A gift to young pilgrims: the sacrament of confession as a way to conversion.
The Circus Maximus in Rome will be hosting one of the greatest catechetical initiatives of the Holy Year on 1 August, during the Youth Jubilee, with the distribution of 10,000 free copies of a special edition of the “YOUCAT Confession” book. This initiative, organised by the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need, in cooperation with the YOUCAT Foundation and the Dicastery for Evangelisation, is aimed at bringing thousands of young people closer to the sacrament of reconciliation, which it presents as a path of renewal and of hope.
This commemorative edition of the book, which will be available in Italian, English, French and German, has been especially prepared for young people who will be participating in the Jubilee’s Day of Penance. “Jesus is waiting for you with open arms,” Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelisation, tells the young readers in the book’s prologue.
The archbishop highlights the importance of the sacrament as an opportunity for young people to meet with God. “Every time you receive the sacrament of reconciliation, you are saying: ‘I want to start afresh and I trust in you!’, and God responds to you with his infinite love and mercy.”
Archbishop Fisichella therefore encourages the young people to bear witness during and after the days of the jubilee: “Fill the streets of Rome with life, joy and hope! And when you return home, bring – as pilgrims of hope – the testimony of God’s peace and forgiveness to today’s world.”
Renewing faith through confession
YOUCAT Confession was originally published in 2014. The new edition, made especially for the Youth Jubilee, has been revised and enriched with new testimonies and resources. The book is around 100 pages long and offers a current and close outlook on the sacrament of reconciliation, including an innovative examination of conscience, simple explanations and useful prayers. It also includes an exclusive interview with Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Church’s Major Penitentiary, about the transformative power of confession as a turning point in life, and the testimony of German journalist and theologian Rudolph Gehrig, who provides a very personal insight into the issue.
ACN: a global commitment to youth and faith
This initiative has been made possible through the support of ACN International, an organisation that is present in over 140 countries, with a special focus on persecuted Christians, vocations and catechetical projects. “I cordially thank ACN for its generosity and the important contribution it will be making to this jubilee,” writes Archbishop Fisichella.
Through this gesture, ACN and the YOUCAT Foundation want to offer young people the opportunity to discover and experience the beauty of the Catholic Faith, especially through the sacrament of reconciliation, during this key period of the Holy Year.
By Maria Lozano.
