World Youth Day 2002
John Michael Talbot - July 28, 2002

Brothers and Sisters,

Viola and I are sitting in the Toronto Airport after World Youth Day. It has been a great several days. As with most events of this size and magnitude on the professional level many things were difficult, but spiritually it is hard to imagine anything on this earth much better!

Our time included rehearsals, a concert, and singing "Holy Is His Name" at the Vigil Saturday night, where God worked beyond anyone's greatest expectations!

The thing that continually comes to mind is the power of the Peterine ministry. We have a frail pope. He stoops. His voice is still quite strong, but not like in earlier days. Yet his indomitable Spirit-filled strength and perseverance is most inspirational to all, Catholic and non Catholic, believer and non-believer alike. He is amazing!

But even beyond his obvious saintliness, the Pope has the ability to unite people in a way beyond his personal strengths and weaknesses. Who else on this earth could bring together 3-500,000 pilgrims from all around the globe, plus the one million including local Canadians? Even the great saints of our age, Billy Graham, the now deceased Mother Teresa, or the Dalai Lama, all renowned for great holiness, would have been unable to accomplish something of this magnitude. Here is the axiom I have come to realize through the years: the people are not the united people without the Peterine ministry. Nor would the Pope be listened to as a global spiritual leader without the people. He represents the faith of one billion Roman Catholics, and is informally recognized as the voice for modern Christianity by such as the Archbishop of Canterbury.

It was also heartwarming to see so many bishops, archbishops, and cardinals, having such great fun among themselves and the faithful of all ages and cultural origins. I was pleasantly shocked to discover that the leaders of our Church are avid listeners to my music.

The Catholic Association of Musicians was also greatly represented. CAM artists were among the leaders of the music ministries of WYD. Yes, I had the opportunity to sing during the Vigil, but many other CAM artists ministered throughout WYD for small and large audiences alike. Some were also participants and music leaders for the Vigil and the Masses.

So World Youth Day was a usual mix of very human limitations and mistakes, and the perfection of God's will, working despite, and even through these sometimes paradoxical situations. In the end I think that we all knew that we were participating in an historic event.

In Jesus
John Michael Talbot
General Minister and Founder
The Brothers and Sisters of Charity at Little Portion Hermitage