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Recalling St John Paul II’s seven visits to the United States

CNA Staff, Apr 2, 2020 / 09:02 am

St. John Paul II was the most traveled pope in history, logging some 700,000 miles and visiting nearly 130 countries.

One of the first countries the pope visited after his election was the United States. As Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, he had visited the US in 1976, two years before his election, stopping at places such as Michigan, Ohio, and Montana, and was eager to return.

Over the course of his nearly 27-year pontificate, St. John Paul II would make seven visits to the US- five of significant length, and two brief stopovers during which he nevertheless left a lasting impression on the memories of the locals.

St. John Paul II died April 2, 2005. On the anniversary of the saint's death, we take a look back at his seven visits to the United States.

Visit 1 , October 1-9, 1979

Where : Boston, New York City, Philadelphia, Des Moines, Chicago, Washington, D.C.

St. John Paul II's first visit to the United States as pope was a whirlwind six-city tour that began with a gathering of 100,000 at Boston Common. He then went to New York where he held a youth rally at Madison Square Garden, gave a speech at the United Nations and celebrated Mass before a congregation of 80,000 at Yankee Stadium. He also received a ticker-tape parade in Philadelphia.

After a warm welcome in Chicago, St. John Paul II made his way to Des Moines, ostensibly after a Catholic Iowa farmer wrote to the pope to invite him to see life in "rural America, the heartland and breadbasket of our nation." A crowd of 350,000 greeted him at a farm just outside the city.

The visit also marked the first time a pope had entered the White House, as he met with President Jimmy Carter in Washington. The two leaders discussed situations in the Philippines, China, Europe, South Korea, and the Middle East, and the pope emphasized to Carter the need for the United States to keep ties open to the largely Catholic people of Eastern Europe, then under the throes of Communism.

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Finally, St. John Paul II celebrated Mass on the National Mall.

What the pope said:

"Dear young people: do not be afraid of honest effort and honest work; do not be afraid of the truth. With Christ's help, and through prayer, you can answer his call, resisting temptations and fads, and every form of mass manipulation. Open your hearts to the Christ of the Gospels-to his love and his truth and his joy. Do not go away sad!" -Mass at Boston Common

"Fourteen years ago my great predecessor Pope Paul VI spoke from this podium. He spoke memorable words, which I desire to repeat today: 'No more war, war never again! Never one against the other,' or even 'one above the other,' but always, on every occasion, 'with each other.'" -Address to the United Nations

"We cannot stand idly by, enjoying our own riches and freedom, if, in any place, the Lazarus of the twentieth century stands at our doors. In the light of the parable of Christ, riches and freedom mean a special responsibility. Riches and freedom create a special obligation. And so, in the name of the solidarity that binds us all together in a common humanity, I again proclaim the dignity of every human person: the rich man and Lazarus are both human beings, both of them equally created in the image and likeness of God, both of them equally redeemed by Christ, at a great price, the price of 'the precious blood of Christ" (1 Pt 1 :19).'" -Mass at Yankee Stadium

"To all of you who are farmers and all who are associated with agricultural production I want to say this: the Church highly esteems your work. Christ himself showed his esteem for agricultural life when he described God his Father as the "vinedresser" (Jn 15 :1). You cooperate with the Creator, the "vinedresser", in sustaining and nurturing life. You fulfill the command of God given at the very beginning: "Fill the earth and subdue it" (Gen 1 :28). Here in the heartland of America, the valleys and hills have been blanketed with grain, the herds and the flocks have multiplied many times over. By hard work you have become masters of the earth and you have subdued it." -Mass in Des Moines

"All human beings ought to value every person for his or her uniqueness as a creature of God, called to be a brother or sister of Christ by reason of the Incarnation and the universal Redemption. For us, the sacredness of human life is based on these premises. And it is on these same premises that there is based our celebration of life-all human life. This explains our efforts to defend human life against every influence or action that threatens or weakens it, as well as our endeavors to make every life more human in all its aspects. And so, we will stand up every time that human life is threatened." -Mass on the National Mall

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Visit 2, February 26, 1981

Where: Stopover in Anchorage

The pope's first visit to Alaska was brief- a stopover lasting just over four hours on his way back to Rome after a pastoral visit to the Philippines, Guam, and Japan- but left a lasting impression.

An estimated 100,000 people came to downtown Anchorage to see the pope, which remains the largest gathering of people in the history of the state.

Then-Archbishop Francis Hurley of Anchorage recalled that as he was escorting the pope downtown, he made a special point of greeting the elderly who waved at him out of the windows of a senior living facility.

When he arrived at Holy Name Cathedral, he took the time to greet the diabled and elderly who had come to see him. One disabled child- who died shortly after the encounter- handed him a bouquet of forget-me-nots; St. John Paul II made a point of mentioning the child and the flowers the next time he visited Alaska, saying that "her loving gesture is not forgotten."

The visit "pulled a lot of Catholics out of the woodwork we didn't know were Catholic" and inspired them back to the practice of their faith, Archbishop Hurley told the archdiocesan newspaper.

"My brothers and sisters in Christ: Never doubt the vital importance of your presence in the Church, the vital importance of religious life and of the ministerial priesthood in the mission of proclaiming the mercy of God. Through your daily life, which is often accompanied by the sign of the cross, and through faithful service and persevering hope, you show your deep faith in the merciful love of God, and bear witness to that love, which is more powerful than evil and stronger than death." -Address to priests and religious in the Anchorage cathedral

Visit 3, May 2, 1984

Where: Stopover in Fairbanks

Once again, Alaska served as a midpoint for the pope between Rome and the Pacific, as he embarked on his pastoral journey to Korea, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, and Thailand.

This time, St. John Paul II appeared with President Ronald Reagan, who was himself returning from a trip to China, at the Fairbanks airport. During the pope's brief, three-hour refuelling stop, Reagan praised him as a defender of human freedom, and as a source of "solace, inspiration, and hope."

"In some ways, Alaska can be considered today as a crossroads of the world...Here in this vast State sixty-five languages are spoken and peoples of many diverse backgrounds find a common home with the Aleuts, Eskimos and Indians. This wonderful diversity provides the context in which each person, each family, each ethnic group is challenged to live in harmony and concord, one with the other. To achieve this aim requires a constant openness to each other on the part of each individual and group. An openness of heart, a readiness to accept differences, and an ability to listen to each other's viewpoint without prejudice. Openness to others, by its very nature, excludes selfishness in any form. It is expressed in a dialogue that is honest and frank-one that is based on mutual respect. Openness to others begins in the heart." -Address to authorities and people of Alaska

Visit 4, September 10-19, 1987

Where: Miami, Columbia, SC, New Orleans, San Antonio, Phoenix, Los Angeles, Monterey, San Francisco, Detroit

This trip was the longest of St. John Paul II's visits to the US, and his first to the contiguous West Coast. Reagan greeted him once again, this time in Miami.

