The World Youth Day in PANAMA will be the launch-pad for a unique educational grassroots initiative that will gradually percolate to all of Central America. The DOCAT (= the catholic social teaching with a foreword and impulses from Pope Francis) will be distributed in huge numbers. A multitude of study groups will be formed. Archbishop Ulloa Mendieta of Panama says, “Nothing helps our youth more than education. Once they know the Christian social doctrine, they will also know how to fight corruption, end violence, establish democracy, make freedom happen and create wealth with the power of the Gospel”. Together with Pope Francis, he dreams of a revolution of love and justice that will affect all the countries of the region – from Mexico to Panama!
Pope Francis supports this with all his heart. He will distribute the DOCAT books and the DOCAT smartphone app to WYD Panama pilgrims as his personal gift. The host, Archbishop Ulloa, will invite the Central American pilgrims, in the opening speech and through the media, to enter deeply into the Catholic social doctrine. 25,000 Spanish DOCAT books and up to 1,000,000 digital versions are all set to be distributed. The only condition is: Whoever takes a book has to form a study group. (There is a free digital study guide to help animate these DOCAT study groups). All pilgrims can also download the DOCAT smartphone app which will also be freely available. Dedicated support and mentoring by 35 social doctrine experts from all over the world will also be available to the DOCAT recipients on how to work with catholic social teaching to build a fairer society.
The project will be support from ACN (Aid to the Church in need) which is an organisation that is approved by the Vatican.
