Two planks of wood, a picture of a mother and her son, a message on a stick were the symbols that accompanied us on this momentous pilgrimage around our diocese.

Words are not enough to tell you how our lives were changed but also of the countless youth that became open to their faith. But these stories need to be told to understand how these symbols of Love, Hope Peace and Sorrow were accepted by the youth of our diocese and how they took ownership and responsibility over them.

They can not all be told in articles but the stories are in the midst of our communities wanting a voice and want to be heard. The realization that you come to after traveling with this Cross, Icon and Message Stick is that millions of people have touched these symbols, that identify with our faith and over the past twenty-four years, the people that have touched these symbols have left a part of their soul, their hopes and dreams for a better tomorrow their sorrow at the terrible things that have happened in our world.

As we prepare to go towards World Youth Day and beyond, I urge and hope our faith communities ask and accept the youth to get involved in a community of faith to be open to their ideas and embrace them, for they are today's future, ready and waiting to be accepted and given an opportunity to be trusted.

There are many stories that have not yet been told by the youth that encountered the Cross or by the young at heart. I pray that you will find a voice and that voice will help other to be open to their faith.