Catholic Youth to Hold a Youth Congress
The Archdiocese of Khartoum will begin the third session of the Youth Congress on November 23, 2003, after launching their biggest Congress ever in the Catholic Church during the Jubilee Year 2000.
The Catholic youth will be holding these important gathering in St Matthew's Cathedral in Khartoum.
On the eve of Christ the King, which will be observed on November 23, a whole night vigil will be held. Nearly half a million young people, priests, sisters and elders are expected to attend the congress.
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Delegates will come from each of the 29 parishes that compose the Archdiocese. Khartoum's Cardinal Gabriel Zubeir meant this congress to be a channel for the young people to convene, celebrate and discuss issues that are at the heart of Catholic youth.
The Cardinal attaches a great importance to issues related to the youth because the largest age group in the Archdiocese of Khartoum and the Church in the Sudan are the youth.
The coming Congress is remarkable, as it will be the closing of a long period of intensive work. It will be the closing of a first step, that is, the stage of 'See'. Young people from each of parishes will report on what they have seen about themselves, the Church, family and society.
These days of gathering will be indeed decisive as youth from all the parishes will decide what issues are more important or crucial to be taken up in the next stage, the stage of Judge, in the three-part pastoral cycle (SEE-JUDGE-ACT) of social analysis.
Hot issues such as AIDS and morality of the young people have been dealt with since the past three years.
Many young people come from displaced families. Some have emigrated to the neighboring countries and to the West with the hope of bettering the life conditions and that of their families.
The young people admitted their weaknesses such as lost of faith, moral disintegration, alcoholism and tribalism. They have expressed their concern about the political situation in the country. And they speak about their hopes and difficulties in trying to become active members in their parishes.
