Toledo, Spain, May 25, 2006 / 22:00 pm
The Archbishop of Toledo, Cardinal Antonio Cañizares, said in his weekly letter that the evangelization of young people is an urgent challenge for the Church of today, as they often ask important questions about life and at the same time are often away from God and the Church.
In his letter, the cardinal remembered Pope John Paul II as “the Pope of young people,” and he noted that like his predecessor, Pope Benedict XVI has not only won over young people, but also during his trip to Germany for World Youth Day 2005, he outlined important principles for youth ministry, which “we have yet to unpack and follow, as they constitute a total plan of action,” he noted.
Cardinal Cañizares also recalled that John Paul II was a man of great peace and kindness who understood “the reality of our world and of young people, who are sometimes pounded so strongly by this world that shakes them up and knocks them off track. Yet he did not accuse young people, he did not hide the evils that threaten them and that at times can overcome them. Rather, he saw their situation with a heart of mercy, with kindness and compassion, with the closeness and understanding of a father, with the trust and friendship of friends.”
Therefore, the cardinal said in conclusion, it is necessary to strengthen the work of evangelization that Pope John Paul II carried out with young people, and Benedict XVI is leading the way.