ROME, OCT. 29, 2010 (Zenit.org).- Some 80,000 youth and 10,000 teachers, all part of the Italian Catholic Action organization, will gather in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to meet with Benedict XVI.
«This great festive day is in the first place an immense ‘thank you’ to the Holy Father who yet again is receiving Catholic Action in St. Peter’s Square, expressing an indissoluble, true and solid bond,» said Franco Miano, national president of Italian Catholic Action, on presenting the meeting to the press this morning in Rome.
The director noted that there will be time for one child and one adolescent to ask the Holy Father a few questions. Catholic Action will also present to the Pontiff a «project of solidarity with abandoned children of Russia.»
Cardinal Angelo Bagnasco, president of the Italian Episcopal Conference, together with 50 bishops of Italian dioceses and 500 assistant priests of Catholic Action, will also be on hand in St. Peter’s for the meeting.
The youth, ages 4-18, will represent all the dioceses of Italy, and after the meeting with the Pope will participate in events throughout Rome. The younger group will gather in the Villa Borghese, and the adolescents will meet for organized activities in Piazza del Popolo.
While mainly for Italian youth, the gathering will also include participants from Catholic Action in Romania, Argentina, Burundi, the Holy Land and Spain.
