Pinay chosen for Q&A with Pope

source: philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines - Twenty-six-year-old Kritzia Santos of the Philippines represented Asia in a special question and answer session with Pope Benedict XVI at the World Youth Day in Madrid, Spain.

Santos was one of five young Catholics given the opportunity to ask the Pope directly on youth issues just before the Saturday (Madrid time) vigil at the World Youth Day (WYD) festival in Madrid, the CBCPNews reported. Santos, according to CBCPNews, is the only Filipino WYD volunteer and a member of Regnum Christi, an apostolic lay movement. The report did not mention further details regarding her identity.

Before 1.5 million pilgrims, she asked the Pontiff how should modern young people balance their desire for success with the call to be Christian.

“It is my desire to reach high goals, but success and big dreams are always linked to amassing wealth and high positions. How can I be faithful to my faith without distancing myself from society?” she asked the Holy Father. Pope Benedict XVI replied, “In the Gospel, Jesus gives us an answer. Deep in our hearts, we yearn for what is grand and beautiful in life, but ground them in Jesus.”

In an interview with YouthPinoy! Santos said that at first she was hesitant to accept the invitation to take part in the Q&A “because I’m a very shy person, I didn’t want to.”

After almost three months in Madrid coordinating the WYD volunteers for Asia, Santos was nervous but ecstatic when she received the offer.

“It’s such a blessing... I don’t deserve many things I receive in my life,” she said referring to her experience.

source: philstar.com