Cardinal Lustiger R.I.P.

Jean-Marie Cardinal Lustiger, Archbishop of Paris, passed away. Here is the NYT sory of his death: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/06/world/europe/06lustiger.html?ex=1344052800&en=d8655853202e1988&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss Here's information about his life: http://www.888webtoday.com/lustiger.html

Following the tremendous success of World Youth Day 1997 in Paris, Cardinal Lustiger was interviewed by Communio (24,4. Winter 97). (Thanks for this goes to the following: http://eagleandelephant.blogspot.com/)

Here are some highlights: The secret of Word Youth Day in Paris is not that we looked for something we thought would attract the youth, but only the truth, the purity, and the beauty of the Good News of Christ.It was evident to the young people that the pope did not welcome them in his own name, but in the name of Christ, by exercising his apostolic ministry as Peter's successor.

What brought together these hundreds of thousands of teenagers, what they lived, was the mystery of Salvation, the freedom brought by Christ the Savior. Through the liturgy, Christ himself touched their hearts. Remember the words of Irenaeus: "Omnem novitatem attulit, afferens semetipsum" [In becoming present himself, he brought all novelty]. Something new occurs every time Christ becomes present in the midst of his people.

People objected that the liturgy would not respond to young people's need to celebrate, and that we would risk meeting with failure--if we did not pervert the liturgy altogether. However, the event itself proved that nothing could have been further from the truth.

The liturgy is the place par excellence where the Church communicates the word of God and his presence in the sacraments; it is the means by which Christ reveals himself to men--today as always. Teaching the faith must go straight to the core: the Paschal mystery of Christ in its ecclesial dimension.

Gregory: Now isn't this what I've always said?