SFMYA presents its Theology on Tap 2006 speakers

The San Fernando Pastoral Region Ministry With Young adults is proud to present its Theology on Tap 2006 speakers.

For more information on this year's Theology on Tap, including blogs, podcasts and other the regions' TOT sessions, visit the Theology on Tap Web site at www.sfmya.org/tot or e-mail tot@sfmya.org.

Theology on Tap for the San Fernando Region will be held at St. John Baptist de la Salle, 16555 Chatsworth St. in Granada Hills.

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JULY 16 | Sister Kathy Bryant, RSC

'Living Spiritually in a Material World'

"We are living in a material world, and I am a ... spiritual girl?"

Madonna's song lyrics remind us that materialism surrounds us in today's society. You just can't get around it.

How do we break through this and live a deeper and more spiritual life? Can we strike a balance between the two or do we have to choose? What does Jesus want for us?

Sister Kathy Bryant reflects on how to be truly present in this world yet not be seduced by money, power or privilege.

Balance your spiritual compass and learn how to find God in all things.

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Sister Kathy Bryant, RSC, a talent scout for God, has been a vocation director for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles for the last 19 years.

Sister Bryant works with men and women discerning a religious life. A former teacher, Sister Bryant has worked in Ireland and Africa. She holds a ministry of spirituality doctorate and is a member of the Religious Sisters of Charity order.

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July 23 | Rev. Marcos J. Gonzalez

'"The Da Vinci Code": Beyond the Book, Beyond the Movie, Beyond the Hype'

With over 30 million copies sold and now a major motion picture, Dan Brown's "The Da Vinci Code" has stirred a great deal of emotion. Is there any truth to this fictional novel? Was Jesus married? What is the Holy Grail? What is the sect Opus Dei? Similar theories have existed for some time; however, this work of fiction has many people asking questions about the provocative assertions being made and are wondering what the real truth is.

The Rev. Marcos Gonzalez addresses major issues found in the book and movie that directly contradict church teaching as well as historical and biblical facts.

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Holy Family Parish Associate Pastor Rev. Marcos J. Gonzalez was born in 1962 in Havana, Cuba, to Jesus and Margarita Gonzalez.

When he was 9 years old, his family came from Cuba during the last of the "Freedom Flights" of 1971. He and his family first moved to Glendale and later settled in Atwater Village, Calif.

Father Gonzalez is a graduate of St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in philosophy in 1985. And he earned a bachelor’s degree in Spanish studies and master’s degree in divinity at his ordination in 1994.

His ministerial experiences during seminary included work with the elderly in nursing homes, developmentally disabled in Camarillo State Hospital. Father Gonzales has also taught religious education classes at the elementary and high school levels. He has worked in youth detention ministry as a chaplain in the Los Angeles County Men's Central Jail and he has done clinical pastoral education work at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard.

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JULY 30 | Rev. David Loftus

'John Paul II: Icon of the Church in Our Time'

Poet, athlete, philosopher, frequent flyer extraordinaire and gentle man from Poland, Karol Józef Wojtyla breathed new life into Catholicism and came to represent the church in ways that confounds both the faithful and the nonbeliever.

What made him stand out so much that he has been whispered as a candidate for the title "Great?" Why did he vex both conservatives and liberals, traditionalists and radicals?

Join us as the Rev. David Loftus reflects on the emerging legacy of this incredibly influential servant of God.

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Rev. David Loftus is coordinator and consultant for Adult Education and Catechist Formation at the Los Angeles Archdiocese Office of Religious Education.

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AUG. 6 | Rev. Richard Benson, CM

'First Dolly, Then What? A Twin for Everyone? Where Does It End?'

What does the church teach us about human cloning? Is it right or is it wrong? Is it playing God or is it part of God’s gift of free will to humans to pursue good medicine?

This session with the Rev. Richard Benson will examine the scientific aspects of cloning and discuss the church's response.

This is a timely and important topic in Catholic bioethics.

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Rev. Richard Benson, C.M., a Vincentian priest, is a member of the Congregation of the Mission, Province of the West. He has served at St. John’s Seminary since 1993, where he is the academic dean and chair of the Moral Theology Department.

Father Benson was born in Norwalk, Calif.

Father Benson holds a bachelor of arts degree in philosphy from St. Mary's Seminary in Perryville, Mo., a master of arts in divnity and master of arts in theology from De Andreis Institute of Theology in Lemont, Ill., a master of arts in biological sciences from California State University Dominquez Hills, and a license in sacred theology and a PhD and doctorate in sacred theology from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Catholic University of Louvain) in Belgium.

