Six thousand young people from around the world gathered during the 2013 World Youth Day at the Centro de Convencoes Sul America [South American Conventions Center] in Rio to meet with the prelate of Opus Dei, Bishop Javier Echevarría.
The number of young people who wished to attend the event – university and high school students, faithful of the Prelature and their friends – obliged the organizers that same morning to double the places available (the hall had a capacity for 3,500 people).
Very numerous among those attending were the Brazilians and Argentines (800), but also noteworthy were the representatives of Oceania as well as Europe, Africa and Asia.
In a colorful and family-like atmosphere, the prelate spent close to two hours chatting and answering questions posed by the young people.
The theme was the invitation to continue doing daily what Pope Francis requested the day of his election: to pray for him and for his intentions. In addition, the young people asked the prelate about the value of friendship, the importance of Confession, the sense of modesty and especially about when and how to discover their own vocation.
The question on the Sacrament of Reconciliation was asked by a 17-year-old girl who had arrived in Rio from Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, and who is the eldest of a family of nine children.
“Confession is like a medicine,» Bishop Echevarría said. «When you have a headache you take an aspirin so that it will go away, although you know it could come back in three days. Something similar happens with Confession: it’s always worthwhile to go to this Sacrament.»
