Nearly 800,000 Gather with Pope for World Youth Day

By Linda Busetti
HERALD Staff Writer
(From the issue of 8/1/02)

TORONTO — Close to 800,000 youths, many literally wrapped in their 170 nations’ flags, came together to celebrate World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II in Toronto last week.

The young people’s affection for the pontiff was evident as they chanted, "JP II, we love you," at a Saturday evening vigil at Downsview Lands, an urban park north of the city.

The pope, who has become increasingly frail in recent years due to Parkinson’s disease and arthritis, was visibly energized by the young pilgrims at a papal welcoming ceremony Thursday and throughout WYD activities.

"You are young and the pope is old — 82. It’s not the same as 22 or 23," Pope John Paul told the massive congregation at an outdoor Mass on Sunday at Downsview Lands. They responded by chanting, "The pope is young. The pope is young."

Brian Park, a teen from St. Paul Chung Parish in Fairfax, experienced the pontiff’s warmth firsthand. Park carried a Korean flag to the welcoming ceremony on Thursday at Exhibition Place, where pilgrims met during the week for catechesis with bishops, archbishops and cardinals. When an event staffer determined that Park was Korean, he invited the young man, along with about 30 other pilgrims, to share the stage with Pope John Paul.

"It was utterly amazing," Park said. "You could feel his presence. It had a calming effect on stage."

Park borrowed a cell phone from another pilgrim on stage to alert his mother at home to turn on the television.

"It was better than winning the lottery," Park said. "I felt very blessed."

As the audience cheered, the pope exchanged smiles and waves with the young people on stage, Park said.

Park was one of about 190 youths from the Arlington Diocese who traveled by bus to World Youth Day under the supervision of Kevin Bohli, director of the diocesan Office of Youth Ministry.

They were joined in Toronto on Friday afternoon by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde. The bishop sat under a shade tree with about 25 youths, who shared their WYD experiences with him.

Each pilgrim had been given a red backpack, which quickly collected autographs of new friends from around the world. The diocesan youths asked the bishop to add his signature to this memento.

Standing in the shade, Manuel Escalera, who works with the youth of St. William of York Parish in Stafford, could hardly contain his joy. "There are no words to describe seeing the pope," he said. "Christ is alive. He is the only Person who could bring all these people together. I am so grateful to be here."

Escalera said he would have been content to have seen the pontiff on one of the large television screens placed around Exhibition Place, but "God wants us to dream big," he said. The pope passed within 15 feet of Escalera, who later called his mother and sister to share his joy.

Bishop Loverde spoke to diocesan youths and several hundred others in a domed hall that was used as an adoration chapel during WYD. The bishop prayed with pilgrims and asked them to be mindful of God’s call to vocations, whether to the priesthood, religious life, marriage, or single state.

As pilgrims left Exhibition Place Friday evening, they made their way to University Avenue in downtown Toronto for a re-enactment of the Way of the Cross.

Pilgrims from India and Pakistan, in native dress, joined together for photos, a sign that peace begins on a small scale. Teens from Canton, Ohio, wearing purple St. Anthony and All Saints Parishes T-shirts, had no lack of energy as they walked the route.

WYD pilgrims and the curious packed streets along the Way of the Cross route for several hours as Robert Légère, as Jesus, carried a wooden cross to each "station." By the time 40 actors reached the scene of the crucifixion, torches lit their way.

Around 9 a.m. on Saturday pilgrims began one of four 8-km walking routes from downtown Toronto to Downsview Lands. The one-time airfield turned park would be the site of the papal vigil that night as well as a papal Mass on Sunday.

French-Canadian pilgrims arrived by subway at Eglinton West station to begin their walk. They sang, "Alle…Alleluia," as they left subway cars, causing the conductor to smile as they passed.

As the July sun rose overhead, pilgrims carried full backpacks and sleeping bags along Allen Road, which was closed to vehicular traffic, on the way to Downsview.

One young girl, carrying Newfoundland’s flag, never passed up an opportunity to say hello to anyone along the way. Brazilian pilgrims sang the rosary as they walked. No one complained, but rather encouraged each other. One young man waited along the side of the road as his friend with a bandaged foot rested.

After the long walk to Downsview Lands, pilgrims searched out their assigned spots in outlying fields spread within sight of a stage, the site of the papal vigil and Mass. A 165-foot cross, to be illuminated at night, towered over the stage.

Young people laid out their sleeping bags in their "home" for the next two days. They took cardboard boxes, meant as trash receptacles, and turned them into little huts to provide shade and privacy. About 100 Swiss youths with red T-shirts bearing the WYD motto, " Ihr seid das Salz der Erde. Ihr seid das Licht der Welt." (Matt. 5: 13-14) (You are the salt of the Earth. You are the light of the world.) settled into an area about the size of a very large classroom.

Colorful flags of a multitude of nations flapped in the summer breeze over the spreading global village.

As evening finally came, singers and speakers readied the crowd for the pope’s arrival. The gathered youths were told, "We have become a sign — that we are not the Church of the future, but the Church of today."

Cheers greeted Pope John Paul’s helicopter as it came into view. Pilgrims stretched their hands in waves of welcome, even if they could not see the pontiff.

Pope John Paul greeted the young people in French, Polish, Spanish, Italian and English before telling them, "I invite you to be the voice of the young people of the whole world, to express their joys, their disappointments, their hopes … Look to Jesus."

Reminding theme of WYD’s theme, he said, "Prayer will be the salt that gives flavor to your life."

"Dear young people, in 1985 I wanted to start the World Youth Day, a powerful way for the world’s youth to meet Christ, who is eternally young." In speaking of a hostile and violent world since last Sept. 11, the pope reminded pilgrims, "You know the answer … you say it with your presence here this evening … Christ alone is the cornerstone … Christ is the faithful friend who never lets us down …."

His words were greeted with chants of, "John Paul II, we love you."

Pilgrims lit candles, becoming the light of their immediate world, as they recited the Magnificat.

The pope wished the young pilgrims a good night’s rest until Mass the next morning.

The young pilgrims settled into sleeping bags to rest after an exciting day.

At 6 a.m. Sunday, as they awoke to meet the day, thunder was heard in the distance and then a deluge of rain. But nothing could spoil the day. Pilgrims tramping through mud to reach breakfast and washrooms sang joyfully and patiently waited out delays to get back to their camp sites. Some were rewarded with closer views of the pope as he drove by in his "popemobile."

It was in his Sunday morning homily that the Holy Father addressed the recent priest scandals in the American Church. "If you love Jesus, love the Church!" he exhorted them. "Do not be discouraged by the sins and failings of some of Her members. The harm done by some priests and religious to the young and vulnerable fills us all with a deep sense of sadness and shame. But think of the vast majority of dedicated and generous priests and religious whose only wish is to serve and do good!"

With the pope’s homily, the sun finally broke through.

This was one among many messages of hope and joy thousands of young people will carry home with them. Soon they will prepare to meet again. It was announced that the next World Youth Day will take place in Cologne, Germany, in 2005. 

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