Notable episodes from the visit included the pope's Mass in Miami being cut short because of a storm; addressing representatives of black Catholics at the Superdome in New Orleans; attending an ecumenical conference on the University of South Carolina campus; Mass in San Antonio with about 275,000 in attendance; touring a Catholic hospital and attending the Tekakwitha Conference- a national gathering of Native American Catholics- at the Arizona State Fair Grounds Coliseum in Phoenix; and addressing representatives from the communications industry in Los Angeles.

Though the pope encountered some protests in San Francisco, and crowds were not as large as some had expected, his visit still drew at least 300,000 in California.

"God loves you! God loves you all, without distinction, without limit. He loves those of you who are elderly, who feel the burden of the years. He loves those of you who are sick, those who are suffering from AIDS and from AIDS-Related Complex. He loves the relatives and friends of the sick and those who care for them. He loves us all with an unconditional and everlasting love." -Address at Mission Dolores Basilica, San Francisco

"The obligation to truth and its completeness applies not only to the coverage of news, but to all your work. Truth and completeness should characterize the content of artistic expression and entertainment. You find a real meaning in your work when you exercise your role as collaborators of truth – collaborators of truth in the service of justice, fairness and love." -Address to people of the communications industry, Los Angeles

"From the very beginning, the Creator bestowed his gifts on each people. It is clear that stereotyping. prejudice, bigotry and racism demean the human dignity which comes from the hand of the Creator and which is seen in variety and diversity. I encourage you, as native people belonging to the different tribes and nations in the East, South, West and North, to preserve and keep alive your cultures, your languages, the values and customs which have served you well in the past and which provide a solid foundation for the future. Your customs that mark the various stages of life, your love for the extended family, your respect for the dignity and worth of every human being, from the unborn to the aged, and your stewardship and care of the earth: these things benefit not only yourselves but the entire human family. Your gifts can also be expressed even more fully in the Christian way of life. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is at home in every people. It enriches, uplifts and purifies every culture. All of us together make up the People of God, the Body of Christ, the Church. We should all be grateful for the growing unity, presence, voice and leadership of Catholic Native Americans in the Church today." -Address to Native American Catholics

"I express my deep love and esteem for the black Catholic community in the United States. Its vitality is a sign of hope for society. Composed as you are of many lifelong Catholics, and many who have more recently embraced the faith, together with a growing immigrant community, you reflect the Church's ability to bring together a diversity of people united in faith, hope and love, sharing a communion with Christ in the Holy Spirit. I urge you to keep alive and active your rich cultural gifts. Always profess proudly before the whole Church and the whole world your love for God's word; it is a special blessing which you must forever treasure as a part of your heritage. Help us all to remember that authentic freedom comes from accepting the truth and from living one's life in accordance with it – and the full truth is found only in Christ Jesus. Continue to inspire us by your desire to forgive – as Jesus forgave – and by your desire to be reconciled with all the people of this nation, even those who would unjustly deny you the full exercise of your human rights." -Address to black Catholics

"America, your deepest identity and truest character as a nation is revealed in the position you take towards the human person. The ultimate test of your greatness in the way you treat every human being, but especially the weakest and most defenceless ones." -Farewell Address

Visit 5: World Youth Day, August 12-15, 1993

Where: Denver

At the time it was chosen, Denver seemed to many to be an odd choice for a host for World Youth Day- the international gathering of young people that he himself had instituted in 1985. The city was experiencing a surge in crime, and many feared that the septuagenarian pope would not be successful in attracting young people to the event.

Nevertheless, World Youth Day in Denver was a huge success, with an estimated 750,000 people attending the final Mass at Cherry Creek State Park. Young people from all over the world showed their willingness to sacrifice and experience pilgrimage by lodging in parish halls en route to Denver, trudging through the heat to Cherry Creek State Park, sleeping on the ground there, and enduring other discomforts.

Upon St. John Paul II death in 20115, then-Archbishop Charles Chaput said that the Pope's visit to Denver was "a Transfiguration for the Church in Northern Colorado - a moment when Jesus smiled on us in a special, joyful, vivid way and invited us into his mission to the world."

"Pilgrims set out for a destination. In our case it is not so much a place or a shrine that we seek to honor. Ours is a pilgrimage to a modern city, a symbolic destination: the "metropolis" is the place which determines the life–style and the history of a large part of the human family at the end of the twentieth century. This modern city of Denver is set in the beautiful natural surroundings of the Rocky Mountains, as if to put the work of human hands in relationship with the work of the Creator. We are therefore searching for the reflection of God not only in the beauty of nature but also in humanity's achievements and in each individual person. On this pilgrimage our steps are guided by the words of Jesus Christ: 'I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.'" -Welcome ceremony at Mile High Stadium

"Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into public places, like the first Apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation in the squares of cities, towns and villages. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel (Cfr. Rom 1,16). It is the time to preach it from the rooftops (Cfr. Matt 10,27). Do not be afraid to break out of comfortable and routine modes of living, in order to take up the challenge of making Christ known in the modern 'metropolis.' It is you who must 'go out into the byroads' (Matt 22,9) and invite everyone you meet to the banquet which God has prepared for his people. The Gospel must not be kept hidden because of fear or indifference. It was never meant to be hidden away in private. It has to be put on a stand so that people may see its light and give praise to our heavenly Father." -Mass at Cherry Creek State Park

Visit 6, October 4-9, 1995

Where: Newark, East Rutherford, NJ, New York City, Yonkers,  NY, Baltimore

This marked the pope's second visit to New York City, and he visited several other cities on the Eastern seaboard. It was his first visit to New Jersey, where he made stops in Newark- celebrating Mass at Sacred Heart Cathedral- and East Rutherford, saying Mass at Giants Stadium.

Upon returning to New York, the pope addressed the United Nations for a second time.

