ASIA/PAKISTAN - The young "vibrant in faith" to become "good citizens"

Lahore (Agenzia Fides) - The priorities for young Pakistani Catholics are faith formation, education on human rights, commitment to peace building, according to the Church's social doctrine: all of this to form people to be aware and of value. This is what Fr. Ashraf Gill, head of the youth pastoral Office in the Archdiocese of Lahore, in Punjab says to Fides, talking about his work of animation concerning more than 50 thousand young Catholics in the local churches of his archdiocese. On the eve of the summer school-training camp dedicated to "Faith and Ecology," Fr. Gill describes the "young, vibrant in faith, passionate in proclaiming the Gospel, convinced of their Christian identity, which represent a good hope for the Church in Pakistan."
Young people, he remarked, "are preparing for World Youth Day in 2013 in Brazil and hope many will participate". At the recent World Youth Day in Madrid, only two young people per diocese could participate, despite the more than 1,000 requests. In fact, Spain did not grant a visa to enter the country, while many young people also had financial difficulties.
The vitality of the Catholic youth in Pakistan is strong. Recently His Exc. Mgr. Rufin Anthony, Bishop of Islamabad-Rwalpindi and President of the Commission for the youth of the Episcopal Conference, organized a week of training focused on the Pope's message for World Day of Peace 2012. The Bishop spoke to the youth about "justice, equality, love, respect, forgiveness and other values" that "allow us to become people of value to society." The meeting was also attended by Fr. John Shakir Nadeem, Executive Secretary of the Episcopal Commission for Social Communications, with a report on "The role of media in the education of the youth." Fr. Nadeem stressed the power of the media, launching an appeal to the media to work with families and educational institutions in promoting the values of unity, tolerance, love, equality, sacrifice, justice, respect for humanity and brotherhood. So, he said, it allows young people to become "good citizens". (PA) (Agenzia Fides 13/7/2012)