Haiphong (Asianews) – The Vietnamese Youth Cross has reached Haiphong. The encounter has awoken great enthusiasm since its initiation in 2002, organised by the then Archbishop of Thai Binh and president of the bishops’ Commission for the laity, msgr. Nguyen Van Sang.
Since then the Youth Cross has travelled through the various diocese in the North, from Thai Binh to Phat Diem, to Hanoi, the capital. It then journeyed onwards to Thanh Hoa, Vinh and Haiphong.
The people are convinced that when the Holy Cross arrives the young people rediscover their faith. It is significant that the young people from all of the parishes study catechism, pray together, carry out social and charitable activities, living the Good News and the sense of the Cross.
“Today –says one young Hanoi parishioner – is a special day. I am happy when I see young people from the many different diocese gather together, with the ten northern diocese. I remember – he adds – Christ’s words ‘follow me’. I want to follow him to discover meaning in my life. When they have Christ’s love, young people grow in shared love. We want to help the poor and unfortunate, particularly the children from rural areas”.
“I have learned from experiences through this festival – says Hung - Many young people are from far off dioceses, but we feel close like in a big family. I have been tempered for the commitments I will meet in life. It is a new “baggage” for my life’s journey”.
“The Vietnamese Church – adds Hiep – also presented the social doctrine of the Church as an orientation for young people’s social activities at the international conference in Hanoi on October 8th – 12, 2007. With participation of the government’s officials, professors of universities, institutions, Bishops and Catholic nuns and monks and some professional parishioners. I hope we will have brighter future”.
“I was struck – affirms young Hoa – by the reading, of Christ’s words: when he says ‘follow me’ the disciples immediately followed him. It didn’t matter if they were first or the tenth to follow him. I want to be just like the disciples. I think – she adds – that there has to be a spiritual dimension in the life of young people as well as a social and charitable one”. She concludes citing the words of Benedict XVI to young people: “don not be afraid to be different in today’s world, you are not disadvantaged by following Christ”.