Father Benson was ordained in 1978.

He has been active in scientific and ethical discussions surrounding genetics. Father Benson has also given lectures at scientific conferences in human genetics and to departments of human genetics and medical genetics at universities in Germany, Belgium, Denmark, Canada and the United States.

Listen to music from 'Living Stations of the Cross'

Speaking of Stations of the Cross, the young adults of the Saint Joseph Salesian Youth Renewal Center in Rosemead would like to invite you to listen to the music that was provided by the young adult musicians of the youth renewal center during their tour of "Living Stations of the Cross" during Lent.

The young adults of the Salesian Center spent several weeks rehearsing the performance of "Living Stations of the Cross," which is a reenactment of Jesus' suffering on the way to cavalry and is told through the 14 stations of the cross of the Catholic Church.

The podcast of the music, as well as MP3 downloads are available on SFMYA's On Demand page.

Urbi et Orbi Message of His Holiness Benedict XVI for Easter

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

Christus resurrexit!- Christ is risen!

During last night’s great Vigil we relived the decisive and ever-present event of the Resurrection, the central mystery of the Christian faith. Innumerable Paschal candles were lit in churches, to symbolize the light of Christ which has enlightened and continues to enlighten humanity, conquering the darkness of sin and death for ever. And today there re-echo powerfully the words which dumbfounded the women on the morning of the first day after the Sabbath, when they came to the tomb where Christ’s body, taken down in haste from the Cross, had been laid. Sad and disconsolate over the loss of their Master, they found the great stone rolled away, and when they entered they saw that his body was no longer there. As they stood there, uncertain and bewildered, two men in dazzling apparel surprised them, saying: “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, he is risen” (Lk 24:5-6). “Non est hic, sed resurrexit” (Lk 24:6). Ever since that morning, these words have not ceased to resound throughout the universe as a proclamation of joy which spans the centuries unchanged and, at the same time, charged with infinite and ever new resonances.

“He is not here . . . he is risen.” The heavenly messengers announce first and foremost that Jesus “is not here”: the Son of God did not remain in the tomb,because it was not possible for him to be held prisoner by death (cf. Acts 2:24) and the tomb could not hold on to “the living one” (Rev 1:18) who is the very source of life. Like Jonah in the belly of the whale, so too Christ crucified was swallowed up into the heart of the earth (cf. Mt 12:40) for the length of a Sabbath. Truly, “that Sabbath was a high day”, as Saint John tells us (Jn 19:31): the highest in history, because it was then that the “Lord of the Sabbath” (Mt 12:8) brought to fulfilment the work of creation (cf. Gen 2:1-4a), raising man and the entire cosmos to the glorious liberty of the children of God (cf. Rom 8:21). When this extraordinary work had been accomplished, the lifeless body was suffused with the living breath of God and, as the walls of the tomb were shattered, he rose in glory. That is why the angels proclaim “he is not here”, he can no longer be found in the tomb. He made his pilgrim way on earth among us, he completed his journey in the tomb as all men do, but he conquered death and, in an absolutely new way, by an act of pure love, he opened the earth, threw it open towards Heaven.

His resurrection becomes our resurrection, through Baptism which “incorporates” us into him. The prophet Ezekiel had foretold this: “Behold, I will open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you home into the land of Israel” (Ez 37:12). These prophetic words take on a singular value on Easter Day, because today the Creator’s promise is fulfilled; today, even in this modern age marked by anxiety and uncertainty, we relive the event of the Resurrection, which changed the face of our life and changed the history of humanity. From the risen Christ, all those who are still oppressed by chains of suffering and death look for hope, sometimes even without knowing it.

May the Spirit of the Risen one, in particular, bring relief and security in Africa to the peoples of Darfur, who are living in a dramatic humanitarian situation that is no longer sustainable; to those of the Great Lakes region, where many wounds have yet to be healed; to the peoples of the Horn of Africa, of the Ivory Coast, Uganda, Zimbabwe and other nations which aspire to reconciliation, justice and progress. In Iraq, may peace finally prevail over the tragic violence that continues mercilessly to claim victims. I also pray sincerely that those caught up in the conflict in the Holy Land may find peace, and I invite all to patient and persevering dialogue, so as to remove both ancient and new obstacles. May the international community, which re-affirms Israel’s just right to exist in peace, assist the Palestinian people to overcome the precarious conditions in which they live and to build their future, moving towards the constitution of a state that is truly their own. May the Spirit of the Risen one enkindle a renewed enthusiastic commitment of the Countries of Latin America, so that the living conditions of millions of citizens may be improved, the deplorable scourge of kidnapping may be eradicated and democratic institutions may be consolidated in a spirit of harmony and effective solidarity. Concerning the international crises linked to nuclear power, may an honourable solution be found for all parties, through serious and honest negotiations, and may the leaders of nations and of International Organizations be strengthened in their will to achieve peaceful coexistence among different races, cultures and religions, in order to remove the threat of terrorism.

