This
article was
first published
in Our Sunday
Visitor
Moving
Forward with
Youth 2000
By
Dwight Longenecker
One
of the most
striking features
of the papacy
of John Paul
II has been
his remarkable
appeal amongst
young people.
In his monumental
biography of
the Pope, George
Weigel comments
on the influence
the World Youth
Days have had
on the Holy
Father himself.
He may have
inspired the
young people,
but they have
inspired him
as well. At
the last World
Youth Day in
Rome the ageing
pope seemed
visibly invigorated
by the crowds
of enthusiastic
and devoted
young people.
At
the turn of
the twenty-first
century it
might have
seemed that
the Catholic
Church was
on her last
legs, but then
the Holy Spirit
gave us a Pope
who has had
the courage
and inspiration
to lead the
Church into
a new age.
The Holy Father
has repeatedly
hailed the
new ecclesial
movements as
one of the
signs of the
new springtime
in the Church.
At a meeting
on Pentecost
1998 Pope John
Paul met with
thousands of
representatives
from more than
200 new movements
from around
the world.
At that meeting
the Pope affirmed
his view that
the new movements
are, “one of
the most significant
fruits of that
springtime
in the Church
which was foretold
by the Second
Vatican Council.” The
new movements
have sprung
up all over
the world and
appeal to a
whole range
of different
ages, nationalities
and personality
types. One
of the most
exciting of
the new movements
is Youth 2000.
Youth 2000
is all the
more interesting
because it
was born in
England—a land
where Catholics
usually keep
their heads
down. A land
where religion
is too often
like the weather—cold
and damp.
Among
the young people
present at
the World Youth
Day in Compostella
in Spain in
1989 was a
young Englishman
named Ernest
Williams. Ernest
heard the Pope’s
message to
the young people
that, “You
are the Church
of today and
the hope of
tomorrow.” Ernest
took it to
heart that
the young people
would themselves
be the first
witnesses of
Christ in the
New Millennium.
Immediately
after that
World Youth
Day in 1989
Ernest made
a pilgrimage
to Fatima.
While there
he had a prayer
image of a
chain of young
people adoring
Christ all
around the
world. He felt
this would
happen by the
beginning of
the New Millennium.
This was the
vision that
led to a fresh
initiative.
Ernest felt
that through
Eucharistic
adoration God
would draw
young people
back to the
Truth, leading
them away from
a life without
hope.
Since
then Youth
2000 has organised
over eighty
retreats all
over England.
They’ve also
organised ten
international
festivals.
The retreats
are attended
by between
fifty and one
hundred people,
and the international
festivals have
attracted up
to 1500. Furthermore,
Youth 2000
has spread
to over twenty-four
countries.
Between 1992
it has attracted
the support
of fifteen
cardinals.
Twenty-one
Archbishops
and ninety-seven
bishops from
fourteen countries
have either
attended Youth
2000 retreats
or given it
their backing.
From the ten
years of Youth
2000’s existence
the movement
has produced
thirty-five
vocations to
the religious
life, twelve
vocations to
lay communities
and fifteen
consecrated
marriages.
What
happens at
a Youth 2000
retreat? For
a start there
is perpetual
adoration of
the Blessed
Sacrament.
The young people
are drawn by
the simple,
powerful and
radiant presence
of Christ.
Around this
quiet heart
of love are
Scripture studies,
talks on spirituality
and theology,
advice on discerning
a true vocation
and plenty
of time to
make new friends
and enjoy one
another’s company.
All of this
is surmounted
by a daily
celebration
of Mass. The
other emphasis
is on the sacrament
of reconciliation.
A priest is
available at
all times and
the young people
are encouraged
to come to
confession.
Priests who
have ministered
at Youth 2000
retreats comment
on the quality
and sincerity
of the confessions
and admit to
being inspired
and motivated
by the young
peoples’ fervor.
Fr
Ian Ker, the
well-known
Newman scholar,
has taken part
in Youth 2000
retreats and
said, “Youth
2000 is both
highly original
and extremely
modern. It
has its own
authentic spirituality,
which is best
seen in the
way in which
the Blessed
Sacrament is
exposed twenty-four
hours a day,
day and night,
throughout
their gatherings
and retreats.
Some might
wonder if this
was desirable
all the time…I
saw no signs
of familiarity
breeding contempt.
What I did
see was a whole
lot of young
people clearly
feeling very
much at home
in their Father’s
house, enjoying
the perpetual
presence of
Jesus as though
He was the
most obvious
companion in
the world to
spend time
with.”
In
addition to
the retreats
and international
festivals Youth
2000 have a
mission team
which goes
into schools
and parishes.
They talk about
their work,
ask for prayer
and support
and often help
with confirmation
preparation.
Youth 2000
also have plans
for a residential
school of evangelisation
and want to
establish a
short term
community to
help those
who are called
to evangelisation.
One
of the problems
in evangelising
young people
is that they
do not want
to take older
people’s word
for anything.
There is a
questioning
attitude that
makes evangelisation
and religious
teaching difficult.
Given this
problem, it
is a sign of
the Holy Spirit’s
genius that
Youth 2000
is not run
by well-meaning
religious professional
grown-ups.
Youth 2000
was started
by a young
person, and
it is kept
alive by young
people themselves.
In
the USA Youth
2000 organises
Eucharistic
centred weekend
retreats across
the entire
country. Over
300 Youth 2000
retreats have
been held in
the USA since
1992, and over
100,000 young
people have
attended. From
the USA Youth
2000 members
have also organised
retreats in
fifteen other
countries.
Fr. Giles Dimock,
O.P. has helped
the organisation
by writing
a booklet which
explains the
theological
content and
liturgical
practices of
each Youth
2000 retreat.
The
young people
of Youth 2000
have heard
the call that
each member
of the church
is called to
live out a
vocation to
holiness. They
want to be
intimately
united with
Christ, and
one can hear
the Pope’s
words echoing
in their hearts, “Young
people, do
not be afraid
to be the saints
of the New
Millennium!”
