How the Bishop linked to youth

Mary Harrison, associate director of youth ministry for the diocesan Office of Evangelization and Catechesis (OEC), noted that Bishop Howard J. Hubbard attended because of his love and support for the teens and young adults.

He was on hand in Albany July 26 at 5:15 a.m. to greet teens and their chaperons as they boarded four buses for the trip to Canada.

"We are so glad the Bishop could see the teens off," commented Jeanne Schrempf, director of the OEC.

He then took part in weekend events as part of the contingent of American bishops who gathered with Pope John Paul II for the July 27 prayer vigil and July 28 Papal Mass. The hundreds of thousands of pilgrims prevented the Bishop from linking up personally with the diocesan pilgrims before the Mass, but he called Mrs. Harrison via cell phone just as the teens were rising for a pre-dawn breakfast. They shouted an enthusiastic "Good morning, Bishop Hubbard."

When the weary teens returned to the Pastoral Center, Bishop Hubbard was waiting to welcome them home. Mrs. Schrempf noted that he remained until 11:30 p.m., when the last of the pilgrims -- 30 young adults who had been in Toronto for the full week of activities -- finally made it home

"As we sat on the steps of the Pastoral Center, waiting for our young adult group to come home," she reported, "Bishop Hubbard suddenly turned to me and said, 'Now I know why they call it World Youth Day.'" (PP)

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