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Youth millions urged: talte Gospel to world ROME (CNS) -- Entrusting the Catholic Chwrh's youthful core to take the Gospel along the paths of the world in the 21st century, a self-described . 'rejuvenated" Pope John Paul ll told a human sea of World Youth Day participants last Sunday to face challenges to the faith with courage. More than 2 mithon people gathered at Tor Vergata, a university campus on Rome's periphery, for the 15-20 August event's climax - a Saturday 19 August evening vigil and a Sunday 20 August morning Mass. In earlier speeches to massive crowds of youth, Pope John Paul urged young people to not be afraid, let Christ reign in their lives and to serve Him with love to find true freedom. Jesus, as St Peter confessed, was the one who had "the words of eternal life" and satisfied the deepest aspirations of the human heart. When they returned home, they could find Him in the Eucharist in their parishes. ready to love youth in a unique and personal Al;y in their practical daily lives. The Pope prayed that their sharing in the • Eucharist would lead to a flourishing of vocations to the priesthood and religious life. He urged any youth listening who had heard Christ's inner call to these vocations "to give yourselves completely to Him in order to love Him 'with an undivided heart', do not be held back by doubts or fears. Say Pope John Paul 11 moves with a musical rhythm as he preskles over a World Youth Day ceremony at the Tor Vergata campus of the University of CNS Ple,,tars 'yes' with courage and without reserve. Rome on Saturday, 19 August trusthig Hhn who is faithful to His promis- streets of the Eternal City. In between. the es." heat-baked throngs cooled off in Rome's The two weekend events on an 800-acre fountains or under the spray of Vatican fire tract of university hillside marked the cul- hoses. mination of Holy Year 2000s biggest and World Youth Day organisers and city offilongest encounter. cials called Sunday's crowd - equivalent to Young people from 160 nations made two-thirds of the Italian capital's populagrimages through the Holy Door of St tion - Rome's largest in living memory, and titude of cheering youths and responded Peter's Basilica, confessed their sins in he the celebration was thought to be the secBy John 'Mavis tIJ to chants of "Long live the POper by joking ond-biggest papal event in history. dust of an ancient Roman racetrack, attendAt the 1995 World Youth Day gathering in ed religious talks by dozens of bishops, ancl ROME (CNS) - What is it about young about his age. marched in a Way of the Cross •.l!aITl "He's already lived 80 years, but young the Manila in the Philippines the closing Mass people that lights up Pope John Paul If? drew four million faithful. but actual World people always want him young - what's to Everybody notices it, from top Vatican Youth Day participants were estimated to be done?" he said. Then he sat back with represent only one-quarter of the congre- officials to reporters who have followed a broad smile and momentarily surrenthe pontiffs steady decline in energy over gation. with locals providing the bulk of the dered his speech to the ovations that roared the years. crowd. up like waves from the crowd. Even the 80-year-old Pope feels the Pope John Paul first convened young peoAt the Saturday vigil, he joyfully tapped ple in 1984 in a prototype of World Youth ference when young people are around. out the beat of African songs, wiped away Day and officially instituted the biannual "I'm leaving here rejuvenated," he global gathering in 1986. quipped at one point during World Youth tears after testimonies from young people who have suffered, and laughed at the pure In Rome, arm-waving, chanting youths Day festivities. exuberance of dancers from all over the from 157 countries stretched on Sunday at At age 80, the Pope these days shuffles the Tor Vergata as far as the eye could see, slowly and slurs his speech, his face often globe. their vivacity little by a 9 kilome- transformed into an expressionless mask He let his emotions show, a rare thing. • • ti; hv hike to the site in temperatures above by neurological Then he told his massive audience that he disease. 37 degrees Celcius. An effective ad-libber 20 years ago, his understands them, and so does Cluist. As Pope John Paul took a 45-minute spin "It is Jesus who stirs in you the desire to through the throng in the Popemobile, speeches today are read in a feeble monot- do something great with your lives, the will one or even skipped altogether and thousands lined the vehicle's path to cheer to follcrw an ideal, the refusal to allow yourtributed as texts. the 80-year-old pontiff. selves to be ground down by mediocrity," Yet when two million young people Those more energetic mn alongside, leaphe said in a voice that rang out to a sea of ing into the air to glimpse the man many showed up in Rome, it seemed like the young listeners on the edge of Rome. Pope of old had returned. had travelled across continents to see. Many people assume it's the big crowds The grin was back on his face. The verve Following a packed program of testimonies that brought tears to the Pope's eyes was back in his voice. And the gleam was that fire up Pope John Paul, a former actor who's always felt at home on the world and multi-ethnic music and dance that got back in his eye. stage. Or the cheers and applause that him tapping along on the arm of his chair, Not surprisingly, several signs in the he told the crowd to persevere in their faith- crowd proclaimed the Pope "a young per- young people generously give him. Or I; the fact that the church and the Pope ply fulness to Christ - a message he empha- son, one of us." can attract nearly two million people in a sised in his homilies at the vigil and Mass. At opening ceremonies on Tuesday, 15 of strength. World Youth Day pilgrims pray inside St Peter's Continued on Page 19; more stories August. the Solemnity of the Assumption Photo CNS Nancy Wiechec Basilica on 18 August 11 1 pictures - Pages 2. 9-13. of Mary into Heaven, he sat before a mulContinued on Page 19
Pope John Paul II at 80: 'a young person, one of us'