Scottish Catholic Observer

Bishop Joseph Toal of Argyll and the Isles has used his message for the New Year to remind Catholic Faithful to reach out to the youth of the Church with ‘faith and courage’ and of the importance of the Sacraments and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

In a message released ahead of the feast of the Epiphany, Bishop Toal, president of the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland’s Liturgy Commission, said that we are ‘encouraged to imitate’ the Wise Men ‘by our own acts of homage before the Lord, and our willingness to present to Him our own gifts, especially that of our worship and service of Him as members of His Body, the Church.’

Before speaking of his hopes for the New Year, Bishop Toal noted that he ‘found an echo of the Epiphany’ in Pope Benedict XVI’s message to young Catholics at last year’s World Youth Day celebrations in Madrid.

“He identified the young people of the Church, pointing the way ahead for the New Evangelisation,” Bishop Toal said.

The Argyll and the Isles bishop also drew attention to the Holy Father’s words on adoration, in his address to the Roman Curia for Christmas 2011. “In bringing to your attention what Pope Benedict sees as a particularly important aspect of our Faith, which young people are drawn to and want to experience more deeply, we have to work in our diocese, in our parishes, schools and church groups, to win the hearts of our young people for Christ,” the bishop said.

“We need the young as active and joyful participants in the life of the Church, and we have to reach out to them with faith and courage. We can draw some inspiration from special events and great gatherings, because we see there that the young take the lead in showing their love for their Faith and how good they feel about being part of the Catholic Church. They like what the Church offers—its apostolic tradition and worldwide membership, its beautiful Liturgy and deep prayer-life, its commitment to Christ and the living of the Gospel values and moral norms, its hope of eternal life and its firm trust in the Lord in the uncertainties and troubles of this world.”

The bishop also spoke of the importance of the Sacraments, including Reconciliation and Holy Communion, and the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and cited the Holy Father as saying ‘adoration is primarily an act of faith.’

“Pope Benedict participated in similar acts of adoration offered by young people before Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament at the Prayer Vigil in Madrid, as at Hyde Park the previous year, and was moved by the silence of those present as they recognised the physical presence of the Risen Christ,” the bishop said.

In concluding his New Year message the bishop asked that Catholic Faithful ‘build on what we have at present and ask the Lord to be with our young people and all who lead them in the ways of Faith and Christian living.’

— Read the bishops message in full at http://www.sconews.co.uk/opinion/15401/15401/