"Have no fear of moving into the unknown. Simply step out fearlessly knowing that I am with you, therefore no harm can befall you; all is very, very well." -Pope John Paul II

Media Credit: Photo courtesy of Christina Huff BC students were amongst a group of young adults that took part in The Prince of Liechtenstein Catholic Leaders Fellowship in May 2005 where they met Pope John Paul II in Rome.

As Pope John Paul II lay in his apartment above St. Peter's Square, his breathing stilted by an irreversible cardio-circulatory collapse, he offered a final message for the faithful gathered in his honor.

"You have come to me and for this I thank you," the 84-year-old said to aides assembled in his apartment.

The message was directed at the tens of thousands of people in St. Peter's Square, but it had world-wide resonance.

Christina Huff, LSOE '06, had seen the pope speak two years prior and was deeply moved by the statement. "People complain about hierarchy of the church and the way it's on a power trip, but he was so genuine and so humble," she said. "He did so much to be among faithful people; to be among our generation."

The 26-year papacy was marked by extensive traveling, as John Paul II went farther than any other pope in the 2,000 year history of the Catholic Church. His trademark trips were not only to world leaders, but also to the ghettos, prisons, and hospitals where millions suffered.



Meeting the Pontiff

Students experienced his power through World Youth Day events, a week of masses, speakers, concerts and vigils usually held in alternating years. Thus far, there have been 19 such gatherings, nicknamed "Popestock" for their immense popularity, especially among young people.

The most recent World Youth Day was held in Toronto and was attended by numerous students, including Daniel Grejdus, A&S '07. He described the scene, which culminated with a mass given by the pope, as a "spiritual high."

"I didn't see any hostility at any time, with so many people you would think someone would get agitated," he said. "To my left were people from the Philippines, and they gave me their native food. To my right were people from Australia, behind us were Italians, and as we walked around we saw Polish people dancing in circles and waving Polish flags; that was quite exciting."

The conditions were not ideal, said Grejdus, as two hours before the Sunday mass rain began to fall on the gathered faithful. As John Paul II entered, however, the rain dissipated and yielded to a bright sun, an occurrence that Grejdus found to be "remarkable."

"When you should have been feeling weak, all of the people there, or at least I, felt stronger than ever with my faith and spiritual life," he said. "That overcame any hunger for food. My hunger to see the pope and to be spiritual overcame any physical weakness."

Despite having to sleep on the floor of a Toronto high school and having little access to food or facilities, Grejdus said that the event permanently reshaped his faith. He was overcome by the pope's words.

"Although I have lived through much darkness, under harsh totalitarian regimes, I have seen enough evidence to be unshakably convinced that no difficulty, no fear is so great that it can completely suffocate the hope that springs eternal in the hearts of the young. You are our hope, the young are our hope," said John Paul II on July 28, 2002 at the Toronto World Youth Day.

Other students in attendance also experienced a personal connection. "[World Youth Day] was so massive, but he drove around and it seemed like he was able to see everybody," said James Puzo, A&S '08. "You could definitely tell he cared to come out and see the young people who gathered there."



Passing's Effects on Youths

After the Gasson bells tolled and the news had spread of the pope's death, students expressed both sadness and relief that he is no longer suffering.

"At first I felt disbelief, overwhelming sadness, and the feelings of being abandoned," said Danielle Huntley, A&S '06. "Those were quickly replaced with hope and thanksgiving that the Holy Father is no longer here on earth and now can directly watch over us in heaven."

Andrew Meszaros, A&S '07, saw it as a unique time for the young Catholics who have yet to experience a papal transition. He added that the next pope will have to live up to the powerful and charismatic legacy of John Paul II.

"He taught people so many things. He taught me how to love and how to suffer, and how to cope with what's going on in the world as a Catholic," said Maszros. "That was something very new and something very special."

Puzo said because of the pope's condition, he was not saddened by the passing. "It was almost a feeling of relief," he said. "He was so in pain that all he seemed to be doing was suffering. He was blessed to able to lead as long as he did and leave relatively peacefully."

Grejdus, who shares Polish ancestry with John Paul II, had a more emotional reaction. Because both of his natural grandfathers had passed before his birth, and his very religious family, he compared his death to that of a family member.

"I view him a grandfather figure to me. I've listened to his words and read quite a bit of what he's had to say," said Grejdus. "I feel a spiritual connection to him now."



Legacy to Young People

While historians debate whether John Paul II will be remembered for his role in opposing communism or the conservative path on which he took the church, young people have already recognized his role in engaging them in the church.

"At this point, it [the lasting memory of his papacy] seems to be his affect on communism," said Puzo. "He was also the first cool pope; the first to reach out to young people in trying to bridge as many gaps as possible."

Grejdus said that his experiences in the World Youth Days, which he attended with his two sisters, has shaped their lives as much as his.

Anne Grejdus, 23, is now on a missionary trip in Belize teaching English in a Catholic high school. Paula Grejdus, 26, teaches in Catholic High School in Arlington, Mass. Their decisions to teach, he said, were largely influenced by their collective experiences at the World Youth Day.

Huntley and Huff saw the pope speak while on a Catholic fellowship in Rome two years ago, and both were stunned by his charisma.

"Generally I am pretty skeptical when it comes to presences of people, but personally when he drove by it was a wave of pure divine energy," said Huntley. "You knew you were in presence of living saint, and that joy and strength is still inspiring."

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