From 26 to 29 of September, Pope Francis visited Belgium to mark the 600th anniversary of the Catholic University of Leuven. The university, founded in 1425 is the oldest in the Low Countries and until recently preserved the ICCS archives that are now stored in Rome.
Several Catholic youth movements in Belgium organised a youth festival called ‘Hope Happening’ and was attended by more than 5,600 young people. ICCS, together with Scouts and Guides Flanders, was also present at the festival with a market stand where young people were introduced to scouting and how Catholic scouting enriches lives and is a path to holiness. Other Belgian guide and scout movements were present and even some groups from Scouts et Guides de France and Polish scouts from ZHP living in Belgium.
Many young people experienced a beautiful day, with prayer, dance and celebration, making friends and showing how joyful it is to be a Christian. There was hope and joy in the air. Completely unexpected, Pope Francis himself came to the Hope Happening, despite his busy schedule. He encouraged the young people to spread the joy of the gospel to those in need. ‘The only moment you look down on someone is the moment you help them up,’ he said.
The festival continued with performances by Portland and Padre Guilherme. There was also a night-time adoration and confession. In the early morning, the young people went to the nearby stadium for Sunday mass. During this celebration, attended by 40,000 faithful, the Spanish Carmelite Ana de Jesús (1545-1621) was beatified. She was a companion of Saint Therese of Avila, helped her reform the order and founded several monasteries in present-day France and Belgium where she lived until her death.
Out of gratitude, Pope Francis received a big applause, it had already been 1995 that a pope visited Belgium. Then there was another surprise from Pope Francis when he declared in the presence of the Belgian royal family that he would start the process for the beatification of the former Belgian king and scout Baudouin.
As scouts, it is important to spread joy and hope to the people around us. We must not be afraid to say that the source of that joy is Jesus, our scout leader and brother who teaches us how to live and love out neigbors. Let us not forget the joy, through the fun of playing or singing a song when we are on the road. To serve our neighbors and thus become the visible hands and feet of our Lord.