(from our correspondent in Panama) “We can all be saints: even when we think that our existence has no great value because we have committed so many sins. We can all live and achieve holiness. Holiness takes us away from spiritual and material corruption, from everything that is evil and offensive to God”. The Archbishop of Panama, Mgr. Jose Domingo Ulloa Mendieta, used these words to exhort young people at the WYD Opening Mass in Panama last night. “A saint defends the defenceless, the unborn, and those born in misery. A saint defends migrants, seeks justice, prays, lives, and loves their community. A saint is joyful and has a sense of humour, always struggles, gets out of mediocrity, lives the mercy of God, and shares with their neighbour. Being holy is not a myth, it is a palpable reality”. As the lives of WYD patron saints show us. The archbishop recalled them one by one, including Saint Oscar Romero, unleashing the applause of the thousands of young people present. “All of these saints – he concluded – show us that holiness is possible, in all cultures and ethnic groups, regardless of sex or age. The generous gift of their lives to God and their neighbour led them to holiness”.