May the Risen Lord grant that the strength of his life, peace and freedom be experienced everywhere. Today the words with which the Angel reassured the frightened hearts of the women on Easter morning are addressed to all: “Do not be afraid! ... He is not here; he is risen (Mt 28:5-6)”. Jesus is risen, and he gives us peace; he himself is peace. For this reason the Church repeats insistently: “Christ is risen - Christós anésti.” Let the people of the third millennium not be afraid to open their hearts to him. His Gospel totally quenches the thirst for peace and happiness that is found in every human heart. Christ is now alive and he walks with us. What an immense mystery of love!

Christus resurrexit, quia Deus caritas est! Alleluia!

Australia starts campaign globally for Sydney World Youth Day 2008

Australia today received worldwide focus as His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Palm Sunday Mass followed by the Handover of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon of Our Lady. The handover marks the formal commencement of Sydney’s role in hosting the world’s largest youth event, World Youth Day, in 2008.

The Archbishop of Sydney Cardinal George Pell led an Australian delegation of World Youth Day organizers and 70 young people representing all the Australian Diocese to Rome to accept the World Youth Day Cross and Icon in St Peter’s Square today.

The exuberant occasion saw the Australian youth delegates sporting jackets and banners emblazoned with the colourful and symbolic Sydney World Youth Day 2008 logo as they accepted the Cross and Icon in front of tens of thousands of worshippers gathered in the Square and global television audiences.

During the visit to Rome, Pell also hosted presentations by the Australian World Youth Day 2008 management team, outlining Sydney’s plans to host the largest single event to come to the country. This included presentations by Federal MP Malcolm Turnbull representing the prime minister and the NSW Premier Morris Iemma. Both governments have committed substantial resources and infrastructure support.

Presenting in Rome to hundreds of youth delegates at the International Gathering of World Youth Day organisers, the Sydney management team revealed the logo for the Sydney event and also outlined staging plans for the week of events and activities to be held in Sydney, July 15 to 20, 2008.

Pell said the presentations were well received with one generous description of the master plan as a ‘Masterpiece,’ and Archbishop Rylko, chairing the conference, proclaiming “now we turn our attention to the future, and the future already has a name — the future is Sydney.”

The plans presented for 2008 included the traditional World Youth Day Mass with Pope Benedict XVI, teaching sessions, a Pilgrims Walk and overnight vigil with a sleep out "under the stars" as well as a Youth Festival with exhibitions and performances.

The plans showed how the event will incorporate Sydney’s Harbour, CBD and Sydney Olympic Park. The plans also outlined the handling of accommodation, catering, transport, safety and security for the 500,000 people expected to attend the week of activities around World Youth Day 2008.

“People are very excited about World Youth Day being held in Australia for the first time and by the way we are bringing the event and the city of Sydney together,” said Pell. “We’ve had very positive feedback on our plans and we presented some quite new concepts for this event, such as an online e-Pilgrimage which is a new way to reach young pilgrims.

"World Youth Day is about gathering the young people of the world together to contemplate the face of Christ and his Church. World Youth Day builds bridges of friendship and hope between continents, peoples and cultures and hosting such an event in Australia, which is seen as a peaceful country, accepting of many cultures, has great significance.

“I think we’ve managed to add a distinctly Australian flavour to plans for World Youth Day 2008 and I’ve had a lot of the international organisers telling me they are really looking forward to seeing Sydney and experiencing the renowned friendliness of Australians.

“All are welcome, not just young Catholics but all who feel drawn to attend.”

More than 500,000 young people, including 135,000 international pilgrims, are expected to attend World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney which will focus on the theme of “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses" (Acts 1:8).

Some 70 young Australians participated in the Procession of the Palms for the Palm Sunday Mass at St Peter’s today and there was a reading from Sydneysider Sari Blenkinsopp and Offertory from Yasmin Fogliani of Broome and Eric Robinson of Brisbane.

