Cologne, Germany – American Student Group Attending World Youth Day Sees Correlation Between Article And 1993 World Youth Day, Hopes Similar Changes Will Come Out Of Pope Benedict’s First World Youth Day
As American Catholic young people await the arrival of Pope Benedict XVI to his first World Youth Day, they are encouraged by news from back home. In an August 2005 article entitled “The Mysterious Disappearance of Young Pro-Choice Women,” Glamour magazine documented a significant rise in the number of American women who identify themselves as pro-life. A student group at World Youth Day points to the research as proof that the work of the American student pro-life movement is changing hearts and minds on life issues.
This group is Crossroads, an organization that coordinates cross-country pro-life walks from California to Washington, D.C. each summer. Katie McFadyen, an 18-year-old walker from Mississippi, said, “This article proves that, one at a time, hearts will change, until finally the Culture of Life prevails. If a mainstream publication like Glamour is reporting this change, it’s a significant trend. The global pro-life movement should be reassured and take heart.”
Crossroads was inspired by World Youth Day 1993, and the group is anticipating a similar impact from this year’s World Youth Day in Cologne. “John Paul II came to America in 1993 and shook the spiritual foundation of the United States with his challenge to defend life. The Glamour article shows that in the last ten years, America heard the Pope and responded,” said McFadyen.
Speaking to her counterparts from Germany and the rest of the world, Miss McFadyen added, “This week, Benedict XVI and millions of young people will be praying at World Youth Day, so do not lose hope. You, too, will see your efforts bear fruit if you continue to pray, sacrifice and work to promote a Culture of Life around the world.”
In 1993, Pope John Paul II challenged young people to build societies that respect life. In 1995, Franciscan University of Steubenville students responded and organized their first cross-country walk from San Francisco to Washington, DC, offering prayer and sacrifices for their country along the way. Now, twelve years after John Paul II’s visit and ten years after that first Crossroads walk, the group wants to encourage youth from other nations to continue to persevere in defense of life.
For more information on Crossroads, visit www.crossroadswalk.org