to show that they physically resisted attack before charges for rape and other sexual assaults could be brought. 

Women's rights campaigners argued that Germany's failure to recognize the principle of "no means no" was one of the main reasons for low reporting and conviction rates for rape in the country.

The new law classifies groping as a sex crime and makes it easier to prosecute assaults committed by a large group.

It also makes it easier to deport migrants who commit sex offences.

The law meant a political victory for Heiko Maas, the country's justice minister. He had expressed concern that only one in 10 rapes in Germany is reported and just 8 percent of rape trials result in convictions.

SEXUAL CRIMINAL LAW

He said "the sexual criminal law should remain the focus of our attention" however he made clear it was also important to close the current loopholes."  

Critics believe Germany has long lagged behind other developed nations when it comes to its rape laws with marital rape only being criminalized in 1997.  

The latest bill passed easily thanks to the government's large parliamentary majority. 

Opposition parties welcomed the lowering of the threshold for prosecutions, but criticized two measures in the legislation that could see people who aren't directly involved in the assault punished and foreigners deported for sexual harassment.

The legislation followed a public outcry over several recent incidents, including a wave wave of attacks during New Year's celebrations in Cologne linked to migrants. 

MANY COMPLAINTS 

Prosecutors in Cologne say they have received more than 1,100 criminal complaints following the New Year's assaults, including about 500 allegations involving sexual crimes. 

The first trial for sexual assault — against two men from Algeria and Iraq — began Thursday in Cologne.

Germans were also angry that two men were acquitted recently of drugging and raping German model Gina-Lisa Lohfink - despite having uploaded a video of what took place, in which she was reportedly heard saying, "Stop it, stop it" and "No".

Not only were the men cleared of wrongdoing, but the model was fined 24,000 euros ($27,000) for falsely testifying.

She has appealed against the charges. 

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