Twenty Young Christian Workers and Young Christian Students leaders, chaplains and seminarians were beatified alongside a group of Scouts and Catholic Action chaplains at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris, on Saturday. Source: Australian Cardijn Institute.
Papal legate Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich of Luxembourg presided over the ceremony and delivered the homily. Recalling the heroic sacrifices of the French martyrs, Cardinal Hollerich said “faith is never private; it must find expression in the concrete service of our sisters and brothers”.
“Let me make an appeal to the young people of France,” he continued. “You who call yourselves young Catholics, you are devoted to the adoration of Our Lord, and that is as it should be: may this love of Christ impel you to become missionary apostles.
“And all of you young people, perhaps not attending church, from France and Europe, you who no longer see meaning in your lives, you are searching for an identity that gives you purpose, look to Christ, Prince of Peace, Prince of love and not of hate, learn from him as your elder brothers, martyrs, beatified today, learn from him to commit yourselves to the good of your brothers and sisters! Your life can be so beautiful, and you will see this beauty in your life by following Christ.”
Australian Cardijn Institute secretary Stefan Gigacz noted that in addition to the 20 French martyrs, there were another one hundred Belgian martyrs of World War II, including lay co-founders, Fernand Tonnet and Paul Garcet, whose causes are yet to be launched.
He added that it was also the 50th anniversary of the death of Argentinian YCW leader José Serapio Palacio, the first lay chaplain to the International YCW, who was abducted and killed on December 13, 1975, by military forces during the Dirty War.
During the ceremony, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, himself a former YCW and YCS chaplain, read the apostolic letter on behalf of Pope Leo officially declaring them blessed.
Beatification of YCW, YCS and Scout martyrs at Notre Dame Cathedral, Paris (By Australian Cardijn Institute, ACI)
