Editorial

East Timorese to attend World Youth Day

Michael Gilchrist

Contents - Nov 2007 - Buy a copy now Editorial: East Timorese to attend World Youth Day - Michael Gilchrist Democracy: Religious leaders must have freedom to speak - Cardinal George Pell Australia's Missionaries of God's Love congregation continues to grow - Mary Pidcock News: The Church Around The World Liturgical Abuse: Trinitarian language lost in Brisbane Scriptures - Michael Apthorp Ora et labora: How monastic hospitality can strengthen one's faith - Br Barry Coldrey CFC Latin is still the universal language of Liturgy - Bishop Arthur Serratelli World Youth Day: Wagga Wagga priest's 'fly-a-thon' project to aid East Timor Architecture: How a Sydney parish church was restored - John O'Brien Poetry: A poem on the priesthood - Among the Apostles - John O'Neill Letters: Bishop Robinson - Eric Carman Letters: Teachings rejected by Bishop Robinson - Kevin McManus Letters: Modern saints and traditional liturgy - Seamus Mahady Letters: Petition Letters: True Church? - John Frey Letters: Clerical attire - Fr G.H. Duggan Letters: Infallibility - Jerome Gonzalez Prayer: John Paul II and the Rosary - Fr. M. Durham Books: Catholicism and Fundamentalism by Karl Keating: essential reading in apologetics - Valerie Renkema (reviewer) Books: ONE MAN, ONE WOMAN by Dale O'Leary - Bill Muehlenberg (reviewer) Internet 'Singing Catechism': catechesis for the 21st century - Fr James Tierney Music: Cherished Hymns of the Forefathers - 2DVD and CD set - Peter Donald (reviewer) Books: Books available from AD Books Reflection: Benedict XVI on Sunday Mass: 'not a command, but an inner necessity' - Pope Benedict XVI

Last March, AD2000 proposed that its readers should help young Catholics from East Timor to attend World Youth Day 2008. This followed a request by the Provincial of the Salesian Missions in East Timor, when visiting Australia, for assistance to help young people from this overwhelmingly Catholic country to join other young people from around the world to participate in this historic spiritual event in Sydney next July.

As East Timor is a very poor country, it would have been impossible for young Timorese to attend WYD 2008 - at which Pope Benedict will be present - without outside support.

The result of this initiative has been extremely encouraging. Some parishes decided to sponsor young Timorese themselves, and as a result, some Timorese people will not only have the opportunity to attend World Youth Day, but also to spend time in typical Australian parishes.

Additionally, many readers of AD2000 spontaneously offered financial support, and as a result of their efforts almost $20,000 was received.

Further, an extremely capable committee of people associated with the Thomas More Centre in Melbourne decided to run a benefit concert, in conjunction with the Timorese Australian Community of Victoria and AD2000, to raise money for this worthy purpose. Over $20,000 was raised through this initiative alone.

Other efforts are also being undertaken in several states.

It is a reflection of the generosity and commitment of many Australians that there will be a significant East Timorese presence at World Youth Day in 2008. It will also show the Timorese, in a very practical way, that Australians want a close relationship with them, based not just on friendship, but on shared beliefs and values.

Peter Westmore is Publisher of AD2000.

Reprinted from AD2000 Vol 20 No 10 (November 2007), p. 2