"Freedom is not simply the absence of tyranny or oppression. Nor is freedom a licence to do whatever we like. Freedom has an inner 'logic' which distinguishes it and ennobles it: freedom is ordered to the truth, and is fulfilled in man's quest for truth and in man's living in the truth. Detached from the truth about the human person, freedom deteriorates into license in the lives of individuals, and, in political life, it becomes the caprice of the most powerful and the arrogance of power. Far from being a limitation upon freedom or a threat to it, reference to the truth about the human person - a truth universally knowable through the moral law written on the hearts of all - is, in fact, the guarantor of freedom's future." -Address to the United Nations

"As a Christian, my hope and trust are centered on Jesus Christ, the two thousandth anniversary of whose birth will be celebrated at the coming of the new millennium. We Christians believe that in his Death and Resurrection were fully revealed God's love and his care for all creation. Jesus Christ is for us God made man, and made a part of the history of humanity. Precisely for this reason, Christian hope for the world and its future extends to every human person. Because of the radiant humanity of Christ, nothing genuinely human fails to touch the hearts of Christians. Faith in Christ does not impel us to intolerance. On the contrary, it obliges us to engage others in a respectful dialogue. Love of Christ does not distract us from interest in others, but rather invites us to responsibility for them, to the exclusion of no one and indeed, if anything, with a special concern for the weakest and the suffering. Thus, as we approach the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ, the Church asks only to be able to propose respectfully this message of salvation, and to be able to promote, in charity and service, the solidarity of the entire human family." -Address to the United Nations

"At the end of your National Anthem, one finds these words: "Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just, And this be our motto: 'In God is our trust!'" America: may your trust always be in God and in none other. And then, "The star–spangled banner in triumph shall wave o'er the land of the free and the home of the brave." Thank you, and God bless you all!" -Farewell address at the Baltimore airport

Visit 7, January 26-27, 1999

Where: St. Louis

The pope's final visit to the United States took him to St. Louis, sometimes called "The Rome of the West" for its many Catholic churches. His visit included a youth rally at an arena, Mass at the city's stadium, and vespers at the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis.

Along the way, he met with President Bill Clinton, civil rights leader Rosa Parks, and baseball players Mark McGuire and Stan Musial.

He asked then-governor Mel Carnahan to spare the life of triple-murderer Darrell Mease, whose original execution date had been set for that day- which the governor did, commuting his sentence to life without parole.

Though the pope's age- 78- showed during his 31-hour visit, his enthusiasm and joy attracted thousands of people and left a lasting impression on the city. The Mass he celebrated at the then-Trans World Dome is said to be the largest indoor gathering ever held in the U.S.

"I am told that there was much excitement in St. Louis during the recent baseball season, when two great players (Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa) were competing to break the home-run record. You can feel the same great enthusiasm as you train for a different goal: the goal of following Christ, the goal of bringing his message to the world. Each one of you belongs to Christ, and Christ belongs to you.

At Baptism you were claimed for Christ with the Sign of the Cross; you received the Catholic faith as a treasure to be shared with others. In Confirmation, you were sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit and strengthened for your Christian mission and vocation. In the Eucharist, you receive the food that nourishes you for the spiritual challenges of each day.

I am especially pleased that so many of you had the opportunity today to receive the Sacrament of Penance, the Sacrament of Reconciliation. In this Sacrament you experience the Savior's tender mercy and love in a most personal way, when you are freed from sin and from its ugly companion which is shame. Your burdens are lifted and you experience the joy of new life in Christ.

Your belonging to the Church can find no greater expression or support than by sharing in the Eucharist every Sunday in your parishes. Christ gives us the gift of his body and blood to make us one body, one spirit in him, to bring us more deeply into communion with him and with all the members of his Body, the Church. Make the Sunday celebration in your parishes a real encounter with Jesus in the community of his followers: this is an essential part of your 'training in devotion" to the Lord!' -Address to young people

"I will always remember St. Louis. I will remember all of you." -Final words at the cathedral of St. Louis

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Remembering the Revolution of Denver’s World Youth Day 1993

25 years later, transformative event is still bearing fruit, as new initiative aims to further the dynamism.

“No water bottle, no camera, no sunscreen and no rain jacket. That’s how I showed up for the first day of World Youth Day 1993.”

So recalled Father Randy Dollins, vicar general for the Denver Archdiocese, speaking to laity and clergy gathered Aug. 11 at the “More Than You Realize” conference marking the 25th anniversary of St. John Paul II’s visit to the Mile High City.

The then-17-year-old Dollins was an hour late arriving to his parish, and the bus with his fellow pilgrims had already left for the opening of the five-day international youth celebration, which was the first, and as yet only, held in the United States.

“When I checked in with my youth minister, he didn’t think [my tardiness] was that big a deal,” Father Dollins said. “He gave me my World Youth Day badge. He walked me out to the parking lot … onto a bus full of 40 young men from Spain. Four of these guys spoke English. He told them I was going to be their local guide.

“And so began one of the greatest adventures of my life.”

Father Dollins credits WYD 1993 with his vocation to the priesthood.

“[It] changed me on a fundamental level,” he said. “The path from that event to where I stand now … is something I never could have imagined; it’s way more than I ever could have realized.”

Indeed, WYD 1993 was far more than anyone had realized.

It is credited with igniting a spiritual dynamism in the Denver Archdiocese that led to numerous vocations to holy orders and consecrated life; the establishment of not one, but two, seminaries packed with men studying for the priesthood; the founding of a plethora of energetic apostolates; and vibrant charisms and movements dedicated to advancing the New Evangelization.

It launched the New Evangelization not only in Denver, asserts St. John Paul II biographer George Weigel, but across the United States.

And St. John Paul II himself exuberantly called Denver’s World Youth Day “a revolution.”

Twenty-five years later, the Denver Archdiocese remains centered on the New Evangelization. The archdiocese used the anniversary conference held Aug. 11 at the Budweiser Event Center in Loveland, Colorado, to celebrate what happened and to launch an initiative to carry the continuing momentum into the future.

The bilingual event drew 5,000 people who had been invited from the archdiocese’s 148 parishes.

Looking Back

In 1992, Denver and two other U.S. cities — Buffalo, New York, and St. Paul, Minnesota, both boasting higher Catholic populations — were being considered to host the youth event.               

Located just minutes from the Rocky Mountains, Denver was known for its natural beauty and as a technology and communications hub, said WYD ’93 attendee Edward Sri, a vice president for Fellowship of Catholic University Students and an Augustine Institute professor.

People consequently were shocked when, on Palm Sunday 1992, it was announced the Pope had selected Denver.

“It’s more of a modern, self-consciously secular city,” Sri told conference attendees, adding that previous youth days were held at traditional pilgrimage sites like Czestochowa, Poland.

“The idea for John Paul II was clear: He wanted to bring the Gospel to the secular city … to proclaim the Gospel there, to show the Gospel still has relevance for modern men and women.”

