Editorial
Christ the Redeemer welcomes you to Rio!
The joy of watching Brazil beat their South American archrivals, Uruguay, in the semi finals of the Confederations Cup has given me the oomph to sit down past midnight and pen this editorial. And I got no doubt that by the time you will be reading this, Brazil will be the champions of the Confederations Cup three times in a row! Contests between these two countries have always been tense and dramatic, with Brazilians still scarred by their defeat in the 1950 World Cup final in Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro in what Nelson Rodriguez, a Brazilian playwright, termed ‘Our Hiroshima’. Watching the Brazilian fans on TV brought back the fond memories of my stay in Brazil, their cheerful culture, their warmth, their charm, their love for soccer. This is the Brazil that the pilgrims will find when they travel down to Rio for the World Youth Day (WYD) this month. As soon as they set foot on Brazilian soil, they will feel the energy of the people, a population generally joyous, very musical, outpouring their feelings in an effusive way, a people who are always ready to help you. Rio, the wonderful city as it’s known, is a naturally beautiful city: the beaches, the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer, the Sugarloaf mountain, Maracanã Stadium, one of the world’s largest football stadiums. Then there is the warm, welcoming embrace of the Cariocasresidents of Rio. From the person who smiles at you in the supermarket checkout, to the person who comes to greet you in your pew in church as soon as they realize you are a visitor to the city. The pilgrims will have the sensation of a Church palpating with life, a Church in love with Christ and wanting to share this love with the millions of other young people from all corners of the world. Brazilians are generally a welcoming lot and are willing to help. According the official website of the event, close to 280,000 families have registered to host pilgrims in their houses duri ?? H]?[? ?\?H\??Y[? ?]\??[Y H??][] H?[\ZY?[? H?] H??[???[? ????8?'?[? H [?[H?\??? ?XZ?? Y?Y\?K H[??XY?H ] ?]?Z[ ?\? ]??\?] K8?'H ?^\??\?\??p??HX\?XK?H? H??[?^?\??? H]?[? ?X???[???\?\??p??K H?] H??[?\? ?XY H ? ?X?Z]?H H ?X?X[?Y\? ?]?\?][??\?[? X?H[???[??\?Y? ??[??K?H??[?^?\??]?H ][? X?HH ?^H[? ?X? [?[\? ?[?HX?H ? [?H[? Z\???[??XY?H??H ?Y[?[? ?^[??XY?\? ?]H ?[??H?X??]??\??[?Y]\??\??[? HXZ[?]?[? ?Z?H H?]X?\?\?[???X][?X??] H?] H[???^?[X[??[ \?K?] [??\??[? H?] H?? [?[\?\? ?[\? HXZ[?]?[? ? ?]?H??[??\?[? \?[???X][? ?[?H]?Z[X?H??[?[?H ?? [?\?[? ?] Z\? ?X\? ?\?? ?Y[?? ??H??\]Y[??Y\?H?]?[\???[?\?H??? H ???\???] ? ?\???] ?Y[? H ?X?H[? H ?Y? ?Y??X??\??H??[?^?[????[Z] YH\??\?\? [?[\??Z\? Y? ?X?\?] K?H ?X?\?] H ?????\?[ ?XY H?Y[??X]Y ?]?YH ?\???X?[]Y\??] ?Y[? H ?\?[?\? ?X?\?] H???\?HZ[]\?H?X?H[? H][?X?\[?X\? ?[ ?^H???H ? H [?[\?8?'H [?? ] \?H ?[???H[?H ?Y?] H\??Y\? ?]\??? H?H??? ??H[?] [?[??H\? ?H\?H ? Y Z[??]?\?][???? ? H ?X[\?]Z[ ? ?[? HZ[?]XYK8?'H\??\?\??[?\?[?Y[?X???X[?K??[X[?\?? H?[?\?Y\?YH
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