UK Youth give testimony of Pontiff's impact on their generation
(Feb. 20, 2013) On each of the 40 days of Lent, 40 young people in the United Kingdom
will share their testimony of how Pope Benedict XVI has impacted their faith and their
lives. The project began on Ash Wednesday, just two days after the Holy Father
historically announced his forthcoming resignation from the papacy. The initiative
is being driven by Generation Benedict: an online resource for young people who have
found formation and enrichment in their faith under the pontificate of Pope Benedict.
On their Web site, the authors cite the Holy Father's visit to the UK, as well as
his presence during the World Youth Days of his pontificate, saying this has made
him an important figure for this generation of young people. In response to the
Holy Father's resignation, the Web site authors state: "Pope Benedict will be truly
missed by our generation. Those who have met him, look upon him fondly as a gentle
grandfatherly figure, as he has pointed us towards Christ, at a point in time, when
many of us were at a crossroads, by telling us not to settle for second best, but
to strive for sainthood."