World Youth Day 2005 in Cologne: Two Young Canadian Volunteers Join WYD Team in Germany

Wednesday, October 06 2004

(CCCB-Ottawa)  Beginning November 1, two young Canadians will join the World Youth Day 2005 organizing committee in Germany to help with preparations for the event to be held in Cologne, August 16-21, 2005.

Cynthia Crevier and Véronique Rondeau will be part of a team of volunteers from around the world working with the German organizing committee to make the largest youth gathering in the world a continuing success.

Already having experienced World Youth Day in the past, both volunteers are very excited about being chosen to work with the German team.   “To work in Cologne,” Cynthia Crevier said, “will be my modest contribution to this unique event which motivated my faith and permits young people to gather together in the name of their faith and in complete friendship.”

Véronique Rondeau has similar sentiments.  “Having already taken part in WYD in Paris and Toronto, I have had the chance to know the intensity of this event which revitalized my faith and allowed me to take it well in hand,” she said.  “To be able to work for the WYD 2005 organization is like being able to pass on this spiritual awakening to other young people.   I hope that others, like me, will be able to discover the joy of friendship in Christ, the richness of our faith and the exciting mission of being a young Christian in today’s world.”

Ms. Crevier, 30, is from Île Perrot in the Diocese of Valleyfield.  Possessing a background in tourism, she has worked in recent years in communications for the diocese and as a secretary for the Sulpician fathers in Montreal.  Ms. Rondeau, 22, is studying English and French at the University of Ottawa and hopes to pursue a career in education.   She spent four years with the Famille Marie-Jeunesse, a spiritual community for young people.

Launched in the 1980s by Pope John Paul II, World Youth Day has become a celebration of faith.  Young people come together to share their experiences and celebrate in the company of the Holy Father.  In 2002, Toronto hosted young people from more than 160 countries for World Youth Day with more than 800,000 people gathered together for the final Mass celebrated by Pope John Paul II. This was the largest gathering ever in Canadian history.