EUROPE/ITALY - First European Meeting for University students: “New disciples of Emmaus. Being Christians at university”; 11 July Papal audience

Rome (Agenzia Fides) – The First European Meeting for University students: “New disciples of Emmaus. Christians at university” will be held in Rome 6 - 12 July (see Fides 17/6/2009). Organised by the Office for University Pastoral Care of the Vicariate of Rome, the meeting is part of activities of the University Section of the Catechesis-School-University (CSU) Commission of the Council of European Bishops' Conferences (CCEE) in collaboration with Italy's Ministers for Education, University and Research; Foreign Affairs; and Youth. Some 1,500 young people are expected. Central moment: Saturday 11 July, feast of St Benedict, Patron Saint of Europe, the participants will be received in audience by Pope Benedict XVI.
The event will have two parts. From 6 to 8 July the students will be guests at universities in Milan, Padua, Venice, Florence, Bologna, Perugia and other localities, for meetings with the university chaplaincies, coordinated by the National Office for Education, School and University of the Italian Bishops' Conference (CEI). On 9 July the participants will arrive in Rome and at 7pm in the Cathedral, the Basilica of S. Giovanni in Laterano, the First European Meeting for University students will open with a solemn Mass presided by Mgr Marek Jedraszewski, vice president of the University Section of the Catechesis-School-University Commission of the CCEE.
Over the next few days the students will move to the Faculty of Economics at the University of Tor Vergata to reflect on three themes: “Young people and Hope in Europe”; “Young people and new life in Europe”; “Young people and intellectual charity”. Saturday 11 at 9.30am Cardinal Secretary of State, Tarcisio Bertone, will celebrate the Eucharist for students and chaplains in St Peter's Basilica. At the end of the Mass the participants will be received in audience by the Holy Father Benedict XVI.
The Meeting will end on Sunday 12 with the presentation by the groups of the results of study on the three themes proposed with the prospect of commitment. The closing Eucharistic Celebration will be presided by Archbishop Jean-Louis Bruguès, secretary of the Congregation for Catholic Education. For more information: Tel. 06.69886584 – Fax 06.69886544; ufficiopastoraleuniversitaria@vicariatusurbis.org. (SL) (Agenzia Fides 3/7/2009; righe 29)