Local Group Participated in
World Youth Day '97 in Paris
Eighteen "pilgrims" from St. Thomas and St. Francis Xavier Churches in Little Meadows and Friendsville were among the hundreds of thousands of people from all over the world who made a pilgrimage to Paris, France, to attend World Youth Day '97 with Pope John Paul II from August 19 through 25. During the six-day event, young people participated in Mass said by the Pope; Prayers; Stations of the Cross; Catechetical Programs which included Christian rock music, sing-alongs, and witness talks; as well as cultural and spiritual activities. They also joined to form a human chain around Paris for 90 seconds.

The group from Little Meadows and Friendsville was part of a 174-person delegation from the Diocese of Scranton. All but 21 members of this group chose not to join the 1.5 million people at an overnight, outside vigil on Saturday, August 23, and at the Pope's closing Mass on Sunday, August 24, because of concerns the group had about the more-than-expected crowd, inadequate security and emergency personnel, and intense heat.

Before arriving in Paris, the group from the Scranton Diocese spent five days in Italy where they toured Rome, Assisi, Florence, and Bologna.

Pilgrims from the local group were: Fred "FJ" Brown, III of Apalachin; Aaron and Emily Copeland of Warren Center, Barb and Tony Casterline of Warren Center, Joe and Maggie Jones of Warren Center; Rhyan and Steven Kleiner of Little Meadows, Ben Nelson of Friendsville, Cathleen and Michael Boyeck of Towanda, and Jessica Severcool of Montrose; Chaperones Gail Lutz of Warren Center, Mary Ann Casterline of Warren Center, Denise Kleiner of Little Meadows, and Sheila Boyeck of Towanda; and Father William Langan, Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Little Meadows, and St. Francis Xavier Church, Friendsville, Pa.



Rome, Italy Paris, France Paris, France Photos by

FJ Brown III


How Ya Gonna Keep 'Em Down on the Farm After They've Seen Paree? -Young people from the Little Meadows area pose for a group photo at the Eiffel Tower in Paris.


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World Youth Day '97

August 19 - 25

Photos by

FJ Brown III