From now until April 27, members of the “JPII generation,” and others
who were impacted by Venerable Pope John Paul II, can submit a message
that will be brought to the late Pope's tomb during his Beatification
on May 1.
The Knights of Columbus are collecting the letters through the
website HeadlineBistro.com.
After April 27, they will be printed and
brought to the Pope's resting place in the Vatican by Supreme Knight
Carl A. Anderson.
The head of the Knights of Columbus will be attending the ceremony
along with a delegation from the Supreme Council of the fraternal and
charitable organization.
Matthew St. John, a spokesman for the Knights, told CNA on Feb. 28 that the idea originated with Anderson himself.
“This was Supreme Knight Carl Anderson's idea,” St. John explained,
“to give the generation named for Pope John Paul II a way through which
they could share their love for him and their thanks for his leadership.”
“It is clear that Pope John Paul II importantly shaped the lives of so many young people,” he noted.
Although anyone may submit a letter, the project is especially geared
toward members of the “John Paul II generation” of Catholic young
adults.
This group of Catholics, who came of age during his pontificate, had a
special bond with the Pope – due in part to his inauguration of World
Youth Day, and many other ways in which he demonstrated concern for the
contemporary realities shaping their lives.
In a recent interview with CNA, the Supreme Knight observed that
young people, who “especially look for authenticity,” could feel a
genuine bond of love between themselves and Pope John Paul II.
“That relationship,” Anderson said, was “the secret of so many World
Youth Days.”
He described the beatification of the late Pope as a
“validation” of the experience that young people had, in encountering
the Pope's paternal care for them.