John Paul II - champion of youth

Roamer, writing on World Youth Days (The Sunday Times, April 6), was off track by a year. In fact, early in 1983 Pope John Paul II started appealing to youngsters all over the world to attend the Youth Jubilee scheduled for them in Rome from April 11-15, 1984.

"Young people strive to join your efforts to those of all people of good will, in order to achieve fully the well-being of humanity in truth, in freedom, in justice and in love." Thus wrote the hero of youth, John Paul II, to his followers; and they heard him and travelled to Rome in their thousands.

In Rome, Catechism meetings on the values I have quoted were held by, among others, Blessed Mother Teresa of Calcutta and Br Roger of Taizé. "Who is Jesus to me!" she asked. "Jesus is the word to be spoken. Now and for life, I am the spouse of my crucified spouse," she replied. And Br Roger: "Rejoice my soul, full of grace." This is just one phrase from their striking meditations.

Then on the last day of the Jubilee, the word spread that a repeat event was planned for March 29-31, 1985, the following year's Palm Sunday. The United Nations designated 1985 International Youth Year, so it would have been ushered by another International Youth Day.

Pope John Paul II wrote a magnificent apostolic letter to youngsters on the occasion of International Youth Year. Since then, as 'Roamer' wrote, World Youth Days were held biennially, the first in Argentina in 1987 and the next will be held on July 20 in Sydney, Australia. Since 1986, every other year, World Youth Days are celebrated in the respective dioceses on Palm Sunday.

I was fortunate enough to attend, along with a group of Maltese and Gozitan youths, both the 1984 Youth Jubilee and the International Youth Day 1985.

Following the beloved Pope's death, the young people gathered on St Peter's Square in Rome shouted: Santo subito (Make him a saint soon), and he is truly a saint! Santo subito he will be, this champion of youth!