Fifteen young Australians formally accepted the World Youth Day Cross and Icon of Our Lady from 40 young people of Germany, the previous international hosts of World Youth Day in 2005. The World Youth Day Cross was originally entrusted to the world’s youth by Pope John Paul II to be carried throughout the world to share Christ’s love of humanity. Following the Rome Handover it will travel to Senegal in West Africa and through the African continent, then as World Youth Day 2008 approaches, it will travel through various countries in Oceania and the 28 dioceses of Australia before arriving at the Opening Mass of World Youth Day on July 15, 2008.

Twenty three year old Kimberly Brady from Wollongong was among the group accepting the Cross and Icon in the presence of Pope Benedict XVI, along with Ben Lucas (Sydney), Mary-Jane Kerklaan (Lismore), Theresa Ngo (Darwin), Bernadette Toohey (Adelaide), Fr Chris Ryan (Canberra), Luke Hackett (Parramatta), Anne Maree Quinn (Melbourne), Rachel Armstrong (Townsville), Belinda Chapman (Hobart), Emily McIntyre (Wagga Wagga), Patrick Lee (Sydney), Br Paul Trellis (Melbourne), Brother Thomas McFadden (Melbourne) and Ester Piccolo (Sydney).

“I’m really excited about hosting the young people of the world in my home city and am honoured to have been here today to accept the responsibility of this event on behalf of my city and my country,” said Brady. “World Youth Day isn’t just for Catholic young people to engage with their faith — everyone is welcome to share in the spirit of the event, its message of friendship and hope, and to have fun. Today we extend an invitation to the youth of the world to come and be part of World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney.”

A new Web site has been launched for Sydney World Youth Day at www.wyd2008.org and the online e-Pilgrimage has opened for registration.

Australia’s youth unveil inspiring World Youth Day 2008 logo

Today in St Peter’s Square, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Sydney Archbishop Cardinal George Pell, NSW Premier Morris Iemma and Malcolm Turnbull, parliamentary secretary to the prime minister, witnessed the first public showing of the Sydney World Youth Day 2008 logo.

The inspiring, energetic and highly spiritual design was emblazoned on the jackets of the 60 Australian youth delegates, present to receive the World Youth Day Cross and Icon of Our Lady at the close of the Palm Sunday Mass conducted by the pope in St Peter’s Square this morning, Rome time.

The logo had been presented in Rome the day before to hundreds of youth delegates from all over the world at the International Gathering of World Youth Day Organizers as part of Sydney’s official presentation to start the countdown to hosting the world’s largest youth event in 2008.

With a youth styled tag line - WYD SYD 08 - the image unveiled for the Sydney event encapsulates five separate stories within the one logo, representing Christ our Saviour, the Catholic faith, the Pilgrimage that is World Youth Day, the Youth participants (Pilgrims) and the host city Sydney.

The most prominent image is the Flame of the Holy Spirit. This represents the fire in the heart of God. Traditionally for Catholics the flame represents the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The colours of red, yellow and orange also evoke the Australian outback.

The yellow honeycombed effect across the side of the Flame represents the pilgrims receiving the power of the Holy Spirit, which is translated into the lives of the young people from around the globe attending the event.

The cross at the centre of the logo is raised in victory representing Christ and the life of witness which the Holy Spirit enables. The white Cross indicates Jesus as the light of the world.

The Blue chosen for the World Youth Day text reflects the oceans that surround Australia, and the pilgrimage across the oceans to attend World Youth Day as well as the waters of Baptism and the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The final image, which completes the World Youth day logo, is a shadow of the Sydney Opera House. The Opera House is an internationally renowned symbol of Sydney, the host city for World Youth Day 2008.

The World Youth Day logo was designed by a team of professional design companies with input coming from hundreds of young people around Australia. The Sydney Archdiocese called on the wider Catholic community in Australia to “help to inspire the official WYD design team as they evolve the official logo”.

The unveiling of the WYD08 logo also heralds the launch of the new Web site for World Youth Day 2008 which can be viewed at www.wyd2008.org

Sydney's Catholic community to Share in World Youth Day Cross Handover; special celebration broadcasted from the Vatican

This Sunday, April 9, at St Mary’s Cathedral, Sydney’s Catholic community will share in a special Palm Sunday Mass and a local celebration of the Handover of the World Youth Day Cross and Icon in Rome.

After the 6 p.m. Palm Sunday Mass, the young people at the cathedral will watch a broadcast from St Peter’s Square, Rome, where the World Youth Day Cross and Icon will be accepted by a delegation of young Australians from every state and territory. The program, which starts at 8 p.m., will also be available to audiences across Sydney by tuning to Sydney’s new free-to-air television station, TVS, which is the local host broadcaster of the handover ceremony.

