Youth Story

At the tail end of the mass I attended on August 13, 2013, the priest called on two delegates of the World Youth Day to share briefly their experiences in Brazil.

The first speaker narrated her story about wanting to have a closer glimpse of Pope Francis in any of his appearances. It was during the first mass celebrated by the Pontiff that she and a companion crossed through more than 300,000 people to reach the security fence that separated the congregation from the stage. By 11:30 am they made it to the fourth row from the fence. 

With the mass scheduled at 6:00 pm, she wondered if she could survive more than 6 hours in the ocean of people. By 11:45 am, she felt dizzy and was on the verge of fainting. She raised her hands, asking for help. Security personnel on the other side of the fence noticed her, pulled her out and brought her to the backstage. She noticed that all the people there had official badges, while she had none. She stayed put, saying that if nobody would call her attention to leave, then it was God’s will for her to be there.

Hours passed until the Pope arrived and said Mass. There she was just a few meters away from the Holy Father, listening to his message for the youth and experiencing the holiness that radiated from his person. As she narrated this to us her voice broke, as she held her tears from falling. So did many of us listeners.

I am certain that her story was just one among the many inspiring ones from youth pilgrims from all over the world who came to see the People’s Pope during WYD 2013.   This young woman had taken action on the call of Pope Francis, who said, "Sharing the experience of faith, bearing witness to the faith, proclaiming the Gospel: this is a command that the Lord entrusts to the whole church and that includes you." She had become a Missionary without Borders, a term which the Pontiff used when he asked, "Where does Jesus send us? There are no borders, no limits: He sends us to everyone."

The young woman had heeded Pope Francis’ words: "As you return to your homes, do not be afraid to be generous with Christ, to bear witness to his Gospel. It can change the world.” That call is also meant for each one of us.