Brooklyn Bishop encourages young people at IEC2012 to make time for reflection

Young people need to make time for reflection, Frank Caggiano, Bishop of Brooklyn, New York, told a gathering at the IEC2012 Chiara Luce Youth Space on Saturday.

Bishop Caggiano said: As young people, I wish to give you a special task today. Your generation is the first to live comfortably in the virtual, electronic world. I ask you to be present in this virtual world as witnesses of the Lord Jesus. For it seems to me that many people, especially young people, are searching in the electronic world for a word of hope in their troubles, a word of consolation in their fears, a word of welcome in their loneliness. He continued: "My brothers and sisters, you are the new heralds of the Word of God in the electronic world and missionaries of Christ. And I have every confidence that like the great missionary saints who lived before us, you can and will bring many people to faith!"

Reflecting on the hectic pace of our lives, he said: "Prayer is made easier if you and I can quiet our minds and sit in silence each day. Coming from New York City, the city that never sleeps, silence is not easy for me either. Given the hectic pace of our lives and our ability to communicate electronically every minute of every day, silence can even be frightening. But God needs a place where he can talk to us in our hearts. And in order to listen, we need to learn how to be still, to sit in silence and to wait with patience."

Morning Prayer was led by Archbishop Piero Marini, Pontifical Committee for the International Eucharistic Congresses, The Vatican. The daily catechesis was delivered by Archbishop Antonio Tagle, Archbishop of Manila, Philippines, and this was followed by a personal testimony from Prof John Monaghan, Vice President, Society of St Vincent de Paul, Ireland.

In his Celebration of The Eucharist, Cardinal Robert Sarah, also reflected on theme of Communion through the Word of Mary: "Today in this Eucharist, on the Feast of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, Jesus knocks at the door of our heart. In us, He wishes to take up His abode and, through our body, enter human history. When we welcome Him, He gives birth to divinity within the crib of our hearts. What answer will our heart give to His divine proposal?"

The musical performers during the final day of the Congress programme in the main RDS arena included: Tommy Fleming, Corpus Christi Texas Cathedral Choir, Killaloe and Limerick Diocesan Choir, Roscrea Parish Choir, Fr Columba McCann, Irish tenor Dominic McGorian and singer Danielle Rose.