CHICAGO (IL)
WLS Radio
January 22, 2019
World Youth Day in Panama is supposed to be about young people, from all over the globe, celebrating their Catholic faith with the Pope. But this year, it’s happening during arguably the greatest crisis of Pope Francis’ pontificate and of the modern-day Catholic Church.
The gathering is taking place January 22-27 in Panama City, with the Pope arriving on the 23rd. Panama is 88% Catholic, according to the Vatican, and despite the shadow of controversy, this is a coming home of sorts for Pope Francis, the first Latin American pontiff. His 10 speeches will be in his native Spanish, which typically means he might improvise instead of sticking to prepared texts.
According to the Vatican, about 150,000 youth have enrolled so far, a much lower turnout than World Youth Days in 2013 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and in 2016 in Krakow, Poland, which attracted about 3 million each.
The Pope is expected, as he often does, to weave politics into his speeches, particularly issues such as migration, corruption, violence and the role of women, said a Vatican spokesperson.
Will the Pope meet with clergy abuse survivors?
Two clergy abuse survivors from nearby Costa Rica are hoping to meet with Pope Francis in the sidelines of World Youth Day. As is customary, the Vatican has not announced if the pontiff will meet with survivors; but advised reporters the Pope might address the topic.
Survivors Michael Rodriguez and Anthony Venegas, both from Costa Rica, say the Latin American culture of “machismo” justifies the actions of the abusers and revictimizes the victims, making it very difficult for survivors to break their silence.
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