PRESENTATION OF THE WORLD YOUTH DAY 2016 LOGO

Vatican City, 3 July 2014 (VIS) – In a press conference held this morning the metropolitan archbishop of Krakow, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, presented the logo and official prayer for the 31st World Youth Day.

Three elements are combined in the symbolism of the logo: the place, the main protagonists , and the theme of the celebration. The logo of the 2016 World Youth Day, to be held in Krakow, illustrates the passage from the Gospel according to Matthew, 5.7: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy”, chosen as the theme of the event. The image is composed of a geographical outline of Poland, in which there is a Cross, symbol of Christ Who is the soul of World Youth Day. The yellow circle marks the position of Krakow on the map of Poland and is also a symbol of youth. The flame of Divine Mercy emerges from the Cross, and its colours recall the image “Jesus, I trust in you”. The colours used in the logo – blue, red and yellow – are the official colours of Krakow and its coat of arms.

The logo was designed by Monika Rybczynska, a young woman aged 28 from Ostrzeszow, a small town in the mid-west of Poland, following the canonisation of St. John Paul II.

The press conference also included the presentation of the official prayer of World Youth Day 2016, which entrusts humanity and the young to divine mercy, asks the Lord for the grace of a merciful heart, and asks the intercession of the Virgin Mary and St. John Paul II, patron of World Youth Day.

“God, merciful Father,

in your Son, Jesus Christ, you have revealed your love

and poured it out upon us in the Holy Spirit, the Comforter,

We entrust to you today the destiny of the world and of every man and woman”.

We entrust to you in a special way

young people of every language, people and nation:

guide and protect them as they walk the complex paths of the world today

and give them the grace to reap abundant fruits

from their experience of the Krakow World Youth Day.

Heavenly Father,

grant that we may bear witness to your mercy.

Teach us how to convey the faith to those in doubt,

hope to those who are discouraged,

love to those who feel indifferent,

forgiveness to those who have done wrong

and joy to those who are unhappy.

Allow the spark of merciful love

that you have enkindled within us

become a fire that can transform hearts

and renew the face of the earth.

Mary, Mother of Mercy, pray for us.

St. John Paul II, pray for us.

OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS

Vatican City, 3 July 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father has:

- appointed Rev. Julian Leow Beng Kim as archbishop of Kuala Lumpur (area 63,760, population 11,000,000, Catholics 180,000, priests 55, permanent deacons 1, religious 154), Malaysia. The bishop-elect was born in Seremban, Malaysia in 1964 and was ordained a priest in 2002. He holds a licentiate in ecclesiastical history from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served as vicar of the “Visitation” parish in Seremban and priest of the “Holy Family” parish in Kajang. He is currently dean of studies and formator at the major seminary of Penang.

- appointed Bishop Edgar Moreira da Cunha, S.D.V., auxiliary of the archdiocese of Newark, U.S.A., as bishop of Fall River (area 3,107, population 834,000, Catholics 315,00, priests 224, permanent deacons 81, religious 245), U.S.A. He succeeds Bishop George W. Coleman, whose resignation upon reaching the age limit was accepted by the Holy Father.

- appointed Rev. Fr. John Bonaventure Kwofie, C.S.Sp., as bishop of Sekondi-Takoradi (area 12,681, population 2,033,000, Catholics 408,651, priests 110, religious 70), Ghana. The bishop-elect was born in Powa, Ghana in 1958 and was ordained a priest in 1988. He holds a licentiate in sacred scripture from the Pontifical Biblical Institute, Rome, and has served as vicar of the “Sacred Heart” parish in Banjul, Gambia and has held a number of pastoral roles in the parishes of “St. John” in Bohyen Bamtama, “Holy Spirit” in the archdiocese of Kumasi, and “St. Catherine” and “St. Maurice” in the archdiocese of Accra. He has also served as vice president of the Conference of Major Superiors for Africa; provincial superior of the Congregation of West Africa; coordinator of the Continental Conference of Major Superiors for Africa, and first assistant of the Superior General of the Congregation.

- appointed Msgr. Jean-Paul Gusching as bishop of Verdun (area 6,211, population 197,100, Catholics 172,700, priests 55, permanent deacons 15, religious 44), France. The bishop-elect was born in Neuville Coppegueule, France in 1955 and was ordained a priest in 1983. He holds a bachelor's degree in theology from the seminary of Rheims and has served in a several pastoral roles, including: priest of the parish of Corbie, vicar of the Cathedral parish, priest at the Amiens city centre parish, priest in the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Peronne, moderator of the parishes of Saint-Joseph de Moilains-Combles and Notre Dame de Moyenpoint, Roisel. He is currently vicar general of the diocese and diocesan administrator of Amiens.

- appointed Msgr. Hector David Garcia Osorio as bishop of Yoro (area 7,781, population 575,000, Catholics 461,000, priests 28, religious 43), Honduras. The bishop-elect was born in Concepcion de Maria, Honduras in 1966 and was ordained a priest in 1997. He holds a licentiate in spiritual theology from the Pontifical Gregorian University, Rome, and has served in a number of pastoral roles in the diocese of Choluteca, including diocesan coordinator of delegates for the celebration of the Word of God, diocesan vicar for pastoral care, chancellor of the diocesan curia, vicar general of the diocese, and rector of the “Pablo VI” minor seminary; and then priest of the parish of “San Jeronimo” in Goascoran. He is currently vice rector of the “Nuestra Senora de Suyapa” major seminary in Tegucigalpa and adjunct secretary of the Episcopal Conference of Honduras.