Local Mormon volunteers in Canada for Catholic World Youth Day

Elder Jack Olen Levacy-Sabin of Wasilla never thought his missionary service for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints would include sweeping a parking lot to prepare it for use as a landing pad for the Pope's helicopter. But that's just one of the tasks he and hundreds of other Mormon missionaries were assigned during preparations for World Youth Day in Toronto, a worldwide Catholic gathering called by Pope John Paul II.

The missionaries also helped the Health Services Department set up and stock four hospital tents and a central hospital, where their cheerful willingness to serve and their efficiency quickly made them one of the favorite volunteer groups.

"I enjoy doing service, so this was a good opportunity," said Levacy-Sabin.

Some of the missionaries helped care for and deliver a ton of fresh cut flowers that were transformed into bouquets and arrangements by Flora Nabrotzky, a Mormon florist from Teeswater, Ontario. The flowers were donated by Gary Miller, a California Mormon church leader, and adorned the residences of the Pope and his entourage, the papal dinner for Canadian bishops, and the Catholic concert stages.

The missionaries were part of the Toronto area Latter-day Saint group that volunteered more than 15,000 hours of service.

The Mormon churches in the greater Toronto area worked hard to prepare their members to volunteer, producing both recruitment and training videos.

In the latter, both Catholic and Mormon leaders thanked the LDS volunteers and suggested that they work hard, and in the spirit of Christian service, respect the Catholic directions given, and remember the reason for their service.

Toronto area LDS church leader Russell Willmott quoted 92-year old prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, who asked all members to "give Christian service in the communities where they live, to be good neighbors, and to be kind to other people's children." Willmott said that his church volunteered for this Catholic event because "We believe in Jesus Christ. We try to follow his example of loving and serving all peoples. We stand with the Catholics on the sanctity of life and high moral standards."

During the recent Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, the Mormons emphasized that they are "friends to all nations."

Perry Spice, chairman of LDS volunteers, said, "The LDS church in the Toronto area has members from 120 different countries. Our local members can relate very well to the World Youth Day participants from more than 140 different countries, many speaking the Catholic pilgrim languages and understanding their cultures."

The Catholics and Mormons have performed humanitarian service together through their relief charities during times of natural disasters. They also share the vision of improving the quality of life for those in need around the world, regardless of their religious faith. The LDS church was one of the first on the ground in Afghanistan with food, shelter, bedding, and winter clothes during the war on terrorism.

The two churches also joined forces to give relief during recent devastating fires in Australia and flooding in Texas. Plus, the Mormon-sponsored Brigham Young University and the Vatican library have joined forces to make the Catholics' most ancient religious manuscripts in Rome available to scholars.

Levacy-Sabin and his fellow volunteers followed the example set by Mormons during the first World Youth Day held in North America, in Denver in 1993. The LDS participation led to close friendships between Utah church leaders and James Francis Cardinal Stafford, then Archbishop in Denver. Stafford is now a Cardinal at the Vatican and president of the Pontifical Council for the Laity, the Catholic agency that administers the Pontiff World Youth Days and other international matters.

Cardinal Stafford's close ties to the Mormons led to their volunteering at the 2002 events in Toronto.