Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Mar 5, 2012 / 15:45 pm
On a recent trip to Rio de Janeiro for World Youth Day 2013 preparations, a top Vatican official said the conversion of young people is essential for evangelizing formerly Christian societies.
Cardinal Stanislaw Rylko, head of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, told CNA that he hopes the Rio World Youth Day will be “one more important step” in the Church's mission to bring young people closer to Christ.
He noted that over the last 25 years, World Youth Day has “proved to be an instrument of evangelization of extraordinary power. I'm sure that Rio will give a strong confirmation of this fact.”
Cardinal Rylko made his remarks at a March 2 press conference held in Rio de Janerio to discuss preparations for the global youth event. The cardinal was in Brazil Feb. 27--March 2 to meet with the local organizing committee and Archbishop Orani João Tempesta.