A gift to young pilgrims: the Sacrament of Reconciliation as a way to conversion.
The Circus Maximus in Rome will be hosting one of the greatest catechetical initiatives of the Holy Year next Friday, August 1, during the Youth Jubilee, with the distribution of 10,000 free copies of a special edition of the YOUCAT Confession book. This initiative, organized by Pontifical Charity Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), in cooperation with the YOUCAT Foundation and the Dicastery for Evangelization, is aimed at bringing thousands of young people closer to the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which it presents as a path of renewal and of hope.
© Aid to the Church in Need
This commemorative edition of the book, which will be available in Italian, English, French, and German, has been especially prepared for young people who will be participating in the Jubilee’s Penitential Day. “Jesus is waiting for you with open arms,” Archbishop Rino Fisichella, pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, tells the young readers in the book’s foreword.
The archbishop highlights the importance of the sacrament as an opportunity for young people to meet with God. “Every time you receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, you are saying: ‘I want to start afresh, and I trust in you!’, and God responds to you with His infinite love and mercy.”
Archbishop Fisichella therefore encourages these young people to bear witness during and after the days of the jubilee: “Fill the streets of Rome with life, joy, and hope! And when you return home, bring—as pilgrims of hope—the testimony of God’s peace and forgiveness to today’s world.”
Renewing faith through confession
YOUCAT Confession was originally published in 2014. The new edition, made especially for the Youth Jubilee, has been revised and enriched with new testimonies and resources. The book is around 100 pages long and offers a current and in-depth perspective on the Sacrament of Reconciliation, including an innovative examination of conscience, simple explanations, and useful prayers. It also includes an exclusive interview with Cardinal Angelo De Donatis, the Church’s Major Penitentiary, about the transformative power of confession as a turning point in life, and the testimony of German journalist and theologian Rudolf Gehrig, who shares personal insight on the subject.
ACN: a global commitment to youth and faith
This initiative has been made possible through the support of ACN International, a charity that is present in over 140 countries, with a special focus on persecuted Christians, vocations, and catechetical projects. “I cordially thank ACN for its generosity and the important contribution it will be making to this jubilee,” writes Archbishop Fisichella.
Through this gesture, ACN and the YOUCAT Foundation want to offer young people the opportunity to discover and experience the beauty of the Catholic Faith, especially through the Sacrament of Reconciliation, during this key period of the Holy Year.