Journalists, noting the “cafeteria Catholicism” of many Americans and the Holy Father’s age, 73, and even some American bishops were skeptical it would amount to anything. The only ones expected to show up were those protesting Church teaching. Making matters worse, in 1993, Denver was experiencing terrifying drive-by shootings, which led media to call it “the summer of violence.”

“Everybody thought [the Pope] would fail. I remember being here as a young person seeing the news crews; they were ready to film an abysmal failure, an embarrassment,” Real Life Catholic founder Chris Stefanick told his audience at the anniversary event. “They were blown away. Three-quarters of a million people came.”

The final papal Mass, celebrated Aug. 15, the Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary, at Cherry Creek State Park, drew people from 70 nations.

The presence of the Holy Spirit was palpable in the joy of the attendees and the peace that descended on the city.

“There was a record amount of gang violence [that summer], and I remember the violence going down to zero — there was no crime during World Youth Day,” Stefanick recalled. “Absolutely mind-blowing.”

“More [important] than numbers or a big statement in history, there were conversions. Because in the eyes of God, one soul is worth more than anything,” Stefanick said before reading a journal entry from a WYD 1993 attendee who had lost her faith in college.

“During the Pope’s talks, I felt a bond with Jesus that I never have before,” she wrote. “I believed everything once again: that Jesus is the Son of God, the Savior of the world who loves me … and gives life eternal.”

“The atheist convert who wrote that married me five years later,” Stefanick said. “Saints change history. Saints change lives. It’s not just the message of the saints — it’s who they are.

“[St. John Paul II] came to remind us who God is and who we are. And he came to send us to be reminders to the world of who God is and who we are.”

Scott Elmer, executive director of Evangelization and Family Life Ministries for the Denver Archdiocese, calls himself a “second-generation fruit” of WYD 1993.

“I had two priests that evangelized me and proclaimed Christ boldly while I was at college at a Newman Center. Both of them were here in ’93 and told me the atmosphere was electric. It influenced them to become priests,” he said at the anniversary event.

Discipled by Fellowship of Catholic University Students while an undergrad, Elmer then attended Denver’s Augustine Institute. Both ministries were born as a result of WYD 1993.

The women’s ministry Endow (Educating on the Nature and Dignity of Women) came to be after co-founder Terry Polakovic hosted four students from France who attended Denver’s WYD.

“It was through hospitality that she realized how much she loved John Paul II and his teaching on women, marriage and family,” Elmer said.

Other apostolates tied to Denver’s WYD include the Centro San Juan Diego for Spanish-speaking Catholics, Stefanick’s Real Life Catholic , and Christ in the City homeless ministry.

WYD 1993 also drew new charisms and lay movements to Denver and helped existing ones to flourish.

“A ton have sprung up since 1993: Christian Life Movement, Christian Family Movement, Neocatechumenal Way, Communion and Liberation, Catholic Charismatic Renewal,” Elmer said, listing some. “[They’re] reaching thousands of Catholics, helping people to encounter Christ and to live as disciples.”

Today’s Challenges

Despite the abundant fruits from Denver’s World Youth Day, the U.S. Church is facing an increasingly secular and anti-Christian society, Elmer said.

Citing statistics from the Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate at Georgetown University, he said that, since 1970, although the Catholic population has increased by 21 million people, there are about 22,000 fewer priests serving them. Additionally, the number of former Catholics has quadrupled to 30 million people, infant baptisms are down by a half-million, marriages are down by two-thirds, and Mass attendance is half of what it once was.

“If we’re not aware of the reality that souls are being lost to the Church, we’re not going to be appropriately responding to this crisis,” he said. “In the midst of this, we live in a secular area. Denver is a very secular city. And Colorado itself is very politically progressive in [issues] that are against Church teaching.”

Colorado was among the first states to legalize the recreational use of marijuana (2012). In 2014, it legalized same-sex “marriage.” In 2016, it legalized physician-assisted suicide.

Worst of all? The renewal of the sex-abuse scandal in the United States as a result of “credible and substantiated” allegations against Archbishop Theodore McCarrick, former head of the Washington Archdiocese, and other related scandals, including the grand jury report in Pennsylvania released this week.

“This is heinous,” Elmer said. “Internally, [it] challenges our faith in the institution. Externally, it doesn’t seem like we have moral authority.”

Among the good news? Forty-eight percent of today’s Catholics have never left the Church, and 11% once left but returned.

Best of all? “We have problems and challenges,” Elmer said. “We also have Jesus, so that’s a good thing.”

“[St. John Paul II] didn’t go to a holy place; he came to a war zone. He came to a place that needed the truth,” Elmer said. “He gave us that mission. Now is the moment when this mission is being handed on to your generation: to preach the Gospel.”

Looking Forward

In a video shown at the conference, Joshua Karabinos, chief strategy officer for the Denver Archdiocese, said that despite the recent proliferation of quality catechetical content and the personal witness of authentic Catholic Christians, people formed in our postmodern culture aren’t interested in “answers to questions they haven’t asked.”

“Our efforts are left resounding in an echo chamber of like-minded Catholics who already seek to understand the faith,” he said. “Perhaps the problem we face … is a problem of real encounter in relationship-building.

“Catechesis was never meant to be the primary bridge from irrelevance to curiosity. Church documents call that bridge pre-evangelization. This is the first key to missionary discipleship.”

To equip the faithful in the effort of pre-evangelization, the archdiocese launched the More Than You Realize initiative at the conference. It consists of a website, MoreThanYouRealize.org , that offers engaging, shareable videos.

It will eventually include other content that isn’t overtly religious, Father Dollins said, but which is focused on sharing truth, beauty and the good as curiosity builders and conversation starters.

Content will include speakers exploring thought-provoking topics, will model how to enter into or lead discussions related to such topics, and will offer the ability to join small groups for training and discussion.

The initiative’s logo is an eye chart, with the R turned backward to be an attention grabber, and to highlight the initiative’s aim — to have people refocus on the Catholic faith. Although launched at the conference, the archdiocese plans to spread the effort throughout the archdiocese.

“It’s time for a new movement. It’s time for a new way of being the Catholic Church,” Father Dollins told the audience. “It’s time to get out of the ‘Upper Room’ and into the streets of our Jerusalems and start telling people about Jesus Christ and creating authentic curiosity that will draw [people] deeper into the meaning of what they were actually created to be.”

Sri imparted tips on how to be a missionary disciple, urging the faithful to ongoing interior conversion; to accompany others through authentic friendship and sharing one’s testimony; and to foster the faith of others in small but deep ways.

