Pope Reflects on WYD

Pope Benedict XVI reflected on his recent four-day trip to Cologne, Germany for World Youth Day from Castel Gandolfo:

"It really was an extraordinary ecclesial experience at Cologne last week," Benedict told pilgrims and tourists at the papal summer palace. The pontiff said that the young participants left the city "animated by a great hope without, nonetheless, losing sight of the not few difficulties, the obstacles and the problems that in our time accompany the authentic search for Christ and faithful adhesion to his Gospel."

Read more: Pope exalts aftermath of World Youth Day

Pope Prepares for World Youth Day

On Thursday, Pope Benedict XVI will depart Rome for Cologne, Germany to join the World Youth Day festivities. The celebration will conclude on Sunday with a Mass at which the Pope will preside.

On August 16, the first day of the WYD festivities, Pope Benedict XVI conducted the first formal interview of his Pontificate with Vatican Radio. He said that he hopes World Youth Day will spark "a wave of new faith among young people, especially in the young people of Germany and Europe." According to Catholic World News:

Young people are always "full of problems, but also full of hope," the Pontiff observed. They want to learn about life for themselves, rather than have others "regurgitate it for them." He said that he wants to convey the vigor and beauty of Christian thought, so that they realize that "wisdom is not something stale."

Read more: Pope gives rare radio interview

Petition for Peace in Northern Uganda

Loyal Pope Blog readers, today's post is an invitation to take action to help the people of northern Uganda. Pope John Paul II himself spoke out against the evils of using children as soldiers:

"For more than 18 years, northern Uganda is troubled by an inhumane conflict which involves millions of persons, including children. Many of them, gripped by fear and deprived of any future, feel forced to become soldiers," John Paul said. He urged the international community and national political leaders to end the conflict and "offer real prospects of peace to the entire Ugandan nation."

Take action by signing the petition for peace in northern Uganda at the Uganda-CAN Web site.

Latin & Gregorian Chant to Make Comeback

Exciting news: details from the working version of "The Eucharist: source and summit of the life and mission of the church." From Yahoo! News:

[The paper] suggests, for example, that Latin be used during international liturgical gatherings so all priests involved can understand the proceedings, and it suggests that parishes consider using more Gregorian chants to prevent more "profane" types of music from being played.

It calls for priests not to be "showmen" who draw attention to themselves and says lay people can have an important but "minimal" presence in Masses. It says the tabernacle — which holds the bread and wine held by Catholics to be the body and blood of Christ — should have a prominent place in the church and not be shunted off to a corner.

Excellent! Read more: Vatican Criticizes Catholics on Communion

Uganda-CAN

I suppose that Boney owes loyal Pope Blog readers an explanation as to the low volume of posts lately. I can tell you it's mainly due to two things:

-His recent relocation to Cincinnati to work for Text Link Ads
-His time commitment to a movement called the Uganda Conflict Action Network

Uganda-CAN is a campaign of ordinary, outraged citizens working together to combat the unnecessary human suffering of the 19-year-old war in northern Uganda and contribute to healing and renewal in the Great Lakes Region of Africa. Boney's role: he's helping to develop the Web site and get it lots of traffic.

Friends, if you could, please check out the Uganda-CAN Web site, and if you approve of our mission, a link to our site from your blog would be much appreciated!

Pope: Sunday Mass a "Need and Joy" for Catholics

At today's Angelus, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the crowd in Vatican City by speaking to them about Sunday Mass. The Holy Father said that participation in Sunday Mass should not be seen by Catholics as an imposition or weight, "but as a need and joy." According to Zenit via Catholic Online:

Pope John Paul II had convoked the Year of the Eucharist "to reawaken ever more, in the consciences of believers, wonder toward this great Sacrament," said Benedict XVI, eliciting applause from his listeners several times.

"In this singular Eucharistic time, one of the recurring topics is Sunday, the Day of the Lord, a topic that was also at the center of the recent Italian Eucharistic Congress, held in Bari," he said.

Read more: Sunday Mass Should Be Seen as a Joy, Says Pope

Happy birthday, Pope Blog!