The Handover of the Cross officially marks the start of Sydney’s role as host city for World Youth Day 2008, the world’s largest youth event. World Youth Day in Sydney will be held July 15 to 20, 2008, with a range of activities and programs, including a papal Mass celebrated by Pope Benedict XVI, who will also preside over the handover ceremony in Rome on Sunday.

Bishop Julian Porteous, auxiliary bishop of Sydney, said the handover was cause for celebration and contemplation of the responsibility of hosting the Catholic Church’s day for and with the youth of the world.

“It is a great honour for the Archdiocese of Sydney to be hosting World Youth Day 2008 in our city,” said Porteous.

“World Youth Day brings together the young people of the world to encounter Christ, build bridges of friendship and hope between continents, peoples and cultures.

“We expect as many as 500,000 young people to gather for World Youth Day 2008 and around 130,000 of them will be visiting from overseas.

“As we accept the cross and icon from the youth of the previous international WYD host country, Germany, we begin in an official way the journey of preparation for this great event and the congregation at St Mary’s will celebrate on Sunday and share in this historical moment.”

Jerome Smith will be watching the broadcast of the Handover at St Mary’s with great interest. The 23-year-old from Epping attended World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne, Germany, and was present when Pope Benedict XVI announced that Sydney would host the event in 2008. His brother, Nat, is also among the youth delegates representing Sydney at the handover in Rome.

“Having been to World Youth Day in Cologne and experiencing the energy and friendship among hundreds of thousands of young people from all around the world, I am very proud to be a Sydneysider and an Australian hosting this great event,” said Jerome. “While World Youth Day is a Catholic Church event, it is a chance for
young people of all denominations and from around the world to share in the ideals of peace, harmony and learning from each other. With massive crowds of young people from all walks of life coming together in a peaceful, sharing manner, I hope it will help break down some barriers in our society and stimulate change.”

The St Mary’s Palm Sunday Mass will begin at 6 p.m., followed by a performance by Gary Pinto and Band, including a song specially composed to mark the occasion of the handover of the World Youth Day Cross.

At 8:00pm the St Mary’s congregation will view the World Youth Day Cross and Icon Handover from Rome on a large screen.

The World Youth Day Sydney 2008 logo and official Web site will also be launched on Sunday. Visit www.wyd2008.org.

TVS (Television Sydney) is available on UHF 31. Information on how to tune to TVS is available on the station’s Web sitewww.tvs.org.au.

Homily to the World Youth Day Delegates Conference of the Pontifical Council for the Laity Rome

By the Most Rev. Anthony Fisher, O.P.

In the 1950s, after the communist take-over of China, there was a little girl called Mei. Mei was three years old, dark-eyed with black hair. Her mother was put in prison for refusing to surrender her Christian faith and so Mei had to go too. The Christian prisoners were closely guarded, but the guards let Mei run about freely, she was so small. So when consecrated hosts were smuggled into the camp hidden inside loaves of bread and other items, it was Mei who would take them, at great risk to her life – at risk of martyrdom — to those in solitary confinement. She would go to visit them with the Blessed Sacrament concealed in her tiny closed hand, her fist in turn hidden demurely in her sleeves.

Later Mei and her mother were released and returned to their village. Though she was under the normal age Mei was so manifestly driven by the Holy Spirit that the priest decided to confirm her and give her First Communion. Soon after that all foreign priests were expelled from China. And as they said their goodbyes, Mei and her mother to the priest, Mei consoled him: “Don’t worry about me: I’ve been confirmed: I’ve got the Holy Spirit!”

“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses.” (Acts 1:8) This is the theme Pope Benedict has chosen for us for World Youth Day 2008 in Sydney Australia. The words are the last recorded words of Our Lord before his ascension into heaven. In a sense, then, they are his last will and testament. They tell us exactly what he wanted from us and for us.

The words come from the time of the birth of the Church. After Jesus said these things and ascended to the Father the early Church in the form of Our Lady and the Apostles and a few other disciples waited in prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The theme for WYD08 draws our minds back, then, to the days when the Church was still very young. The days when bishops like St John were only teenagers! In recalling the Church at her most youthful, Pope Benedict is inviting us to return to our youthful origins and experience renewal through the World Youth Day to come.