Father Dollins outlined four pillars to help those in ministry, urging his audience to reflect on how hospitably they receive others, how to free up clergy and employees to do the things they do best, how to form oneself and others to be missionary disciples, and on how to go out to share the Gospel.

“When I went to World Youth Day, I got caught up in a movement,” Father Dollins said. “I was a secular kid. The thing that was compelling to me about the Church was the witness of the people and their passion for the faith.

“We need to go out in such a way that we create holy envy and holy curiosity in other people.”

The conference ended with a Mass during which Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila commissioned conference attendees to be missionary disciples.

“The journey of discipleship is a lifelong journey,” Archbishop Aquila said. “I, as your bishop, am counting on you … to help establish a culture of discipleship in our local Church.

“St. John Paul II believed in retrospect that a revolution had taken place in Denver. We today are the inheritors of this spiritual revolution, and we must not be afraid to let our nets down for a catch. … Your role in the plan of God is much more than you realize.”

Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, who served as Denver’s archbishop during WYD 1993, addressed the crowd just before the Mass.

“In October 1993, a few months after World Youth Day, I visited the Vatican. … When it came my time to be greeted by [St. John Paul II], he said without any hesitation, ‘Ahh, Denver, Denver —  una rivoluzione !’ (Ahh, Denver, Denver, a revolution!)

“What we are doing today, dear brothers and sisters, in the commissioning … is to continue that revolution.”

Roxanne King writes from Denver.

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Roxanne King Roxanne King writes for Catholic media from Denver.

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From The Archives: Pope Visits Colorado In 1993

September 22, 2015 / 2:00 PM MDT / CBS News

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“Ah, Denver—una rivoluzione (a revolution)!” That was Pope John Paul II’s succinct summary, given with a broad smile to then-Archbishop J. Francis Stafford two months after experiencing World Youth Day 1993.

Indeed, the international gathering of Catholic youth and visit of now-St. John Paul II that Denver hosted 30 years ago launched a spiritual revolution whose effects were immediately visible and whose abundant fruits continue today.

From violence to peace

In 1993, the Mile High City was full of fear, terrorized by random gang activity that took innocent lives that spring and early summer. The media called it “the summer of violence.” But during the Aug. 11-15 World Youth Day celebration, to the astonishment of law enforcement, city officials and the general public, violence and major crime ceased. It was replaced by the goodwill, peace and joy shared by the young pilgrims.

“Patience, kindness, joy, goodness, self-control. All of those are fruits of the Holy Spirit,” noted Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, who was Denver’s archbishop in 1993. “We saw that, and the young people saw that. In seeing that, they saw Christ. Christ is perceived in the body of the Church, which is his body. The Church is the body of Jesus.”

“The fact that it was totally peaceful during that time gave witness to … the message of the Gospel and the peace that Christ can bring when one opens their hearts,” said Archbishop Samuel Aquila, who was director of liturgy for the archdiocese in 1993 and helped plan the WYD liturgies.

“When young people gather at the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in peace, then peace reigns,” noted Msgr. Edward Buelt. Now a parish pastor, he served as executive director and vice president of logistics for WYD ‘93.

A rock star pope

While the peace and joy that transformed a city experiencing terrifying violence were among the first fruits of Denver’s WYD, tied to that was the number of pilgrims the event drew. Media had predicted that the event, which is a pilgrimage to encounter Christ and deepen faith, would not appeal to American teens unfamiliar with the tradition and whose culture was known more for it’s cafeteria Catholicism. Naysayers also pointed to the pope’s age, 73, as a deterrent.

It was predicted that no more than 20,000 people would attend the WYD program of catechesis, liturgies and cultural events. Pope John Paul II would celebrate a closing Mass at Cherry Creek State Park. Organizers optimistically planned for 60,000. Registrations quickly hit the 150,000 mark. Final registration reached an astonishing 500,000.

“We know there were walk-ons, particularly for the final Mass,” Archbishop Dennis Schnurr, WYD ’93 national director, said in 2013. “It was 750,000 people there.”

Media likened the numbers to a “Catholic Woodstock.” They compared the emotional outpouring of love for Pope John Paul II with that given to a “rock star.” The pop culture portrayal fit an Aug. 12 event at Denver’s Mile High Stadium to welcome the pope that drew more than 90,000 people.

“When John Paul II’s helicopter hovered over and then landed at Mile High Stadium everyone was stomping their feet and the stadium was shaking—you could just feel the energy,” recalled Tim Gray, co-founder and president of the Augustine Institute graduate school. In 1993, Gray chaperoned two busloads of youths from Rapid City, S.D. accompanied by his boss, then-Bishop Charles Chaput. “I’ve never been at another event with the energy and enthusiasm of all those youths who were so excited about the vicar of Christ coming to them and speaking to them in the name of Christ. It was really powerful.”

Indeed, the youths’ thunderous cheers of “John Paul II, we love you!” created turbulence that rocked the pope’s helicopter akin to what the pilot had experienced in the Vietnam War, wrote George Weigel in his papal biography Witness to Hope .

A city within a city

Archbishop Stafford’s response when he received the call that the pope had selected Denver for WYD ’93?

“Like (the prophet) Jeremiah, I stammered a little bit,” he recalled with a chuckle. “But trusting in the Lord and his fidelity to us, I agreed. … I have to say, it was a labor of love preparing for it because the people of the archdiocese and the people of the state were 100 percent supportive.”

Other collaborators included the Vatican on the international level, the U.S. bishops on the national level, and the federal government—President Bill Clinton provided the seven helicopters for the pope’s entourage. Organizers had to find housing, food and transportation for the pilgrims.

“That required an enormous amount of involvement,” Cardinal Stafford said. “We had to establish a temporary city within the city that would serve thousands of visitors (at Cherry Creek State Park).”

Because the pope is also a head of state, the U.S. Secret Service was involved, which required meticulous planning for the liturgies. “We had to have a two-minute by two-minute scenario of what would be happening,” said Archbishop Aquila, “and who would be near the Holy Father.”

The new evangelization

Denver’s hugely successful event—it made local, national and world news and set the norm for subsequent World Youth Days—helped solidify the importance of the international celebrations as a tremendous tool of the “new evangelization,” whereby as John Paul II declared, the Gospel is shared through “new methods, new ardor and new expression.”

“World Youth Day really gives witness to Christ in the city in which you’re in and also the country in which you’re in, and it flows over,” Archbishop Aquila said. “When Christ is the center and is truly the vine, and we’re attached to that vine, it’s going to bear much fruit.”

