Arviat (Apr 13/05) - Back in 1993, Ronnie Illaungiayok wanted to attend World Youth Day in Denver, Colorado, and meet Pope John Paul II.

He couldn't make it then, but he never gave up trying.

Illaungiayok's dream came true in April 2001, when he, Nadine Lamoureux, Larry Kablutsiak and Natasha St. John performed for the Pope in St. Peter's Square in Rome.

"I was the only one drum dancing," recalled Illaungiayok on the phone from his job at the Northern Store in Arviat last week.

"At first I was nervous. But when I started my nervousness was gone," he said. "Maybe because of the spiritual thing. Or the Holy Ghost, the spirit. I wasn't nervous."

Illaungiayok was sad when he heard the news about the Pope's death. The trip to Rome really changed his life for the better.

"I was kind of shocked," said Illaungiayok.

"For one last time I was thinking of going there," he said saying he wished he could have been in those crowds in St. Peter's Square to say a final goodbye to the Pope.

In 2001, Illaungiayok had his picture taken with John Paul.

"I kissed his ring," said Illaungiayok. He had two copies made of the picture, one for himself, the other for his parents.

"I miss him a lot," said Illaungiayok.

He now works for the Catholic mission in Arviat.

Life-changing event

Lamoureux now works at the Mikilaaq Centre in Arviat.

"We all had a chance to go up to the Pope twice," she recalled. "It was a very peaceful moment."

She calls the news of the Pope's death, "very peaceful," adding, "things change."

Leon Paneok, 27, also of Arviat, met the Pope in Toronto in August 2002, during World Youth Day.

"I greeted the Pope as a representative of Nunavut," he said. "I was supposed to kiss his ring but I was too excited so I shook his hand."

Meeting the Catholic church leader made a lasting impression on Paneok.

"It gave me a stronger reason to live," he said.

"When he died I was happy he was no longer suffering," said Paneok. "He's done a great deal for the world, the Catholic world."