Cardinal Arinze: Young people can make a difference

In concluding the World Youth Day (WYD) in Krakow, Poland this Sunday, Pope Francis has further entrenched World Youth Day firmly as a fixture of the universal Church every three years.

WYD is an enduring legacy of Pope Saint John Paul II. It is especially significant that this year’s celebration took place in Pope Saint John Paul II’s Poland.

Reflecting on this legacy with Vatican Radio, Cardinal Francis Arinze, the Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Vatican took note of the added dimension to this year’s WYD in Krakow.

“There is another dimension to the World Youth Day this year because it is celebrated in Krakow. That is the place where St. Faustina was chosen by our Lord to be the Apostle of his Divine Mercy. The devotion to the Divine Mercy has since spread like wildfire, “Cardinal Arinze said.

According to Cardinal Arinze, Pope Saint John Paul II loved young people and young people knew this.

“Pope St. John Paul II instituted WYD in 1985. It was he who began this big event. It was his idea and it is clear he loved young people, and young people knew that very well. They wanted to follow him. They listened to him. They made great sacrifices to be with him. He too made great sacrifices to be with them,”Cardinal Arinze reminisced.

Cardinal Arinze would like young people to honour the memory of Pope Saint John Paul II by being bridge builders. He said he was aware that many people from Africa and other parts of the world would have loved to be in Poland this week but were not able to attend for various reasons. However, young people can still make a difference wherever they are, Cardinal Arinze says. He believes that young people must be at the forefront of promoting reconciliation and that young people should do everything possible to mend broken relations.

 (Paul Samasumo, Vatican Radio)

Email: [e-mail]