Denver’s WYD was the first, and remains the only, international WYD to be held in the United States. It was also the first international WYD to be held in a largely secular city, rather than a traditional Catholic one as were previous hosts: Buenos Aires, Santiago de Compostela and Czestochowa.

“Denver was chosen in part because it was a new, secular, modern metropolis,” Msgr. Buelt said. “Pilgrimages in the Church had traditionally been to places where God had shown himself in the past to have done marvelous things for his people…. John Paul II changed the equation; he said pilgrimage isn’t simply to a place where God has shown marvelous deeds in the past, but where we pray and anticipate and hope and prophesy that he will show marvelous deeds in the future.”

Spiritual renewal

If the first fruit of WYD ’93 was bringing peace to a fear-ridden city through the Christian witness of the pilgrims, the second was a renewal of faith that manifested itself in increased vocations to holy orders and consecrated life, and that led to vibrant apostolates and movements promoting the new evangelization.

“You can recognize the tremendous fruit (WYD ’93) has borne in the Archdiocese of Denver in the vocations we have and the establishment of the seminaries, Redemptoris Mater and St. John Vianney, and the various apostolates that sprang out of it,” Archbishop Aquila said. “Prior to (WYD ’93) both seminaries did not exist, the Augustine Institute didn’t exist, FOCUS (campus ministry) didn’t exist.”

The young people took to heart and enthusiastically responded to the Gospel exhortation John Paul II proclaimed at the Aug. 15 Mass at Cherry Creek State Park: “Do not be afraid to go out on the streets and into the public places, like the first Apostles who preached Christ and the Good News of salvation…. This is no time to be ashamed of the Gospel. It is the time to preach it from the rooftops.”

“Whether it be proclaiming Christ on college campuses, or among the homeless or to those on the peripheries,” Archbishop Aquila said, “or even with the movements, the Neocatechumenal Way or Communion and Liberation and other groups that are here…they continue to flourish and to bear fruit within this local Church.”

Father Joseph Cao, who arrived in Denver at age 10 as a boat person after the end of the Vietnam War, was 27 and had just been accepted as a seminarian for the Denver Archdiocese when he attended a WYD ’93 gathering for some 15,000 Vietnamese Catholics with Pope John Paul II. The pope met with the Vietnamese exiles the afternoon of Aug. 15 at McNichols Sports Arena to encourage them in their faith.

“That meeting changed my whole life,” Father Cao said. “I was able to be so near to Pope John Paul II, just 15 to 30 yards away. I felt his holiness. I saw myself one day being a priest for Jesus Christ. I felt that God was confirming my call.”

Father Cao was ordained to the priesthood seven years later and serves as a parish pastor. He is among several priests in the archdiocese, native and foreign born, whose vocational call was received, seeded or confirmed at WYD ’93.

Milwaukee, Wis., native Sister Elizabeth Ann, S.V., was a 29-year-old graphic designer who happened to be home recovering from a car accident when she turned on the TV and delightedly began watching EWTN’s live broadcast of WYD ’93.

“I was utterly glued to the scene of 500,000 young people with the Holy Father in the Rocky Mountains proclaiming to the world that Christ was the center of their existence,” she wrote in her vocation story. “I prayed and sang with them. I laughed, I cried, I was moved by their boldness and courage and joy. … I had been deeply touched by the Lord’s love and I knew that I was changed forever.”

She entered the New York based Sisters of Life three years later. “The only way I can describe the life-changing experience is to call it a grace that traveled with the speed of light through the TV set…piercing my heart.”

Of the many vocations to consecrated life connected to WYD ’93, the Sisters of Life alone have a handful.

Apostolates

Terry Polakovic, co-founder of Endow, which promotes the new feminism of St. John Paul II through study groups, became an admirer of the pontiff when she housed four students from France for Denver’s WYD. Eager to share the pope’s teachings on the dignity and vocation of women that she discovered shortly after WYD ’93 through her friend Marilyn Coors, the two along with friend Betsy Considine, launched Endow in 2003. Today, the apostolate is international.

“The thing that always strikes me about Endow is the thousands of women whose lives have been changed, and their families have been changed,” Polakovic said. “It’s just made a huge impact.”

Tim Gray’s experience at Denver’s WYD led him to eventually move to Denver to fulfill his desire to co-found the Augustine Institute, a Catholic graduate school to form lay leaders for the new evangelization. It opened in 2005.

“Seeing the youth come alive and wanting to grow in their faith through that encounter here at World Youth Day with John Paul II … laid the foundation and planted the seeds for what would develop into the Augustine Institute,” Gray said.

Today, the Augustine Institute has the largest Catholic master’s degree program in the nation. Its digital platforms, including the Catholic streaming service FORMED, have over 1.2 million subscribers.

At WYD ’93, Gray introduced then-Bishop Chaput to his friend Curtis Martin, who would start the campus ministry organization FOCUS (Fellowship of Catholic University Students). When Archbishop Chaput was installed in Denver, he invited Martin to move FOCUS’ headquarters to Denver. The ministry has evangelized tens of thousands of young people across the nation and internationally.

“The effect of World Youth Day is something that grew by grace in the hearts of those who experienced it,” Gray said. “It literally lives on, not just in our memory but by the fruit of the grace planted in people during that event.”

Light from the West

So what did Pope John Paul II mean in October 1993 when he saw Archbishop Stafford in Rome and described Denver’s WYD as “a revolution”?

“Before World Youth Day 1993 in Denver, Pope John Paul II had expected that the spiritual revolution within the Church would be initiated by the young people of the Catholic Churches in Eastern Europe,” Cardinal Stafford explained in 2013. “After Denver, he expected the anticipated spiritual ‘revolution’ to be emanating also from young Catholics of the West, especially the Americas. Lux ex oriente et etiam ex occidente— Light from the East as well as from the West.”

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Remembering Pope Saint John Paul II’s visit to Denver for World Youth Day 1993

“I came that they might have life, and have it to the full.” –John 10: 10 Theme for World Youth Day, Denver 1993

Photo: Helen H. Richardson/ Denver Post

“Imagine Woodstock with all of the good and none of the bad… It was an event of more than 100,000 young people that changed society, but there was no marijuana; no beer bottles on the ground.” –Sister Mary Ann Walsh, RSM, communications director for World Youth Day Denver

——- 

Looking back to 1993:

The third visit of Pope Saint John Paul II to the United States (not counting two flight layovers in Alaska) was held in Denver for the 1993 World Youth Day (August 10-15, 1993). The Archdiocese of Denver, under the leadership of then Archbishop J. Francis Stafford, hosted this historic event.

