Scottish Catholic Observer

The Firm in the Faith with Mary Rosary campaign, which has been organised by Family Rosary International working with Aid to the Church in Need and other Catholic organisations, is asking people to pray the Rosary for conversion, deepening of faith and commitment to follow Christ for those attending World Youth Day from August 16-20.

Prayer and New Evangelisation

Fr James Phalan, the director of Family Rosary International, described WYD as ‘a huge moment for the new evangelisation in Spain, Europe and beyond.’

“What better way to prepare than meditating on the life of Christ through the Rosary and offering WYD to Our Lady through this prayer?” he said. “Mary is not simply a pious idea. She is a living person, alive in our lives, and truly our mother. This is something concrete, warm and intimate so by choosing a concrete day we hope people will grow in love of Mary and Jesus together.”

Fr Phalan developed the plan in conjunction with Javier Menéndez-Ros, national director of Aid to the Church in Need (Spain), in October 2010. “When we brought our strategy to the WYD organisation they gave it their blessing right away,” he added.

In addition to receiving approval from the WYD organisation in Madrid, the campaign also received the backing of the Vatican’s Pontifical Councils for the Laity and for Social Communications.

Social networks and other media such as Twitter and Facebook have been used to promote the prayer initiative. As well as being able to pledge to pray the Rosary by visiting www.firminfaith.org supporters can record themselves praying a decade of the Rosary and upload it to the campaign’s YouTube channel.

Fr Phalan reported that more than 700 people from 55 countries have already signed up online and many more have indicated that they are praying the Rosary every Saturday for the success of World Youth Day.

Fatima stopover

A number of the youth groups heading to World Youth Day in Madrid will be stopping in at the Marian shrine in Fatima in Portugal on the way.

The shrine is getting ready for the young visitors to welcome the pilgrims with Masses to be held in Italian, English and Spanish, as well as Portuguese, and extended opening hours during the days when most of the youth will be in Fatima.

Several itineraries for the August 16-21 World Youth Day in Spain have included Fatima in the schedule, with groups arriving before or after the events with Pope Benedict XVI.

Natalina Ferreira, director of Pilgrimage Services at Fatima, reported that 64 groups are so far scheduled for a stop in Fatima, 45 before Youth Day and 19 afterward. Most of these groups have 100 pilgrims, although one party, from Latin America, has 2500.

Portuguese youth are also planning visit the shrine as part of their WYD pilgrimage. Ms Ferreira said that pilgrims from Lisbon, one group of 2000 and another of 350, will visit Fatima.

Pic: World Youth Day pilgrims from Spain cheer as Pope Benedict XVI named Madrid as the host city of World Youth Day 2011 at the closing Mass of WYD in Australia in 2008