Australia, of course, is a young nation. Younger indeed than any other nation that has ever hosted a World Youth Day. So is the Church in Australia. Of course that is not the whole story. There were indigenous peoples in the Australian continent for many thousands of years before the European explorers found it. They lived in a very ancient land. And high in the sky, already preaching to those Aborigines as they awaited the arrival of those first settlers, was the Southern Cross. It is the closest constellation of stars to our planet earth but one only seen by those who live in or visit the Southern Hemisphere. As Pope John Paul said, Australia was like a giant natural cathedral, with the cross raised high, awaiting the arrival of the first Christians.

When at last they came those first explorers called it the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. So our theme is especially apposite for the first World Youth Day in Oceania. To the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit Christ says today: You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you.

What is this power Christ promises us? When we hear that word we might think of energy, electricity, creativity, manpower, godpower, grace. But there might also be some negative connotations. Power corrupts. Power controls. Power manipulates, exploits, tyrannizes. Instead of bringing life and energy, it can snuff them out. In the struggle for power over our own lives, over resources, over others, people can do violence, engage in terrorism, take drugs, even harm themselves; they will lie and cheat. They will do like Caiaphas does in today’s Gospel reading: deciding to kill an innocent man to sure up his position (Jn 11:45-56). That is not Christ’s kind of power. Caiaphas unwittingly got it right. Christ would rather die than harm us. Christ would rather die that lose even one of us. Christ willingly dies that we might have life, life to the full, eternal life.

So the power Christ offers us does not come through violence or lies but as pure gift from God. We call that grace and that grace-bringer the Holy Spirit. He is the fire in the heart of God. He is a power which never enslaves, never damages, never lies. He brings freedom, healing, insight. For that Spirit to come upon you with power is to be filled with wisdom and understanding, with right judgment and courage, with knowledge and reverence, with wonder and awe.

All for what? Jesus says: You will receive power from the Holy Spirit to be my witnesses. Not just for the heck of it. Not just because he wants to leave us something like an old jacket in his last will and testament. No, Jesus wants witnesses. People who will testify. Who will speak up. Of course there are plenty of witnesses around today, plenty of words and images. They stand for all sorts of things. For what, for whom, does Jesus want us inspired to stand up? For him. You will be my witnesses.

The trial of Jesus Christ before the Sanhedrin begins today in our Gospel passage. He is not even present for his arraignment. Already the Chief Judge has decided the verdict: this man must die for the sake of the people. In the week ahead, we will be witnesses at the trial. In tomorrow’s Passion Gospel we will have to take our part. We will join his executioners or the bloody-thirsty mob or the hangers-on or the runners-away or the betrayers. Or we will join the few true witnesses who stay close. The word in our text for witnesses is martyrion. Witness is from the same word as martyr. You will be my martyrs, Jesus says. You will give testimony to me whatever it costs, even unto death. Just as I have done for you! That takes courage. That takes real power. Holy Spirit power.

The trial of Jesus Christ continues in our day, in every age. The Sanhedrin is still sitting. We are called as witnesses. We are called to give testimony. What will we say? What do we say with our every word and deed, every day of our lives?

And where is it that we are called to give this testimony? You will be my witnesses, Jesus says, to the ends of the earth, to everyone, everywhere, wherever you are, wherever they are, in every nook and cranny of every human heart. But especially at the very ends of the earth. Going from Milan to Cologne or from Los Angeles to Toronto is great, especially if it is for something as life-changing as World Youth Day. It is going to give witness. But it is not really going to the end of the earth. For most of you to go to the end of the earth to give witness would require that you came to Australia! To Sydney! There you will be answering Our Lord’s call geographically and psychologically. It requires courage and determination, like all true witness. It might seem far and dangerous, like going to Jerusalem or Compostella or Cologne must have seemed to our forefathers. In fact it only takes a day. And the kangaroos do not bite!

But Christ is calling you forth from today, to come to an unfamiliar land, as far away as you can go. To come to the ends of the earth and bring with you the youth of your land. To give witness. To receive the Holy Spirit in the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit. And to be united. Hear again the words of the Prophet Ezekiel in our First Reading: “Thus says the Lord your God: I will gather you from among all the nations and bring you together… under one shepherd… in one sanctuary… You shall be my people and I shall be your God.”

We thank God for the gift of the previous World Youth Days. Especially this weekend we thank God for the gift of Cologne 2005. And the future, Archbishop Rylko said to us yesterday, the future has a name. Its name is Sydney. We thank God for that too. But we in Sydney cannot do it alone. We need God’s power. So we need your prayers that Sydney 2008 may be a New Pentecost where the young people of the world, gathered from every nation, speaking every tongue, will sing together the praises of our God. We need your efforts to raise in the hearts of your young people a desire to be courageous for Christ, to take on a big thing, something as big as taking the Gospel to the end of the earth. We need your best efforts to dissolve any misconceptions and communicate the good news about the future. We need your spirited witness to draws hundreds of thousands to Sydney. Come Holy Spirit! Come Holy Spirit! Come Holy Spirit! Come Youth of the World!