This marked the eighth WYD, which was started by Pope John Paul II in 1986 in Rome. Denver’s event was the first World Youth Day to be held in North America, as well as in an English-speaking nation. Pope John Paul II initiated plans for World Youth Day in 1984, with the first celebration in 1986. The Denver event was the eighth celebration and the first to become an international media sensation.

Photo: Denver Catholic Register

The Holy Father arrived in the Mile High City on August 12 following the first-ever papal visit to the island nation of Jamaica (August 9-11), and a brief stop in Mexico. He arrived by helicopter. The photos taken on board showed him, rosary in hand, as the young people gathered at Mile High Stadium gave thunderous applause, pointing to a rainbow that lit up the southern sky.

“Young people were pointing to it [the rainbow] in wonder…The Pope wept openly before the thunderous ovations of the universal Church.”  — Cardinal Stafford reminisced last year during the 20th anniversary of the event  . 

President Bill Clinton met with the Holy Father at the Welcome Ceremony on August 12, just eight months after his inauguration as the 42nd President of the United States. This was  the first of four meetings of President Clinton with this Holy Father .

——-

Photo: James Baca/ Denver Catholic Register

“Jesus has called each one of you to Denver for a purpose! You must live these days in such a way that, when the time comes to return home, each one of you will have a clearer idea of what Christ expects of you.”

–Pope John Paul II to the youth at Mile High Stadium

Gifts for the Holy Father–Photo: Denver Catholic Register

The August 15 Closing Mass on the Solemnity of the Assumption had to be moved to Cherry Creek State Park because the massive crowds could not be accommodated at Mile High Stadium. Estimates mark upwards of 750,000 in attendance.

——–

“It was predicted that the papal initiative would attract no more than 20,000 young people. Mile High Stadium would be more than adequate, they said, for the activities culminating with the vigil and papal Mass.” — Cardinal Stafford recalled .

The History of World Youth Day:

Enjoy this ten-minute video which traces the history of World Youth Day with Pope John Paul II.

The Catholic Review is the official publication of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.

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Popes in America: 50 Years of Papal Visits

October 4, 1965

Paul vi arrives in new york city : during his visit, he addresses the u.n. general assembly, blesses the new cardinal of new york in st. patrick’s cathedral, and meets with president lyndon b. johnson at the waldorf astoria. his visit lasts a total of 14 hours..

September 21, 1965 The Pope Among Us

"He had come not for us but for the United Nations ... He sounded marvelously innocent of the grounds for quarrel between great nations and, for that reason, the more marvelous for the occasion. Four years ago, the Russians would have darkly searched his text for the ghost of John Foster Dulles; and the Americans would have been wondering whether the Vatican is not a little soft on Communism. Now the United States and the Soviet Union sit together contemplating the barbarities of the Chinese. Pope Paul had fallen perfectly upon the mood of the Assembly and set its key."

September 29, 1979

Pope john paul ii begins his first trip to the united states : he visits boston, new york, philadelphia, chicago, des moines, and washington, d.c., october 20, 1979 popestock in chicago.

"The largest Catholic archdiocese in the United States (2.4 million), the home of the most Polish ethnics (500,000), Chicago probably was more obsessed with John Paul's arrival than any other city. In fact, the city nearly fell victim to its own build-up of the big event, and began to look on Popestock (or "Popefest" as city officials liked to say) with the same enthusiasm it might have for a nuclear accident evacuation."

September 10, 1987

John paul ii begins his fourth trip to the united states : while he made stopovers in alaska in '81 and '84, this is only the second time jpii returns for an extended visit. his stops include miami, columbia, sc, new orleans, san antonio, phoenix, los angeles, monterey, san francisco, and detroit..

October 5, 1987 Papa Do Preach

"The message of John Paul throughout the American trip was daringly simple: a liberal social and economic activism needs a conservative doctrinal and spiritual base. It's a radical but effortlessly Catholic philosophy, and the importance of the Southwest is that it's the crucible for the experiment. John Paul understands this. He also understands that if it doesn't work here, it won't work anywhere."

August 12, 1993

John paul ii visits denver, colorado for world youth day..

September 6, 1993 John Denver

"All week long, Secret Service helicopters had been flying over our street, scoping out the route to the college where the pope and President Clinton were to meet. T-shirts featuring the pope and the Rocky Mountains were for sale on front lawns fbr blocks around. John Paul—or Juan Pablo, as he was called in this neighborhood—was in town with a vengeance."

October, 1995

John paul ii's sixth visit to the u.s. : he travels to newark, new york, and baltimore, where he celebrates a mass at camden yards..

October 30, 1995 Indulgences

"The most politically troublesome thing about the pope's homily in Baltimore was not his obvious reference to abortion...but his declaration that "democracy cannot be sustained without a shared commitment to certain moral truths about the human person and human community." American democracy does rest on moral truths, a whole passel of them, but these truths are rarely legislated ... A very catholic country can never be a very Catholic country. "

January, 1999

John paul ii's seventh and final visit to the united states : he heads to st. louis for the closing of the special assembly for america of the synod of bishops, a papal advisory body., april, 2008, pope benedict xvi's first and only visit to the united states : he meets with president george w. bush, visits ground zero, and addresses the u.n. general assembly. he also celebrates masses at nationals park in d.c. and yankee stadium in new york..

April 9, 2008 Family Values

"If Benedict highlights immigration during his major addresses, Democrats would do well to take notes. The pope's pro-family stance is extremely resonant with Latino voters ... Fine-tuning the Democratic appeal to Latinos could represent quite the electoral trove in November: Latinos have turned out in record numbers for the 2008 primaries. ... In contrast to the harm the Church inflicted on Kerry, this surely counts as papal absolution."

September, 2015

Pope francis arrives in the united states : his schedule includes stops in washington, d.c., philadelphia, and new york city, as well as a meeting with president obama..

In Asia, pope urges Indonesia to live up to…

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In asia, pope urges indonesia to live up to promise of ‘harmony in diversity,’ fight extremism.

