Controversy has enflamed WYD preparations as conservative Catholics get the wrong end of the evangelisation story.
Regardless of his impending cardinal appointment, Bishop Robert Barron has made it clear to Américo Aguiar that he intends to evangelise during his visit to Lisbon.
Aguiar, a youthful 49-year-old auxiliary bishop of the Patriarchate of Lisbon, is the primary coordinator of World Youth Day 2023 (WYD) and was recently appointed as a cardinal by Pope Francis.
Aguiar stirred up a debate when he allegedly stated that the WYD with the pope is not about converting people to Christ.
He made the comment while discussing Pope Francis’ encyclical ‘Fratelli tutti’ on Portuguese television.
Aguiar stated that the WYD is not meant to “forcefully convert young people to Christ, to the Catholic Church or to anything else.”
Regrettably, his interview snippets were disseminated on news websites and social media platforms.
Often taken out of context, these fragments have incited confusion and disapproval among Catholics who feel their leader abandoned them in their evangelisation mission.
The controversy surrounding the bishop’s remarks was ignited primarily by the headline of an article published by the Catholic News Agency (CNA), a service of EWTN.
In response to the criticism, the news agency altered the headline.
Controversy unfortunately enflamed
The comment, when viewed in isolation, sparked controversy among many WYD participants including Barron who, in a recent column, wrote:
“When any Catholic institution, ministry or outreach forgets its evangelical purpose, it has lost its soul.”
Barron concluded his column in a somewhat ‘stroppy’ tone, writing:
“I’m scheduled to give five presentations at World Youth Day in Lisbon, and I want to assure Bishop Aguiar that each one is intended to evangelise.”
Regrettably, Barron took the CNA report at face value and seems to have overreacted.
The Pillar, a Catholic media agency, also strongly criticised Aguiar’s misquoted remarks, with author Filipe D’Avillz branding him a “raging heretic.”
WYD is not Catholic World Youth Day
Aguiar confirmed that World Youth Day is not exclusively for Catholics.
“Popes have never invited only young Catholics; they have always invited youth from all over the world,” he said.
He emphasised the importance of the youth who come to Lisbon to meet other young people from different parts of the world, different backgrounds, different faiths and understanding that this diversity is a richness.
He concluded the interview by expressing his hope that the pilgrims would appreciate the mutual contribution of differences:
“‘I think differently, I feel differently, I organise my life differently, but we are brothers and sisters and we will build the future together.’ This is the main message of this encounter with the living Christ that the pope wants to give to young people” he said.
A chaplain in charge of World Youth Day in a diocese in France affirmed that “WYD is a source of conversions.”
“The invitation is sent to all young people, it’s not WCYD (World Catholic Youth Day)” the priest continued.
Yes, the Pope’s Catholic
Cardinal-designate Aguiar has met Francis several times in the run-up to World Youth Day and quotes extensively from the pope’s work.
“The world will be objectively a better place if we are able to put the certainty of Fratelli tutti in the hearts of all young people,” Aguiar told RTP during the July 6 interview.
The encyclical, published in 2020, is dedicated to fraternity and social friendship.
In terms of substance, the cardinal designate’s comments are not at odds with the Jesuit pope’s teachings. During his visit to small Christian communities in Morocco in March 2019, Francis warned against any temptation to “proselytise” to swell the ranks.
“The paths of mission are not those of proselytism, which leads always to a dead end,” the pope said.
“The Church grows not through proselytism, but through attraction and through witness.”
Before Aguiar became a priest he was a politician, a fact he has never hidden and is proud of.
Aguiar is still known in Portugal for his political acumen. He has used it to some effect as he manages preparations for the upcoming World Youth Day in Lisbon — the largest public event in Portuguese history.
When asked by The Pillar if he is flattered or offended when people say that he is like a politician in a cassock: “That all depends on the tone with which they say it,” Aguiar replied.
Sources
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