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August 16, 2000
Vatican raises millions to help youth travel to Rome for WYD
VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Vatican raised millions of dollars to help facilitate World Youth Day 2000 participation from developing countries, an official announced.
At a news conference Aug. 11, Marcello Bedeschi, the event's chief accountant, said contributions to the Vatican's World Youth Day solidarity fund totaled $3.5 million.
He said the money was sent to several countries in Africa, Asia, South America and Eastern Europe, including 27 nations racked by civil conflict.
"Many young people are coming because we helped them," Bedeschi said.
He said most Africans, for example, would not have been able to afford the plane fare to Rome.
All World Youth Day participants who could spare a donation were asked to contribute $10.
Attendees from one developing nation, Congo, were chosen to stay with Pope John Paul II during the weeklong youth event.
Three young people each from Congo, Sri Lanka, Tahiti, Canada and Italy will bypass the hundreds of schools, religious institutes and homes of private citizens set to host participants and make their way to the papal summer retreat at Castel Gandolfo instead.
Following the Pope's example of hospitality, several members of the Roman Curia also have thrown their doors open to young people.
U.S. Cardinal J. Francis Stafford, president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, Cardinal Camillo Ruini, papal vicar of Rome, and Archbishop Crescenzio Sepe, secretary of the Vatican's jubilee committee, were among the church officials expected to host youths in their homes.