Pope Francis, center, flanked by his spokeperson Maeo Bruni, right, talks to journalists, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, aboard the flight bound to Jakarta, Indonesia, where Francis will start his 12-day pastoral visit to Asia. Francis will clock 32,814 kilometers (20,390 miles) by air during his Sept. 2-13 visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, far surpassing any of his previous 44 foreign trips and notching one of the longest papal trips ever, both in terms of days on the road and distances traveled. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, pool)

Pope Francis, center, flanked by his spokeperson Maeo Bruni, left, talks to journalists, Monday, Sept. 2, 2024, aboard the flight bound to Jakarta, Indonesia, where Francis will start his 12-day pastoral visit to Asia. Francis will clock 32,814 kilometers (20,390 miles) by air during his Sept. 2-13 visit to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, far surpassing any of his previous 44 foreign trips and notching one of the longest papal trips ever, both in terms of days on the road and distances traveled. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia, pool)

Muslim women chat as a large digital advertisement board with a welcoming message for Pope Francis is displayed on the facade of a building nearby in Jakarta, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, ahead of his visit to Indonesia from Sept. 3-6. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

A man has his photo taken with a cutout of Pope Francis displayed at Jakarta Cathedral ahead of his visit to Indonesia from Sept. 3-6, in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

People walk past a welcoming signboard for Pope Francis displayed at Jakarta Cathedral in Jakarta, Indonesia, Sunday, Sept. 1, 2024, ahead of his visit to Indonesia from Sept. 3-6. (AP Photo/Dita Alangkara)

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Pope Francis urged Indonesia to live up to its promise of “harmony in diversity” and fight religious intolerance on Wednesday, as he set a rigorous pace for an 11-day, four-nation trip through tropical Southeast Asia and Oceania that will test his stamina and health.

Francis had a packed first full day in Indonesia, meeting with outgoing President Joko Widodo and other Indonesian authorities at the presidential palace, and then greeting Catholic priests, nuns and seminarians at Jakarta’s main cathedral in the afternoon.

Cannons boomed as Francis joined Widodo on the veranda of the palace along with President-elect Prabowo Subianto. A marching band, stiff-legged troops and children in traditional Indonesian dress welcomed the first pope to visit in 35 years.

In his remarks to the Indonesian authorities, Francis compared the country’s human diversity with the archipelago’s 17,000 islands. He said each one contributes something specific to form “a magnificent mosaic, in which each tile is an irreplaceable element in creating a great original and precious work.”

And yet, Francis warned that such diversity can also become a source of conflict. It was an apparent reference to episodes of intolerance that have flared in recent years in Indonesia as well as a broader concern about conflicts raging around the world.

“This wise and delicate balance, between the multiplicity of cultures and different ideological visions, and the ideals that cement unity, must be continuously defended against imbalances,” Francis said. Political leaders, he said, had a particular role to play but he also assured Widodo of the Catholic Church’s commitment to increasing interreligious dialogue.

“This is indispensable for meeting common challenges, including that of countering extremism and intolerance, which through the distortion of religion attempt to impose their views by using deception and violence.”

Regionally, internal conflict in Myanmar has forced more than 700,000 Rohingya to flee to Bangladesh, where thousands have fled overcrowded, violent camps to countries including Indonesia. Francis met with at least one Rohingya refugee upon arrival Tuesday at the Vatican’s residence in a show of support for refugees to be welcomed, not rejected.

Farther afield, Indonesia has long been a strong supporter of Palestinians and the government has regularly condemned Israel’s war in Gaza. Widodo thanked Francis for the Vatican’s support of Palestinians since the start of the war.

“War will not benefit anyone, war will only bring suffering and misery to the common people,” Widodo said. “Therefore let us celebrate the differences that we have. Let us accept each other and strengthen tolerance to realize peace, to realize a better world for all humanity.”

Francis arrived in Jakarta on Tuesday to kick off the longest, farthest and most difficult trip of his pontificate given his myriad health problems. At 87, he uses a wheelchair, has regular bouts of bronchitis and has had multiple surgeries for intestinal problems.

By the trip’s end on Sept. 13, Francis will have flown 32,814 kilometers (20,390 miles) to visit Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore, one of the longest papal trips ever in terms of days on the road and distances traveled.

In Indonesia, Francis will be seeking to support the Catholic community, which only makes up 3% of the population of some 275 million, while seeking to encourage greater ties with the country that is home to the largest Muslim population.

The highlight of Francis’ first stop will be his participation Thursday in an interfaith meeting in Jakarta’s iconic Istiqlal mosque with representatives of the six religions that are officially recognized in Indonesia: Islam, Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Catholicism and Protestantism.

While Francis will want to highlight Indonesia’s tradition of religious tolerance, the country’s image as a moderate Muslim nation has been undermined by flare-ups of intolerance. In 2021, a militant Islamic couple blew themselves up outside a packed Catholic cathedral on Indonesia’s Sulawesi island during a Palm Sunday Mass, injuring at least 20 people.

As Francis arrived, Amnesty International said it hoped his visit would encourage an end to acts of intolerance and discrimination against minority groups and truly promote a respect for religious freedom that is enshrined in the country’s constitution.

In a statement, Amnesty noted that from January 2021 to July 2024, there were at least 123 cases of intolerance, including rejection, closure or destruction of places of worship and physical attacks. The perpetrators allegedly came from various backgrounds, including government officials, residents and community organizations.

“The pope’s visit has an important role to play in encouraging Indonesia to end intolerance and discrimination against all minority groups. Freedom of religion is a right protected by the Indonesian Constitution,” said Usman Hamid, executive director of Amnesty International Indonesia.

In the afternoon, Francis meets with Indonesian clergy and nuns in Jakarta’s Our Lady of the Assumption Cathedral for his traditional pep talk to the local church. Indonesia is home to the world’s largest Catholic seminary and has long been a top source of priests and nuns for the Catholic Church, though their numbers today are not keeping pace with the growth in the overall Catholic population.

Asia, along with Africa, has long been seen as the future of the Catholic Church, both in terms of the number of baptized faithful and the number of men and women who decide to become priests or nuns. In Asia, the numbers are growing whereas longtime Catholic bastions such as Europe and the Americas have been seeing a long-term contraction both in the number of Catholics and those who enter religious life.

While Indonesia can by no means compete with India or the overwhelmingly Catholic Philippines in terms of the overall number of baptized Catholics or priests, the number of men studying to become priests is continuing to grow whereas the number of seminarians in Asia overall has started to level off or even decline in the last few years.

According to Vatican statistics as of Dec. 31, 2022, the last year for which data is available, there were 5,903 Catholic priests in Indonesia for a population of 8.29 million Catholics. While the number of seminarians studying for the priesthood in Asia has declined since 2017, including in the Philippines and India, Indonesia continued to add them, with 4,024 seminarians in 2022 compared to 3,777 in 2017.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

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