A month After the Catholic Action Youth Pilgrimage
WORLD CATHOLIC ACTION YOUTH PILGRIMAGE - 28 December 2007 – 6 January 2008


PRESS RELEASE
Rome, 06.02.2008

150 young Catholic Action members from 26 countries went on a pilgrimage to the Holy Land from the 28th December 2007 to the 6th January 2008. This pilgrimage was organized by the International Forum of Catholic Action. The pilgrims wanted to go through an intensive experience of faith and a sense of being a Church, following the steps of Jesus, particularly with the young people and the pastors of the Christian communities who are living in the Holy Land today. They also wanted to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the setting up of the World Day of Peace, celebrated on the 1st January, in Jerusalem.

Before their departure, the Pope sent them a message through Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State at the Vatican. In this message, the Pope wanted to show the young people in the Holy Land, that they are always in his thoughts. He also wanted the pilgrims to convey his message for 2008 to them in his name.

The young pilgrims were hosted at very modern Bethlehem Catholic Action Sports Centre and with some families. Here they could experience the warm friendship of their hosts and also enjoy tasting typical food. During the New Year Celebrations typical sweets from all over the world could also be enjoyed.

At the beginning of the pilgrimage the young people introduced themselves and those from Bethlehem spoke about their everyday experience in the present delicate political and military situation in the West Bank and that brought about by the erection of the Wall. Prof. Jacqueline Sfeir, a former lecturer at the Bethlehem Catholic University and presently involved in the Formation sphere, gave a very enlightening talk about the situation Christians have to face in Palestine. “We are a minority within a minority and we have to put up with check-points, road blocks and trenches and above all, the Wall everyday ".

The days were very full. These included visits to Holy Places in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth. Meetings were also held with Patriarch Sabbah, the Custodian Pizzabella, the Nuncio Franco, the Bishop of Nazareth, the Parish Priests of Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth as well as with Friars from the Custody. Some of these young Friars also accompanied the young pilgrims on some of the visits, such as that to the Holy Sepulchre which was visited on every visit to Jerusalem. On the 1st January in the early morning the group could pray in silence at the Golgoltha and at the place of the Resurrection.
Galilee was the second important stop with a celebration at the grotto of the Annunciation in Nazareth, the Lake, the Mount of the Beatitudes, Mount Tabor and Mount Carmel. The meeting and the sharing with the Christian population in Nazareth, Cana, Jaffa in Nazareth and Reneh offered the young pilgrims a wonderful opportunity to appreciate the warm and fraternal hospitality of over 60 local families, of, Latin, Melchite and Moronite rite, which hosted them. The special characteristic of this journey was the opportunity which the young pilgrims had of mixing with the Christian population of the Holy Land thus building bridges of hope in a land marked by the constant building of walls and divisions. The bond of friendship was strengthened even more as some young people from Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Taybeh, Haifa and Nazareth joined the international pilgrims on this pilgrimage. The meetings with those who work in Haifa and Nazareth, in spiritual and charitable spheres, especially male and female members of religious orders, was very enriching. The opening mass at the Caritas Baby Hospital and the silent reflection at the place of Charles de Foucauld in Nazareth are unforgettable.
Through these occasions, the pilgrims could have a first hand experience of what the Patriarch said when he stated that “ We are two nations, and three religions. God has brought us all here together, so this land cannot belong exclusively to anyone in particular. The lack of freedom of movement makes us lose hope however we should keep on believing that one day peace will prevail”.

The Custodian of the Holy Land, P. Pierbattista Pizzaballa stated: “ We should work harder for dialogue especially between Jews and Christians keeping in mind the prevailing institutional dimension. As regards ecumenism, there are problems when it regards ‘ownership’ when it come to the management of Holy Places. This does not mean that we should give up discussing. Rather we should keep on trying to find a solution”.

The Eucharistic Celebration of the 1st January, in Jerusalem, presided over by Patriarch Sabbah, was very meaningful. When addressing the young pilgrims, he said: Dear young people, work hard to achieve great things but try to in this imitate Jesus and not the great people of the world. You are great when you try to serve others forgetting yourselves”. He then presented a young representative from every country with a ceramic lamp, in the shape of a dove, symbolizing peace, which was hand- made by a Christian cooperative.

This presentation took place during the solemn Mass celebrated by the Patriarchate on the occasion of the fourtieth anniversary of the setting up of the World Day of Peace. It was a meaningful message, especially for young people from Palestine, Israel, Bosnia Hyrzegovina, Myanmar, Burundi and Kenya where conflict is a tragic reality.

On the 31st December, H.E. Mgr. Domenico Sigalini, General Priest Assistant of the Italian Catholic Action and Bishop of Palestrina, joined by another 15 priests from different countries, presided over the Eucharistic Celebration, with the singing of the Te Deum, in the Parish dedicated to Saint Catherine in Bethlehem and on the 2nd January in Jericho.
Daniel Attinger, a monk from Bose who lives in Jerusalem, led a daily meditation with a reflection on the incarnation.

A spirit of reflection, friendship and prayer prevailed throughout the pilgrimage. The faces of all the new acquaintances made during this pilgrimage and the small Christian communities which are a true of hope for peace and of Gospel witnessing, will definitely remain imprinted in the hearts of each and every pilgrim.