The participants are 330 young people from 22 dioceses, as representatives of the youth of the country. Besides bringing together various representatives of young people, the meeting will also serve to officially mark the closing of the Jubilee of Mercy in the country.
The Archbishop Francesco Panfilo, SDB, of Rabaul, told the young people: "The Catholic Church is fully aware of your daily challenges in the practice of your faith. Society seems to value only what gives pleasure, sex, alcohol, drugs and materialism. You choose Christ, choose the truth, what is honest and right. Choose what is best for you and for the nation, by learning to live true Gospel values."
Pope Francis sent his paternal blessing to the youth gathered at the conference through a letter by Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, which was read to the young people by the Apostolic Nuncio in Papua New Guinea, Bishop Kurian Matthew Vayalumkai.
According to Fr Shanthi Chacko Puthussery, Secretary of the Youth Commission of the Bishops’ Conference, the aim of the gathering is "to strengthen and empower young people to stand firm in Christian values". "The pedagogy we are using in this conference is very simple: you learn by doing" he told Fides.
In fact, in addition to catechesis, young people have the opportunity to learn from each other and to live a period of intense spiritual, intellectual and socio-pastoral experience. Among the many proposed activities were visits to the prison of Bomana and to Port Moresby General Hospital, a Bible quiz, and direct involvement in some parishes.
Source Fides
