That World Youth Day (WYD) 2023 includes references to Agenda 2030 on its website has been a scandal for many of us. The WYD is an important event for Catholic youth around the globe. It is “a worldwide encounter with the Pope celebrated about every three years in a different country.” But its website now speaks of the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) referring to “sustainability” as “our reference” and the “mission to build a WYD Lisbon 2023 taking into account the SDGs embraced around the world”.
I cannot deny that at first I was so indignant that I thought the best thing to do was not to attend, although I realized that we cannot remain silent and that they should know that they had made a mistake.
Then I understood that not attending, or rather, telling my children not to attend, was to deprive them of an experience as necessary as it is valuable, that WYD goes beyond what a handful of people define on the web and that the Holy Spirit will blow in the wind for those who will be there.
Even so, I cannot help but say that these references, and in these terms, are a serious error that demonstrate either malice that has slipped through some loophole, or ignorance, which is perhaps worse.
What originally appeared on the website has been modified in response to complaints, but changes are being made without daring to remove everything; they simply recognize the error and that’s it. They do not dare to be brave and confront the Agenda and explain why openly, or as I said above, perhaps it is that there is a broad sector that effectively embraces that agenda or ignores what it actually implies.
They have removed the logos and put something along the lines of “as interpreted in the Catholic Church”. In my opinion these are patches that do not solve anything and generate more confusion among people. Because in the end, there are many who end up wondering whether Agenda 2030 is bad or not, whether the Church is in favor or against it, or whether anything goes, or whether everyone takes what they want.
And I believe that this is the greatest success of Agenda 2030 and its promoters: it generates chaos, disorientation, confusion, confrontation and doubts. Let’s stop these half-measures.