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Above all, what is most important in all this is the huge number of those who participated and were deeply affected by the presence of the Holy Father, the crowds of pilgrims and the hospitality of our parishes. This exceeded all our expectations.

This pope has certainly had a profound and deep effect on me through his WYD. I can only imagine the tens of thousands in the world who might have shared my experience. I hope the pope continues to attend WYD, and that his successors continue this powerful opportunity to spread the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

I was in the crowd at the World Youth Day Papal Mass in Toronto. In the middle of 800,000 people, I felt utterly alone. I kept asking myself, "Is this the Church I belong to?"

What I saw saddened me. I couldn't believe that this spectacle--barely a Mass--was being televised throughout the world as the exemplar of the Catholic Church at prayer.

I couldn't believe that the organizers could insult the Pope in such a cavalier manner by making him the centrepiece of such a sorry display.