One question arose over and over again in Cologne, Germany: How would Pope Benedict XVI relate to a million young people who have only known one Pope in their lives - Pope John Paul II?
John Paul II had presided over the first nineteen World Youth Days, held all around the world, and had become a rallying point for Catholic youth everywhere. He was welcomed and greeted with great enthusiasm because young people felt deeply that he loved them and that he cared for them. While seeming to be a grandfather figure to them, he was also acclaimed as a great celebrity. They perceived him to be a mix of a sports star and a rock star - but at a far deeper level. In a word, they loved him and their lives connected with his.
World Youth Day XX in Cologne was the opportunity for the Church's German Pope to apply his talents in connecting with young people. How did he do? I would say he carried off his new role splendidly. Even more, our Catholic youth made the transition from their folk hero Pope to our new Pope quite well.
It was fascinating to hear young people explain their own feelings towards the new Pope. Those who had been to previous World Youth Days said clearly that while they loved and appreciated John Paul II, it was the Pope and his role as our Chief Shepherd that attracted them the most. They were clearly ready to shift their enthusiastic response to Pope Benedict. While at previous World Youth Days the youth chanted "John Paul II, we love you!" this time it was a new chant for a new Pope: "Benedetto, we love you!" Our new Pope had entered the hearts of our youth, and they are departing Cologne with a new enthusiasm for a new Successor to Peter.
The gathering of one million Catholic youth for the closing Mass last Sunday was a dramatic and positive sign to the entire world: the Catholic Church has the ability to bring together so many young people for prayer, learning, and faith sharing. No rock concert, no celebrity, and no political leader could do what the Pope did - call together and connect with a million enthusiastic youth. And do it in Europe which many had presumed was lost to Christianity.
How could this be? While young people are torn between the attractions of a secular world, they also realize that none of these has any staying power. You can only play so many electronic games, listen to so much music, and try to keep up with your peers' lifestyle for so long. Eventually, none of it satisfies.
But Jesus Christ, the Gospel values, and Christian witness are deep and lasting. And when presented with the opportunity to take a new and more narrow road, young people are willing to respond to the challenge. Their idealism and their longing for love and acceptance are only realized fully in God. Once they experience that, you can't take it away from them.
Our Catholic youth are returning to countries all over the world this week with a new awareness of Jesus in their lives, the conviction that God truly loves them, and a wonderful zeal to share this good news with others - especially their peers. They will be our best evangelizers when they get home.
For everyone, the centrality of the Eucharist was so evident. Throughout their pilgrimages to Cologne the youth shared in the celebration of Mass each day - their lives nourished through this remarkable participation in the great gift of Jesus to us in the sacrifice of the Mass. Each of the three Catechetical Days concluded with a special Mass with a particular emphasis: the Holy Spirit, the Eucharist and the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation was made available to our youth every day, and they readily took advantage of those graces. Several commented to me that going to confession while on their pilgrimage was an additional grace through which God's love and mercy were poured out upon them.
I was very proud of the young people from Los Angeles, and their adult chaperones, who went on pilgrimage to Cologne. It was a time of great renewal and enthusiasm for each one of them, and although they come home exhausted from all of their incredible experiences, they also return with a deeper commitment to Christ, the Church, and their faith lives. All of us have been transformed by these days and these experiences.
Four of our Los Angeles young people assisted me in the two Catechetical Days for which we were responsible: Cynthia Enriquez and Andrew Lopez (from St. Joseph Parish in La Puente) gave their testimonies on the day devoted to the Eucharist; and Michelle Tarronas and Santiago Almaguer-Delgado (from St. Martha Parish in Valinda) were the presenters on the day focusing on being witnesses of faith and worship in the world. All four were terrific examples to so many English-speaking youth from many countries.
Our priests and Sisters, parents and youth ministers, and others who came on the journey were splendid examples to our youth and were there throughout the long journey to guide our youth to Christ. I was greatly impressed with the many sacrifices they made to help shape the lives of our young people.
It is my hope that in the fall we can gather in our Cathedral all of the youth from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles who journeyed to Cologne for a Mass of Thanksgiving. It would be a time to relive the graces of those grace-filled days, and to renew our resolve to reach out to all of our young people with a lively invitation to follow Jesus Christ more fully in their lives.
We can also begin the process as World Youth Day XXI in Sydney, Australia takes shape for early July, 2008.
Everyone in our Archdiocese should be very proud of the wonderful young men and women who made this journey, and should thank God for their return to us as renewed disciples of Jesus Christ! |