PRESS RELEASE FROM YOUNG CATHOLIC ADULTS
(NOW AFFILIATED TO THE
INTERNATIONAL
JUVENTUTEM FEDERATION)
For Immediate Release

25th May 2008

Traditional Young Catholic Adult Groups Obtain the Backing of the Vatican as they merge in wake of Pope Benedict’s Motu Proprio Summorum Pontificum

Benedict XVI wrote on 7th July 2007: “Immediately after the Second Vatican Council, it might have been imagined that the demand for the use of the 1962 Missal would have been limited to the older generation, which had grown up with it, but it has since become clear that young people were also discovering this liturgical form, feeling attracted to it and finding in it a type of contact with the Most Holy Eucharist which suited them particularly well” (Letter to the Bishops, accompanying the Motu Proprio “Summorum Pontificum“.

Since this groundbreaking document the various groups of younger Catholics attached to the Traditional form of Mass have merged. Young Catholic Adults is one such organisation. It was founded in February 2004 at Oxford in the UK it uses the extraordinary form of the Roman Rite and the traditional devotions of the Church. Juventutem, which was also founded in 2004, is an international lay movement, which also uses the Extraordinary form of Mass and the traditional practices of the Church as a means of bringing people to Christ .

The Support of the Vatican

In January 2008 the International Juventutem Federation obtained the backing of no other than Cardinal Castrillion Hoyos a close friend and confidant of Pope Benedict himself. In a frank letter he wrote:-

`You are young Catholics, loyal to the hierarchy of the Church and attracted by the “forma extraordinaria” of the Roman liturgy, in particular by the Missal of the Blessed John XXIII. I encourage you in your aim, that is to say your sanctification through the Roman traditions of the Church…..The presence of your little groups in Asia, Europe, Africa, the Americas and Oceania demonstrates the universal attraction of the most ancient forms of the Roman liturgy, whose particular transcendence serves to connect the most diverse cultures. From this liturgy, you will receive special help in coming better to know and love Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Church….I therefore wish to renew my encouragement of your progress in Christian piety and friendship via the Roman traditions of the Church. May you continue to obtain ever deeper sanctification, which will make you warm witnesses of the love of Christ in communion with His Church.’

As from 2008 Young Catholic Adults (or YCA) affiliated itself to the international Juventutem Federation (Fœderatio Internationalis Juventutem); which in effect means that for the first time Juventutem has a local presence in the UK. Conversely it means that Young Catholic Adults were able to send a delegate to the first International Gathering in Berne (Switzerland) in February 2008.

A Range of Events all over the World

YCA and Juventutem are organising a range of events this Spring and Summer. At Pentecost this year there will be a Juventutem group marching with the British Chapter of the Chartres Pilgrimage. This event is the largest of its kind in the world, which attracts anything upto 6,000-10,000 people from all over the world – almost all of them young Catholics. In June Juventutem will be sending a delegation to the International Eucharistic Congress in Canada. As members of the “Summorum Pontificum generation”, Juventutem members will travel to Québec and take part in Eucharistic events (liturgical and doctrinal) as encouraged by Pope Benedict XVI:

Young Catholic Adult Retreat at Douai Abbey in Berkshire - England 4th-6th July

During the weekend of the 4th- 6th July 2008 Young Catholic Adults will be running a Traditional Retreat at Douai Abbey, the retreat will be led by Br. Christopher Greener who will give a series of talks on St. Benedict. Among a number of activities there will be a Marian procession on Saturday 5th July and a Traditional Latin Mass celebrated by Monsignor Conlon who is Chaplain to the Latin Mass Society of England and Wales and to the Oratory School in Reading. For more details please see http://www.youngcatholicadults.co.uk/

Young Catholic Adult Events Open to the Public

Both the Marian procession (which commences from outside the main Abbey Church at 2.30pm) and the Traditional Mass Celebrated at 11am at St. Mary’s Church (adjacent to the main Abbey Church) will be open to everyone. This will be only the second public Traditional Mass celebrated at Douai since 1970.

The most surprising aspect is that three of four years ago there were no organisations for youths/young adults using the Traditional Mass of the Catholic Church – in fact, the growth of these groups has surprised many. There are now international events, highly successful online discussion forums, prayernetworks and websites, pilgrimages and retreats, local groups and national meetings. In short it proves that the gates of hell shall never prevail against the Church and that even when almost all younger Catholics have lapsed and forgotten about Our Lord and His Church, small but convinced communities have appeared, proving that the Church is forever young and that God is still present in the lives of the younger people. As Psalm 42 says, Deum Qui lætificat juventutem meam’ or in English, it is God who gives joy to my youth.

Please forward this message on and kindly translate it whenever needed.

For further information, please contact Damian Barker Co-ordinator for Young Catholic Adults on 07908 105787.

Email: damianbarker@hotmail.com