Pope Francis has received the posthumous letter from the young Spanish Carmelite Pablo María de la Cruz, who entered the Order with a special permit in article mortis and who died on 15 July when he was 21 years old.
The Vatican correspondent for Cadena COPE —broadcaster of the Spanish Episcopal Conference—, Eva Fernández, has been in charge of delivering the letter to the Pontiff, along with the reminder designed by the priest for his funeral.
The Pope, on board the plane on his way to World Youth Day (WYD) in Lisbon, has let the journalist know that he was aware of the young Spaniard’s story.
In the letter, the Carmelite religious expressed to the Pope his desire to have participated in WYD in person, but in the event that he had died before, as has happened, he pledged his prayers and support:
“In that case, I hope He allows me to give you a hand —and all the better— from Heaven, making ‘trouble’ and celebrating, as you say.”
Regarding his ailment, the young man confessed to Pope Francis that “between ups and downs, better and worse days, and with much purification through illness, today I look at my life and I can confess that I have been and am happy.”
“I have discovered that the center of my life is not the illness, but Christ”, the young man emphasized in his letter, while recalling what had been repeated to those around him in recent months: “Through suffering in illness I have found God, and through death, in sickness, I will go to Him. And for that I thank Him”.
The Carmelite also shared with the Pope some reflections on the apostolic zeal of youth: “I know from experience that no one can put out the interior fire that a young man in love with Jesus can have. I ask the Lord that this fire of God’s love burn in Lisbon”.
“How I would like young people to know Jesus, my Beloved! He has given me so much, he has comforted me so much, he has made me so happy! Physically I am without strength, but the communion of saints will allow me to participate with you in a deeper way and not less”, the young Carmelite wrote.