Month: February 2025

Challenges and opportunities to respond to the sustainability crisis

On 3rd February, the President of the Foundation, Avv. Daniele Bruno, gave a lecture as part of the High Level Course on Integral Ecology promoted by the Pontifical Gregorian University.

The Foundation was invited to present to the students the good practice of the International Congress on the Care of Creation, which, starting from the WYD in Rio de Janeiro in 2013, attempts to develop the themes related to integral ecology, declining them in different ways from WYD to WYD, always publishing a final Manifesto with which young people speak to the Church and other young people about what they dream for their future.

Promoting the value of the protection of Creation during WYD is a commitment that the Foundation has taken on and continues to carry out because ‘Pope Francis and all of us,’ said Bruno, ‘are well aware that many things need to change their course, but first of all it is humanity that needs to change. There is a lack of awareness of a common origin, of a mutual belonging and of a future shared by all. This basic awareness would allow the development of new beliefs, new attitudes and lifestyles. Thus emerges a great cultural, spiritual and educational challenge that will involve long processes of regeneration’.

In presenting to the students present the latest Manifesto published and delivered to the Holy Father Francis in Lisbon, Bruno recalled that ‘in the Manifesto, published by the Holy See Press Office in 5 languages, the young people of Lisbon committed themselves to renewing their personal ecological conversion and to making room for the Holy Spirit to illuminate their reflection and inspire the steps to be taken’.

The meeting was also held in dialogue with Prof. Gabriella Gambino, Undersecretary of the Dicastery forLaity, Family and Life, who was also invited to make the young students reflect on the concept of integral ecology.

The course, in Italian, is promoted by the Faculty of Social Sciences together with the Laudato Si’ Observatory and the Dusmet Foundation. It is divided into ten modules, each divided into two three-hour parts, which take place – for the year 2025 – from 30 January to 16 May, and are led by experts and personalities from the Catholic and non-Catholic worlds, at the forefront of sustainability.

 

SPEECH [IT]

SLIDES PRESENTATION [IT]

New Board of Directors appointed for the John Paul II Youth Foundation: Daniele Bruno reconfirmed as President for the next five years

 

Cardinal Kevin Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, today appointed the new Board of Directors for the John Paul II Youth Foundation.

Attorney Daniele Bruno has been reconfirmed as President and Mr. Paul Metzlaff (Germany) has been appointed as Vice-President.

The Prefect also appointed the new Board of Directors, which consists of 9 members, 5 of whom have been reconfirmed and 4 are new appointees.

 

The reconfirmed members are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Ms. Paola Canu – Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

Mr. Gleison De Paula Souza – Secretary of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

Ms. Pamela Fabiano – Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

Rev. Fr. Franco Galdino – ex-officio, Coordinator of the Youth Area of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life

Mr. Marco Russo – Italy

 

The newly appointed members are as follows (in alphabetical order):

Mr. Victor Chang – Panama

Rev. Fr. Matteo Choi Kwang-Hee – South Korea

Ms. Carmo Diniz – Portugal

Mr. Vinicius Kattah – Brazil/Austria

 

The Statutes of the John Paolo II Youth Foundation stipulate that the Board of Directors consists of a President, a Vice-President, and at least seven members, who serve for five years.

President Daniele Bruno expressed his gratitude to Cardinal Farrell “for renewing his trust and entrusting me with this service in favour of youth and supporting the Youth Office of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, as well as the prophetic vision of Saint John Paul II, namely, the World Youth Days.” Bruno continued: “Choosing such a diverse composition, both geographically and professionally, of the Board members, is an expression of the universality of the Church and the need for it to walk together, in a synodal way, gathering the diverse voices from the realities of local Churches, hoping that together we can demonstrate that Christ is alive, and ‘He is our hope, and in a wonderful way he brings youth to our world’ (Christus Vivit, 1).”

Cardinal Kevin Farrell wishes all the new Foundation members “to walk this path with a spirit of service towards a renewed evangelical momentum that will lead all young people to the next World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027.”

The Prefect of the Dicastery also expressed heartfelt thanks to the outgoing members for their competent and fruitful contributions: Rev. Fr. Joao Chagas, Mr. Renato Cursi, Mr. Luigi Marchitelli, Ms. Maddalena Pievaioli, and Ms. Eugenie Tcheugoue.

In the coming weeks, members of the Board of Auditors will be appointed.

The first meeting of the new Board is scheduled to take place shortly at the offices of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.

 

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The John Paul II Youth Foundation for Youth, working in close relationship with the Youth Office of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, seeks to bear witness to the Lord’s love for all, reaching out to all young people in the world – none excluded – because they are in the heart of God and, therefore, in the heart of the Church.

It was established as a public legal entity on 29 June 1991, as the “Youth Church Hope Foundation.”

The Foundation aims to promote the evangelization of youth and support youth pastoral care in its various forms. The mission of the John Paul II Youth Foundation is expressed in the spirit particularly highlighted in the Final Document of the 15th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops and in the Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit by Pope Francis.

For more information:

www.fondazionegiovani.va