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Live From...
In Canada, Youths Await Pope
Aired July 25, 2002 - 14:43 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KYRA PHILLIPS, CNN ANCHOR: In Canada, tens of thousands of youth are waiting their first encounter with Pope John Paul II. After arriving on Tuesday, the pope has been resting on an island near Toronto.
CNN's Frank Buckley is among those gathered to witness the pope at this massive youth festival -- Frank.
FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Kyra, we are expecting the ceremony, the welcoming ceremony, the official welcoming ceremony for the pope here at exhibition place in about an hour. Let me give you a sense, if you just look right back here, at the numbers of people we are talking about. Already tens of thousands of people here looking towards the main stage. The pope isn't here yet. But they are having concerts. It's all part of the World Youth Day festivities.
If we take you over to the main gate, Prince's Gate, you can see the people are streaming in from all every the world, 169 nations represented among the youth who are coming here to see the pope.
We can tell you that yesterday Pope John Paul II enjoyed his vacation, pretty much down day for him. He took a boat ride on Lake Simcoe. That is where he is staying, on Strawberry Island. He met with some disabled youths who came -- and staff members who came -- on paddle boats to come see the pope. They asked for his blessing. He gave it to them, and he also gave them some rosaries. We're told that he enjoyed that very much.
Joining me now, some of the young people who are here for Youth Day. And representing different nations, we have Juan from Mexico, Vivian (ph) from Jamaica, and Luke from Boston.
Let me ask you guys first here. Juan, tell me how it's been so far.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has been expensive.
BUCKLEY: How has it been?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Great. It's a great experience. You meet a lot of people, you get introduced to, like, Jamaican people in the United States, Africa, everywhere. It is just great.
BUCKLEY: Vivian (ph), has this renewed your faith? What has it been like for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: It has been an upliftment to my faith as a Jamaican. It's very beautiful here, enjoying myself, learning more about Catholic faith and everything. It has been great.
BUCKLEY: And Luke, we with talking, and your archbishop, Bernard Cardinal Law, has come under fire in that priest abuse scandal. That's really dominated the news as far as the Catholic church has been concerned the past year. Tell me what has done for your faith in that context.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I certainly think my own faith, I feel calling to be a good Christian, to be a good Catholic as a result of the whole scandal. I mean it is a black mark on our faith, as it would for any profession. I think for some reason it is hyped up a little bit more because they are priests. I think what they have is inexcusable; however, I think somebody has to set good example, and I think that's what this is all about, the youth coming together to say, Hey, we are Catholic, and just kind of celebrating the faith and...
BUCKLEY: And you were telling me all of you have met the -- or not met the pope, but you've all seen the pope at other events. What can all of these young people expect when the pope comes through on the "popemobile."
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Well, I think the pope will be a very happy person to see so many young people here in one community, from Africa, Nepal, Alaska, Jamaica, USA, Mexico, all over the world. He will be happy to see us here.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of happiness.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: A lot of happiness. The time that I saw the pope, the first time, I cried, I was happy, I just felt a great uplifting feeling for all that were there. And I think every youth is going to experience that uplifting of the holy spirit that comes into us and that we all share the same faith and that we are altogether standing beside everyone who has problems with their country. And we are all together. We stand together, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes!
BUCKLEY: All right, well, thank you all very much. And thanks for spending time with us.
Kyra, I can't really hear you anymore, but I'm going to send it back to you.
PHILLIPS: All right, Frank, thank you so much.
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