To the Editor:
In a recent article, Father Ron Rolheiser proposed that we need “a new kind of saint, an individual man or woman who can model for us practically what it means to live out the Gospel in a context of affluence and secularity.”
The same edition of The Catholic Messenger (and editions since) included reflections on the National Catholic Youth Conference where 20,000 teens, including my oldest, had their faith ignited by three days of music, speakers, groups, eucharistic adoration, Masses and reconciliation.
What can we do to keep that faith ignited? Father Rolheiser’s proposal provides the answer, and in my mind, the new kind of saint to lead the youth, and to lead us all, is each one of us. We are all called to be saints: to live our lives full of love and compassion for everyone we meet, to “do ordinary things with extraordinary love” (Saint Teresa), to walk with others and truly listen to them, to accompany them on the journey and to allow them to accompany us. We may not feel like saints because we are not perfect, but by being honest about and trying to improve our imperfections, we show others that it is possible for us all to be saints.
Julie Zude
Davenport
