WASHINGTON (August 15, 2000) -- Isadodelis (Isa) Tejada of Cranston, Rhode Island, and Alejandro (Alex) Madrigal of Miami, Florida, will represent the Catholic Church in the United States at the Vatican'S VII International Youth Forum, this year slated for Rome, August 12-15, before World Youth Day.

The two young leaders will join other Catholic young adults from around the globe to participate in multicultural presentations, group discussions and prayer.

The Forum precedes World Youth Day, which is slated for August 15-20, and is expected to include the participation of Pope John Paul II. More than 17,000 Catholic youth and young adults will attend from the United States alone and over 1 million young people from all over the world are expected for the Closing Vigil/Mass. Forum participants will have key roles at World Youth Day events.

Ms. Tejada is a graduate student in Spanish Literature at the University of Rhode Island and also teaches Spanish. She is a staff member for Office for Youth Ministry in the Diocese of Providence and is also Diocesan Coordinator for Hispanic Youth Ministry.

Mr. Madrigal is studying Business Administration at the University of Miami and also works as the Travel Manager there. He is the Coordinator of Encuentro Juveniles, a youth movement for Hispanics in the Archdiocese of Miami.

Ms. Tejada and Mr. Madrigal were named to represent United States Catholic youth by Bishop Joseph Fiorenza, President of the National Conference of Catholic Bishops.

The International Youth Forum is hosted by the Vatican's Pontifical Council for the Laity, which is headed by U.S. Cardinal J. Francis Stafford. Each country is invited to send two young delegates who have experience in the field of youth and young adult ministry and who on their return home can transmit to others the experiences they will have acquired.

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