EUROPE/ITALY - Youth Missionary Congress during the Year of St. Paul on “Paul's secret” and European Youth Missionary Pilgrimage to Rome with theme: “Missionaries like Paul.”

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – In this, the year of the 2,000th anniversary of the birth of the Apostle to the Gentiles, the Youth Missionary Movement has organized a Youth Missionary Congress to be celebrated April 30 – May 3 in Assisi, in conjunction with the Religion Missio Foundation, the Pontifical Mission Societies, the Diocesan Missionary Centers, the Missionary Institutes, and the Missionary Communities and Associations. As Rocco Negri, Secretary of the Youth Missionary Movement, explains “through the times of prayer, discussion, group study, testimonies, etc., our youth – in the words of St. Paul – will be invited to discover that Christ is the criteria for evaluating everything, the aim of every effort to preach the Gospel, the great passion that supports on our path in this world.” Registrations end on February 28 and can be filled-out on the website.
“Youth, Missionaries like Paul” is another event of the Year of St. Paul promoted by the International Secretariat and the Holy Childhood Association, with the goal of inspiring the youth to make a serious commitment in preaching the Gospel in their daily life. This Pauline pilgrimage, which will meet in Rome on Saturday, May 30 for an audience with the Holy Father Benedict XVI and celebrate Mass in the Basilica of Saint Paul, is for children from 8-14 years of age who are involved in a missionary activity (a religious institute, catechesis, etc.) Registrations should be made no later than February 28 online. Beginning February 2009, all those signed-up will be sent material on Saint Paul's mission, in preparation for the pilgrimage. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 10/2/2009)