Admit faith is weak, New York archbishop tells young people in Madrid

Archbishop Timothy Dolan, catechist:

At San Ricardo Church, northwest of the city center, cheers and cries of welcome greeted New York Archbishop Timothy M. Dolan as a group of approximately 350 young people -- mainly from Australia, the United States and Barbados -- caught a first glimpse of their teacher for the day. A clear lover of people, Archbishop Dolan posed for every photo-op, embraced many familiar -- and unfamiliar -- people, and ended up at the front of the church with an Australian baby propped in his arms.

The best way to maintain a strong faith, he said, is to acknowledge that it is weak.

"When we admit our faith is weak, when we admit our faith is shaky, when we admit that our faith isn't what it should be, actually we're exercising it, and we're making it more and more firm," he said. "Something tells me that's why we're (at World Youth Day)," he said. "Our faith is weak, our faith is shaky. We want to be with a million other young people from around the world who love their faith and are trying to make it strong."

[. . .]

Faith should be fostered through the sacraments, and struggles and tough times in life should be used to strengthen faith, not hurt it, he said. And, he stressed, Catholics need to remember that faith is not a doctrine, creed or even a church.

"Our faith is in a person, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ," he said. "He and he alone is the root, the origin and the goal of our faith."

Good message, and quite a thrill for those lucky pilgrims!

Photo: CNS/Paul Haring; Archbishop Timothy Dolan with WYD pilgrims