Pilgrimage to Canada: Youth, Faith, and the Pope Introduction On Tuesday, July 23, 2002, Pope John Toronto will not soon forget. Focus Paul II landed at Toronto’s Pearson Throughout this week of intense In July 2002, hun- Airport to begin his week-long visit to religious activity, involving the largest dreds of thousands of young Roman Canada as part of the Catholic Church’s single group of visitors Toronto has Catholics from 15th annual World Youth Day. Along ever hosted at one time, there was a around the world with the pontiff himself, hundreds of great deal of public and media discus- descended on thousands of young believers from all sion about its significance for the young Toronto to cel- over the world arrived in Toronto to pilgrims. At a time when the appeal of ebrate World participate in a week of spiritual re- organized religion is believed to be Youth Day with their spiritual newal and testimony to their faith. The waning among the young, the deep leader, Pope John events of World Youth Day began with spirituality and faith of the World Paul II. This News in a welcome mass led by Cardinal Youth Day pilgrims challenged this Review report Aloysius Ambrozic, Archbishop of notion. Considerable attention was examines the Toronto. Two days later, the Pope left given to the figure at the centre of the events and signifi- cance of this reli- his retreat at Strawberry Island, north of events, Pope John Paul II, the 82-year- gious encounter, Toronto, to receive a tumultuous wel- old leader of the world’s one billion the life and times come from his youthful followers at Catholics, a physically ailing but still of the Pope, and Exhibition Place in downtown Toronto. mentally vigorous religious figure. some of the critical On Friday, the centre of the city was Would this be the Pope’s last World challenges the Catholic Church taken over by thousands of pilgrims Youth Day, given the precarious state confronts in the who re-enacted the Way of the Cross, of his health? What would his passing new millennium. commemorating the suffering and mean to the church he had led since crucifixion of Jesus Christ. This solemn 1978 with so much energy, firmness procession attracted a huge number of and determination? bystanders, both pilgrims and local In addition to concerns about the residents alike. The next day, the Pope Pope’s condition, there were also larger met with a number of dignitaries, issues facing the Roman Catholic including Prime Minister Jean Chrétien, Church that the events of World Youth Ontario Premier Ernie Eves, and Day brought into focus. In the months Toronto Mayor Mel Lastman, before before the observances, the Church was leading an evening prayer service at reeling from a series of child-abuse Downsview Park, a former air force allegations involving priests and other base in the north of the city. religious figures in the United States Downsview was also the venue for and other countries. There were strong the crowning and final event of World demands that the Pope address this Youth Day, the Papal Mass on Sunday issue. Critics both within and outside that attracted a crowd estimated at over Catholicism continued to raise objec- 700 000 people. On Monday, July 29, tions to the Pope’s steadfast resistance as the Pope departed for Mexico and to any suggestions that women be Guatemala, Toronto’s first-ever World ordained as priests, or that the Church Youth Day observances came to an end. modify its positions on birth control or It was an occasion both the throngs of homosexuality. At World Youth Day young pilgrims and the residents of itself, “Challenge to the Church,” a CBC News in Review • September 2002 • Page 19 small but determined band of young Attendance at the event was less than Further Research Catholics critical of some of their Church officials had anticipated, and To add further perspective and Church’s stands, took the opportunity to the cost of organizing and staging detail to this raise some of these issues. World Youth Day left a deficit of some story, the use of Despite such concerns and criticisms, $30-million. However, it was clear that the following however, World Youth Day 2002 in to hundreds of thousands of eager Web site is recom- Toronto demonstrated to the city and young people who had participated in mended: the world the continuing appeal of the the week-long observances, spirituality www.vatican.va (the official Web aging pontiff to his devoted young follow- and religious faith were still matters of site of the Holy ers. When addressing the crowds, he profound significance. The charismatic See, the head- was frequently interrupted by spontane- figure of Pope John Paul II continued to quarters of the ous chants of “John Paul II, we love you!” serve as their focus and inspiration. Roman Catholic Church in Vatican City, Rome). To Consider 1. Why was World Youth Day such an important event for Toronto and Canada? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 2. What concerns about the future of the Roman Catholic Church were raised in the context of World Youth Day? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 3. What are some of the major criticisms of the Roman Catholic Church that both believers and others have raised? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ 4. What is your personal reaction to observing some of the events of World Youth Day? ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ ___________________________________________________________ CBC News in Review • September 2002 • Page 20 Pilgrimage to Canada: Youth, Faith, and the Pope Video Review 1. In your own words, what is World Youth Day? For a detailed understanding of __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ this story, watch __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ the video and record answers to 2. What did Rev. Thomas Rosica, the organizer of World Youth Day, say the questions on this and the next about the significance of the event? page. __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Whose idea was World Youth Day? ____________________________ Where was the first one held? _________________________________ 4. When and where was the biggest World Youth Day held? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 5. How many people attended this year’s World Youth Day in Toronto? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 6. What percentage of Canadian teens don’t identify with any religion but still believe in some kind of God? _______% 7. What percentage of Canadians belong to the a) Muslim faith ______% and b) Jewish faith _____%? 8. What percentage of young Canadians do not believe in God? ______% 9. How many attended the Papal Mass at Downsview Park? ___________ 10. What important statement did the Pope make at this Mass? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 11. Where is next year’s World Youth Day to be held? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 12. Why was World Youth Day sometimes compared to a rock concert? Do you think this is an accurate comparison? Why/why not? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 13. What you think was the most important aspect of World Youth Day? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ CBC News in Review • September 2002 • Page 21 Reacting to Viewpoints Watch the video and carefully note 1. Kylie Ferguson, orthodox Catholic the viewpoints of 2. Gwyneth Lonergan, progressive Catholic the young people 3. Mandy Piper, raised as a Baptist Ben Chin of the CBC interviewed 4. Syed Raza, Muslim about their atti- 5. Sarah Babar-Nenzer, Jewish tudes toward God and religion. 6. Reuben Schwarz, atheist 1. With whom of the above do you most agree? Why? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________