FIRE: it illuminates, purifies, transforms.
JESUS CHRIST: Light of the world
HIS SPIRIT: the "Fire of God"
Walking toward the light
This is the time: of preparation, of departure, of the journey to Rome, leading to the eucharistic gathering around the Holy Father, Sunday afternoon, October 26, 1975.
Who will take part in this pilgrimage?
Not only those who travel to Rome, but also those who remain at home. We must help them "participate" in the full life of this pilgrimage.
Departure requires preparation
- Plan the journey: use an "itinerary map"
- Look toward the journey's end: where is it? What will we see? Whom will we meet?
- Consider what passages we will cross during the journey (even if we travel through the night)
- Gather provisions for the journey: "knapsack, travel provisions, parchment" on which will be written testimonies, intentions, prayers
- Establish "signs of identity": emblems, banners, group standards and messages of friendship for those we encounter
Those who "remain" must know that the pilgrims are their delegates, united with them in spirit.
"Walking" in the footsteps of those who came before us (the sense of God's people through time):
- apostolic succession down to Paul VI and our bishops
- the place and meaning of the saints
- the final, universal gathering when the "Great Eternal Day" will dawn
Going forward (with effort, with weariness)
Despite dust and storms (the sense of sin)
"Turned toward Rome", the center of the Church, or toward the successor of Peter.
"In a spirit of Penance". Penitential celebration, both before departure and in Rome, on Sunday morning the 26th.
"Until the Great Gathering"
- for the welcome in Saint Peter's Square
- for the Eucharistic Celebration around the Holy Father in the Basilica of Saint Peter, centered on "Jesus Christ Light of the World"
Living in the light
The two days that follow should be lived in an atmosphere of joy and celebration.
- See: learn to truly see:
- immersed in the Light,
- we look, we discover: the Church of Rome. Rome and the vestiges of different civilizations of the past: the Catacombs, witnesses to faith, Rome as it is today. Looking toward all four points of the horizon.
- "Love": recognize those we meet as brothers and sisters—in hotels, on the streets, everywhere.
- Understand them
- Love them as brothers
This awakens in us a joy that bursts forth in celebration, especially on Monday afternoon.
Radiating the light
"Before we depart"
- Vigil of Light at Saint Peter's Square:
- God's Word, source of Faith and Love, hand on the Gospel and chain of friendship
- Love, which is Light (from the main candle, the flame passes to the others)
- Fraternal meal before departure:
- Eucharist at Saint Paul Outside the Walls, where the Gospel of the sending forth of the seventy-two disciples will be read
- shared homily
- The sending:
- image-remembrance from the Holy Father
- message from the bishops of the countries represented at the pilgrimage
- Final farewell on the basilica's square.
"The Return"
- "Try to place your own home better within the universal picture":
- sense of the relative
- importance of "my stone" in building the Universal Church: across time, across space
"Meeting with those who stayed at home"
- Plan:
- the moment of gathering together
- the sharing of memories, images, souvenirs
- a celebration-feast where some of the elements used in the Roman celebrations will be found again
What will we do to spread around us the Light of the PILGRIMAGE?
Spirit of pilgrimage according to a schema by D. JULIEN
NOTE: To prepare ourselves to live the pilgrimage in this spirit, it would be good to meet together several times, beginning in September.
IN ROME, meetings will be held:
at VILLA PATRIZI: Saturday, September 6 and 20
at SAN GIOACCHINO: Sunday, September 21 and 28 and the Sundays of October
at SANTA SILVIA: Sunday, September 21 and Sunday, October 5
NOTE: The articles in this issue have been written so that they can be read and discussed with the young people themselves, to help them participate as fully as possible in this encounter.
Rome, July 1975