by Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ and Director, CREDI
In CCSJ’s Newsletter which will be distributed in time for Respect For Life Week ( October 6 – 13), we share with the faithful extracts from the Note with pastoral recommendations for the Year of Faith, issued by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. This note invites the faithful “to read closely and meditate upon Pope Benedict XVI’s Apostolic Letter, Porta Fidei (the “door of Faith”). Inter alia, the Holy Father encourages us to learn more about the great figures of our faith, including Mary, the apostles, the saints, martyrs and confessors (Porta Fidei, 13).
I thought of this during my recent visit to Budapest where I participated in the annual procession on the country’s national holiday, from a bridge on the banks of the Danube River to St Stephen’s Basilica. St Stephen, who ruled Hungary from 1000 to 1038, brought Christianity to Hungary and was known for his charity among the poor and sick. He spent much of his reign promoting the Christian faith and building churches. He received a crown and a cross from Pope Sylvester II. He was canonised in 1081.
Each year the country marks St Stephen’s Day on August 20 in honour of their first king. His right hand, a holy relic, formed part of the procession to the basilica. I joined the throngs of people who stood in the square in front of the basilica for the celebration of the Eucharist.
I met some of the young people who gathered in Budapest for the celebration of the 10th annual Genfest, which was held there, from Aug 31 to Sept 2. Zenit reported on the message sent by Pope Benedict XVI to the 12,000 young people of the Focolare Movement who were participating in Genfest to focus on the theme: “Let’s Bridge.” Youths gathered from 104 countries. Among them were 160 Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu youths.
“Founded in 1943 by Chiara Lubich, the Focolare Movement has spread to more than 100 nations across the globe. The ecclesial movement focuses on the spirituality of unity and universal brotherhood. According to the official website of Genfest, the purpose of the youth gathering is ‘to show the world that universal brotherhood, a united world, is an ideal worth living for.’
The Pope expressed his desire that the meeting’s presence in Budapest would encourage the ideal of bridging the gap among people of different cultures. He said: ‘I hope that this most beautiful city will be a sign of hope to inspire all the young people present to offer a hand of friendship to those who come from other contexts and cultures, so as to give shape to the earthly city in unity and peace, rendering it in some measure an anticipation and a prefiguration of the undivided city of God’.
The current president of the Focolare movement, Maria Voce called on the youth to use their talents and abilities in serving others: ‘Begin to love concretely. The first step will not involve grand scale actions, but those small acts of love that make life great and have the power to change the world and influence society and never allow the bridges that have been built today to lessen…The first bridge was built right here among yourselves…file forth from this sport arena like a great river of love.’
The Genfest youth gathering also saw the launch of the United World Project. The project, which was conceived and developed by youth members of the movement, ‘aims to highlight and promote fraternity already under way by individuals, groups and nations’ (Zenit).
We here in TT really need to ignite our faith among young and old. In Lk. 18:8 we read: “When the Son of Man comes, will he find any faith on earth?” God has given us this precious gift of faith. After baptism and confirmation, how do we demonstrate that we are opening our hearts and minds to live our faith? Ongoing catechesis is essential if we are to ignite and keep alight our faith. In May 2006, Pope Benedict XVI reminded us “Faith consists of an intimate relationship with Christ, a relationship based on love of him who loved us first. (cf. 1 Jn 4:11)”
If we allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us daily, we will succeed in building the civilisation of love. Come, Holy Spirit, enkindle in us a passion for mission. Help us to be true witnesses to our faith. May the lives of saints like St Stephen propel us to live holy, virtuous lives; to be true followers of Christ.