Pilgrim Cross

By Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney

Ave crux, spes unica. These ancient Latin words spell out the strangest Christian teaching of them all. “Hail the cross, our only hope”.

We are used to this message, and many no longer understand it. Originally the cross was a symbol of ultimate degradation, because only slaves and foreigners were crucified in the Roman Empire.

Today in Rome Pope Benedict XVI handed over the World Youth Day cross to 60 young Australians from every State in preparation for the World Youth Day in Sydney in 2008. The pope had received it from the youth of Germany, where W.Y.D. was celebrated in Cologne last year.

This cross is made of wood, 3.8 metres high, not heavy to carry, ordinary looking, rather ugly. Groups of young people will carry it on pilgrimage through their own districts.

For the remainder of 2006 the cross will travel around Africa, which has never hosted a World Youth Day so far, before visiting some countries in our region and then coming to every diocese of Australia.

Pope John Paul II started these international gatherings in 1984 against the wishes of many of his advisers, who were frightened that no young people would turn up. The Pope’s ambitions have more than been fulfilled.

Four million youth attended in Manila in 1995 (the largest youth gathering ever), more than two million in Rome for the Jubilee Year 2000 and more than a million in Paris (1997) and then Cologne.

The cross is passed from group to group like the Olympic torch before the Olympic Games, but the cross’s pilgrimage has been pretty constant since Pope John Paul sent it on its way in 1984.

His message was simple. The cross is a symbol of Christ’s love for all people and spells out the claim that only in the risen Christ can people find redemption and salvation.

Australians travel overseas much more than in most nations and Australian Catholics generally understand the importance of pilgrimage, travelling for a religious purpose, seeking understanding, repentance and a deeper faith.

Twenty years ago many Catholics rejected this notion of pilgrimage as old fashioned and medieval, forgetting that Jesus and his family went on pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem every year. This has changed.

The cross has been nearly everywhere, to Catholic South America, to Compostela in Spain, a famous pilgrimage destination, to Ground Zero in New York, to Prague in 1985 behind the Iron Curtain, when the Communist empire was still intact. Soon it will come to Australia.

More recently the cross has been accompanied by an image of Mary and the Christ Child, painted at the end of the sixth century in gratitude for cessation of a terrible plague in Rome. Devotion to Mary is central for Catholics.

The World Youth Day is a new version of an ancient tradition offering the Christian package of truths for this life and the next.

Stations of the Cross hike in the Santa Monica Mountains

Come join other young adults for an afternoon of hiking and Stations of the Cross in the Santa Monica mountains.

When: April 9 (Palm Sunday), from 1 to 3:30 p.m.

Where: Meet at the entrance to the Wilacre Park parking lot, 3431 Fryman Road in Studio City, at 1 p.m. There is a $3 charge for parking in the lot, but you can usually find free parking on Fryman Road.

Bring: A copy of the Stations of the Cross text, bottled water and snacks.

We will be stopping somewhere between 2:30 and 3 p.m. at a picnic area overlooking the San Fernando Valley.

For more information, e-mail Clayton Emmer at clayton@doxaweb.com.

Living Stations of the Cross

I would like to extend my personal invitaiton to you, on behalf of the young adults at the Saint Joseph Salesian Youth Renewal Center, to attend our remaining Living Stations of the Cross presentations.

The presentations run through Palm Sunday and are put on by the young adults of the Salesian Center, along with other adults and children. My group is providing the music.

Attached is a flier detailing the time and place of our remaining presentations. Please help spread the word about this ministry to your co-workers, friends and other parishioners.

Admission is free. If you have any questions about our presentations, feel free to e-mail me at michael.arvizu@sfmya.org.

In Christ,

— Michael J. Arvizu
Saint Joseph Salesian Youth Renewal Center

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

Monsignor Ray East invited worshippers to remove their shoes in observance of ancient traditions.

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

Mass begins.

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

Monsignor Ray East postrates before the altar at the beginning of the young adult Mass.

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

In worship.

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

Y.A. Mass, R.E. Congress!

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

Live from the Y.A. Mass at the Religious Education Congress!

Images of Religious Edcuation Congress 2006

LIVE FROM R.E. CONGRESS Y.A. MASS!

In memory of John Paul II on the anniversary of his death

April 2 marks the first anniversary of the death of Pope John Paul II.

