Pope Francis will meet a group of abuse victims in a “private and confidential” manner during the World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon 2023, scheduled from August 1 to 6 in Portugal.
Cardinal Manuel Clemente confirmed that the Holy Father will meet with victims of abuse by the Portuguese clergy, even though this meeting has not been included in the official program.
The Cardinal has not provided specific details regarding the location and date of the meeting. During an online press conference organized by the International Association of Vatican Accredited Journalists (AIGAV) on Thursday, July 20, the Patriarch of Lisbon stated, “It will be done this way to protect the privacy of these individuals.” The victims who will meet with Pope Francis have been accompanied by associations and groups already in contact and working with the Episcopal Conference of Portugal to prevent and combat sexual, conscience, and power abuses.
Cardinal Clemente confirmed that the organizers expect the participation of over one million young people in Lisbon. Participants in WYD come from every country in the world.
Controversy over the costs of WYD
Addressing the controversy surrounding the expenses of WYD 2023, the Cardinal-Patriarch of Lisbon emphasized that “everything this event will offer to Portuguese society, believers, and non-believers alike, will be much more than any expense.” He highlighted that state assistance is essential for carrying out the event, and “civil society has seen WYD as something important for society and the country.”
Via Crucis
The Pope’s program highlights the significance of the Via Crucis with young people at “Colina do Encontro” (Eduardo VII Park), scheduled for Friday, August 4. The event will address topics such as the climate and migration crises. The texts and gestures of young people during the Via Crucis are designed to embrace the sufferings of humanity, including the war in Eastern Europe and other regions.
Visit to Fatima
Pope Francis has expressed his desire to visit Fatima during WYD, where he will present to the Virgin Mary all that concerns him, including the issues in Europe and a prayer for an end to the war in Ukraine. Around 500 young people from Ukraine will participate in the events, and it is hoped that there will also be a group from Russia.
Prayer for conversion in Russia and Putin?
A journalist asked the Portuguese Cardinal if the Pope will pray for the conversion of Russia and its president, Vladimir Putin, during his visit to the Marian Sanctuary of Fatima on Saturday, August 5. Cardinal Clemente responded that in Fatima, Pope Francis will take into account all the problems of humanity that are in the heart of the Church. He assured that he does not know precisely what the Pope will say in Fatima, but he will certainly pray for all that afflicts the world. The Pope is expected to pray the Rosary with sick young people in the main chapel of the Marian Sanctuary.
“No intention to convert young people to Christ?” On July 6, Mons. Américo Aguiar, the main organizer of WYD Lisbon 2023, stated in an interview that they do not seek to convert young people to any religion.
“He said that when young people of other religions come to Lisbon, we do not have the pretension to convert them to Christ, but certainly everything at WYD reminds us of Christ, among us,” responded Cardinal Clemente. Therefore, “those who come will hear calls to walk with us on this path of reconciliation and peace.”
He also clarified Mons. Américo Aguiar’s expressions, stating that “Pope John Paul II had similar words addressed to young Muslims in Casablanca,” Morocco, on August 19, 1985. He cited Pope Benedict XVI’s speech to the Roman Curia in December 2012, in which he speaks of the importance of “dialogue with religions,” and Pope Francis’s text on “Human Fraternity.”
Controversy over the colonialist monument
Regarding the controversy surrounding the Monument to the Discoveries in Lisbon, the Cardinal assured that the work will not be on the Pontiff’s itinerary. The monument, which the Lisbon municipality covered to avoid offending the sensibilities of Catholic faithful, has been criticized for being considered “nationalistic” and “colonialist.”
The Vatican even withdrew the postal stamp of WYD 2023 featuring that artwork due to the received criticism.
This article was originally published on ACI Prensa.
