AMERICA/MEXICO -
Monterrey (Agenzia Fides) - Once again this year Mexico's 'Witness and Hope Movement' has organised the national pilgrimage to Mount Christ the King in Silao, Guanajuato on Sunday 26 January. Some 50,000 young people are expected to take part to pray for life, the family and peace, "relevant issues in Mexico today", we read in the Movement's invitation addressed to young Catholics.
According to the organization "in Mexico today there is a situation of threats to our Christian and human identity: abortion, attacks on the family, struggle for power, violence of drug trafficking and delinquency. Once again our Pilgrimage aims to awaken in young Catholics a desire to bear witness to their Christian identity in every area of life, and be leaven for a better society".
The theme of the Pilgrimage is drawn from Pope Benedict XVI 's message for World Youth Day this year: "You will receive the power of the Holy Spirit and you will be my witnesses".
The Pilgrimage will include a special Mass presided by Archbishop José Guadalupe Martín Rábago of Leon, with the participation of the Bishop of Irapuato, Bishop José de Jesús Martínez Zepeda. During the Mass, to be broadcast in world vision by María Visión Channel, the young participants will renew commitment to work for a better society being 'witnesses of Christ'
"Our Witness and Hope Movement - says national president Sergio Alberto Pérez Lucio - has organized this pilgrimage for the last 24 years. Every year thousands of young people gather around Christ to look at life from God's point of view, sharing their experience of being captured by love for Christ. We make this pilgrimage to Mount Christ the King, the geographical heart of our country, mute witness to many battles, including that of young Mexicans who gave their lives 30 years ago. Battles which generated great martyrs who lived and died for Christ the King. Today these martyrs call us to live for Him and if necessary to die for Him as witnesses. We also wish to ask for their intercession that we may learn to life our friendship with Jesus with joy, and meet the needs which Mexico today rightly asks of us as young Catholics ".
(RG) (Agenzia Fides 25/1/2008; righe 29, parole 387)