The Vatican Web site has an extensive and comprehensive library of the pope's travels, photos and documents published over the course of John Paul's 28 years as pontiff.

We invite you to visit the Vatican Archives to learn more about this incredible man.

Also in the archives are on demand videos — in RealPlayer and Windows Media format — dating from John Paul II's funeral to as recent as the general audiences by Pope Benedict XVI.

God, give us patience

That "extra mile" is going to cost you more at this gas station, it seems!

Paradise not lost

Sometimes, paradise can be found in the most unlikely places.

SFMYA introduces podcasting

In order to keep up with the latest in streaming technology, and to allow visitors to www.sfmya.org the opportunity to download in multiple formats, we are introducing podcasting to the Web site.

Podcasting allows owners of Apple's popular iPod (and other MP3 players) to download MP3 audio files onto their devices for later listening. A podcast is a Web feed of audio or video files placed on the Internet for anyone to subscribe to.

How do you get started?

The basic requirements for podcasting are a computer, podcasting software (see below) and an Internet connection (the higher the speed, the better). To take your podcast with you, an iPod or any MP3 player is also needed.

To begin, download and install podcasting software onto your computer (PC or Mac). Though every application is different, there are generally directions to "add" or "subscribe to" a podcast feed (usually just as simple as copying and pasting the podcast URL, found in the icon.

Podcast receiver software

We recommend Juice.

What will be available as a podcast?

Right now, we are in the planning stages to podcast Theology on Tap in the summer. We are performing tests on our servers in order to make sure that everything is ready to go. Hopefully, we will be able to expand beyond TOT and provide podcasts for other events as well.

What is the difference between "On Demand" and your podcasts?

The On Demand feature of our Web site is basically made up of audio files in RealPlayer format for download to a local computer and not to an iPod. Our podcast service allows visitors to download a podcast onto a local computer or iPod for mobile listening. Both options exist for each event you click on — you can download it as a podcast or as a RealPlayer file.

Questions?

E-mail us at multimedia@sfmya.org.

SFMYA newsletter available for download

We are making the San Fernando Pastoral Region Ministry With Young Adults newsletter available online beginning today.

The newsletter is available as a downloadable PDF file that you can save to your computer or print.

By no means should you print out 10 or 20 copies and give it to your friends. Instead, send them over to this blog. The link will also be posted on our homepage next week. We are posting the newsletter link to the blog first so that you may browse the newsletter and leave a comment or two.

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Our thanks to Steven Ori at QPress for being our trusty printer for the last two years and four issues. For all your printing needs, call QPress at (626) 577-2183, or e-mail qpress@anet.net.

Thanks, also, to Regi Meehan, young adult coordinator for the San Fernando Region; Dennis Young, for arranging our newsletter to be distributed at this year's Religious Education Congress; Bishop Gerald Wilkerson for supporting our ministry; and last but not least, this issue's contributors for giving of their time to write.

If you would like to contribute to future newsletters, e-mail us at newsletter@sfmya.org. Prior writing experience is not necessary.

SFMYA newsletter being printed

The Winter 2006 issue of the San Fernando Pastoral Region Ministry With Young Adults newsletter has been finished and is on its way to the printing floor.

The newsletter is six pages long, with valuable information on what's coming up in the region and the L.A. Archdiocese. This is an issue not be missed. We will post a link on our Web site that will allow you to view the entire newsletter as a PDF file.

An excerpt from one of this issue's articles:

Young adults are called to lead the church

By Bishop Gerald Wilkerson

"As many of you know, the fewer number of ordained priests is calling forth the giftedness of the entire baptized community in staffing our parish communities.

"Already, deacons, women and men religious, and lay women and men have been given the responsibility of leading parish communities here in the United States."

Make sure to pick up a copy at this year's Religious Education Congress, taking place at the Anaheim Convention Center March 31 to April 2, or at Theology on Tap II, taking place at St. Francis Xavier Parish on Feb. 19.

For more information on the newsletter or to contribute in future issues, e-mail us at newsletter@sfmya.org.

Filming at a jail

This image was drawn in one of the jail cells.

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Last year, a friend of mine recruited me and several other people to help him on a feature film he was making. We visited a prison not far from downtown Los Angeles that would be used for the jailhouse scene. The film revolves around a father and husband who must confront the demons of his past when he is forced to reconcile with his brother who is days away from being executed.

As I walked around the jail while we were setting up, I noticed drawings much like this one drawn in most of the cells.

— Michael J. Arvizu
SFMYA