People join hands through a fence © Jim West (KNA)
The third day of the World Synod of Bishops on Youth in Rome this Friday focused on migration, among other ies. The topic has been very present on all days so far, said the new head of the media dicastery, Paolo Ruffini.
Addressed in the speeches, according to the statement, was not only the church's welcome of migrants and refugees, but also the church's duty to be close to second-generation immigrants, Ruffini said at the second press briefing on the Catholic Synod of Bishops Friday at the Vatican press office. The Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Colin Fisher, said mass migration is an important ie here.
BDKJ chairman with speech
Sexual abuse continued to be a topic of many contributions – for example in the speech of the German youth guest speaker at the synod, Thomas Andonie. The chairman of the Federation of German Catholic Youth (BDKJ) also addressed Catholic sexual morality and the role of women in the church in his speech to the plenum on Friday, calling for more say for young people.
Archbishop Fisher, had begun his speech in light of the abuse cases in the Australian church with a prayer of forgiveness. At the press briefing at the Vatican, the Dominican friar said, "We think of the young people who have been so badly hurt. We are so ashamed of what happened in this dark chapter of church history." He ared that the bishops were aware of where they had made mistakes – even beyond the abuse crisis.
Learning from the Australian experience
He hopes other countries can learn from the experience in Australia. It's not just about the challenges, however, but also about looking at where things are going well, Fisher stressed. He called the World Synod of Bishops a great enrichment, as it provides an opportunity to discuss the beliefs and lifestyles of young people in different contexts around the world.
The to 28. October Synod of Bishops is titled "Youth, Faith and Vocational Discernment". Selected young people are allowed to speak there, but have no voting rights.