In 1993, Saint John Paul II came to Denver, Colorado, for World Youth Day. It was covered by the media, both Catholic and secular, and by all accounts, it was a peaceful, joyful, inspirational experience.

Among those young people who attended that event were several young men who were discerning a vocation to priesthood in the Diocese of Brooklyn from the House of Formation in Douglaston, including now Fathers Robert Adamo, John Cush, Fulgencio Gutierrez, Christopher O’Connor, Cuong Pham and Luke Trocha. In that same group was a young woman from Guardian Angel parish in Brighton Beach, Linda Graffeo, who now serves the Church as Sister Mary Loretta of the Sisters of Life.

And there were many more young people at that World Youth Day, and in the ones that had occurred before and since, who were inspired by the events to serve the Church as a priest, religious, or dedicated lay person.

Now we come to this World Youth Day, this time in Poland, the homeland of Saint John Paul II with a different Holy Father, Pope Francis, with other young people. Fathers O’Connor and Adamo are among the many priests of the Brooklyn Diocese in attendance along with three of our bishops.

Different location, different pope, different young people, and yet the same goal: for young people to come together, as a family of faith, in the presence of the Holy Father, to be inspired and to be inspiring.

Representing the Diocese of Brooklyn and Queens are 600 young people, the largest of any American contingent, including seminarians and other young men and women who will use this opportunity to truly discern their vocations.

It is our prayer that the media, both Catholic and secular, will truly cover this World Youth Day and tell the whole story – that the faith is alive and well among young people; that young people can be and truly are leaders in the Church and the world; that, despite problems, difficulties and anxieties, the Church is alive in the world, in our country and in our diocese.

No doubt the Democratic National Convention has occupied our attention in terms of the media, and it should. This is an important year in the history of our nation, one which will determine our nation’s and our world’s future.

But so too is what is happening in Poland this week. We looked to Cleveland and Philadelphia to assess the leaders of our nations as they come together.

However, we should not neglect to look to Poland, to World Youth Day, to see the future leaders of our world, our nation, our city, and our diocese come together. World Youth Day is too important an event not to report, even when other things are happening in the world!