August 13: A New Evangelization

Welcome to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Today is August 13th, and our story is A New Evangelization. It won't work. No one will come. America's young people don't care about religion. In the months leading up to the 1993 World Youth Day, skeptics about the event's success abounded.

No sooner did the Vatican announce that Denver would host the first World Youth Day in North America than did people in the media, the city of Denver, and even the church begin voicing their doubts. Most everyone expected the event to be a failure, attracting 20,000 young people at best.

But Pope John Paul II had personally made the call. After much prayer and discernment, he concluded that the Holy Spirit wanted to do something great in Denver, both for the church in America and for the world. The throngs of young people who greeted him on August 11th, when he entered Mile High Stadium, proved him right. And as those crowds continued to swell, topping 500,000 by the closing Mass on August 15th, it became clear to everyone watching that something monumental was unfolding in Denver.

In the middle of the festivities, on August 13th, 1993, hundreds of thousands of young people listened to the Holy Father's words as they prayed the Way of the Cross. He said, young people, you are a special part of Christ's inheritance, the people won by the love of the Redeemer. Take courage in the face of life's difficulties and injustices. Commit yourselves to the struggle for justice, solidarity, and peace in the world. Offer your youthful energies and your talents to building a civilization of Christian love.

Be witnesses of God's love for the innocent and the weak, for the poor and the oppressed. They obeyed. Hundreds, if not thousands, of religious vocations began that week. Countless other young people went on to pursue studies in theology and philosophy, become catechists, youth ministers, and missionaries, start faithful Catholic families, and found apostolates committed to spreading the gospel. The week that experts said would be a disaster proved to be the week that the new evangelization in America officially began.

World Youth Day is an example of the power of presence and encouragement. Invite a young person to discuss faith, service, or vocation. Share inspiration and encourage meaningful action in their life today. Thank you for listening to the American Catholic Daily Reader podcast. Join us tomorrow, August 14th, for another story of faith and courage in America.