Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria Inaugurated the European Youth Conference in Austria

Pic – Gerges Mounir Hanna

Pic – Gerges Mounir Hanna

Gerges Mounir Hanna – OCP News Service 22/07/2022

Vienna – Austria: His Holiness Pope Tawadros II inaugurated the Twentieth European Youth Conference on 21 July 2022 at the monastery of St. Anthony in Austria. The theme of this year’s conference is “My Church is my mother.” His Eminence Bishop Gabriel of Austria gave a welcoming speech, followed by a documentary film on the occasion of the European Youth Conference reaching its twentieth year. Engineer Ibrahim Sammak, one of the founders of the conference, also spoke during the inaugural meeting.

The Pope’s opening speech came under the title “My Church is One Heart.” His Holiness pointed out that the fist of the five fingers of the hand means strength, and expresses the human heart through:

1- The heart is present within the human being through creation, and it is the center of life, “My son, give me your heart” (Proverbs 23:26).

2- The heart is distorted by many sins.

3- The heart is renewed by the sacred sacraments of the Church.

4- The heart lives in humility when it lives in repentance and purity.

5- The heart is endowed with love.

His Holiness pointed out that the last desire of Christ on earth is “that all may be one” (John 17:21), and he stressed the importance of images of the oneness of heart in our church through the verse “one body and one spirit, as the green (Eph 4:4):

One body, for the church to be organized, and we are all members of the one body of Christ.

– One spirit, the coming of the Holy Spirit in the secrets links us, “So it is a tree that is stagnant when the ware of my homes, which gives its fruit in its day, and it’s light.”

– One hope, we have one hope in the Second Coming, and in the Mass, we say: “You who sit, stand up, and look to the East..”

His Holiness also indicated that the oneness of the heart is achieved through:

– One Lord for all believers, which means submission to the person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

One faith, because the deposit of faith is the precious deposit that we receive from generation to generation.

One baptism by sharing in the death and resurrection of Christ.

His Holiness also discussed about the circumstances that disappear oneness disappear, which leads to division:

– Lack of love, “But I have for you: that you have forsaken your first love. So remember from whence you fell, and repent, and do” (Acts 2:5). Self-stubbornness, that a person sees himself as the best.

– Loss of purpose, we have no goal but the person of our Lord Jesus Christ, “For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” (Mark 8:36), “Notice yourself and your teaching, and keep doing it” (1 Timothy 4:16).

– Mistrust (conspiracy theory), “Love… considers no evil” (1 Corinthians 13:5)

His Holiness explained the signs of the one-hearted Church in the following signs:

– Feeling of the presence of Christ, “Because when two or three are gathered in my name, then I will be in their midst” (Matthew 18: 20), “Also, when I walked, I am in the hands of God.”

Feeling of joy, “Glory to God in the highest, and peace on earth to men of good will” (Luke 2:14).

The growth of love in our societies and churches, “that all your affairs may be in love” (1 Corinthians 16:14), “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8).

Many bishops, priests, and about 500 young people from European Diaspora are participating in the conference.

Source:
OCP News Service

CATEGORIES
Share This