2) Another point to be considered regarding World Youth Day of 2011 has to do with the event itself. It stands to reason that its organizers must have taken into account one serious danger that could completely distort the entire event.

            The danger we are referring to arises from the possibility –unfortunately too real—that the event would become a drug and sex festival. Not to mention that it could be a good opportunity for the Protestant communions, along with various sects, to launch an intense campaign of proselytism.

            Therefore, one must consider the possibility that the religious nature of the event could vanish, which is not an unfounded or farfetched alarmism. Elements which can contribute to this sense of alarm are, for example, the mass profanation of the Eucharist and a number of activities which, in the end, lead to a shameless mockery of the Holy Mass and of Catholicism in general.

            Neither is it an exaggeration to think that probably many young people, perhaps too many, may confuse the event with days of tourism during which, in addition to drugs and sex, they can take part in their favorite entertainment: raucous rock concerts and other amusing activities, all of which are hard to reconcile with the objectives set forth as slogans of the Day.

            It is quite possible that someone might think that this precautionary diagnosis is pessimistic, exaggerated, or even false. To them I would respond that here I am not elaborating hypotheses or lucubrations based on false alarms, but simply stating consummated facts: it is what has happened in all these sorts of Days and Gatherings. Therefore, if things happened this way in all the previous events of this kind, it would not seem outlandish to think that we are running the risk that the same sort of unsuitable activity would occur again now.

            This becomes clearer when we see that everything pertaining to this event revolves around a complex and enormous planning apparatus in which the organizational aspect seems to be the first and only concern: a complicated allocation of the days and schedules of the various events to take place on those days; the coordination of diverse lodging arrangements; the publishing of different quotas to be paid according to public and social commitments and to countries of origin; the scheduling of places and of the religious acts to take place in them according to importance, etc, etc. One cannot dismiss the impression that the organizational aspect prevails over the spiritual concern.

            In light of this, it would not be fair to reproach those who feel a sense of doubt or skepticism about the whole project as it is expressed in the slogans highlighting the objectives of the Gathering. Do these objectives really have the slightest chance of being achieved? Can we really expect that this Gathering –considering the circumstances and the results obtained so far in the ones celebrated before—will increase Christian life among the youth? Given that the planning and preparations for this event are a mere repetition of the ones used in the past, there are those who think that all seems to indicate that the foreseeable results cannot but be the same.

            It would be fair to point out, however, that the organizers of previous events of this kind took great care in preparing a catechism for youth given by Bishops in diverse centers or churches. It is safe to suppose that they will repeat the procedure.

            Undoubtedly, their intention is good. The problem here, however, is that oral catechism does not appear to be the strong point of the Spanish Bishops –especially when it is addressed to the youth, for it requires a fine tuning and an exceptionally careful preparation if it wants to obtain any fruits. We must realize that this issue goes beyond Youth Pastoral activity and must be applied to preaching in general; which is one of the most serious problems –however much it tries to escape notice—that the Church of today must face.

(To be continued)