Late pope inspires student's design of 'Be Not Afraid' wristbands

Published: 2005-05-31

DUBLIN, Ireland (CNS) -- When Ireland's national soccer team plays Israel in a World Cup qualifying match June 4, many of the players will be wearing wristbands inscribed "Be Not Afraid," a phrase popularized by Pope John Paul II. As a result of a fund-raising initiative devised by Dublin student Daniel Philbin-Bowman, 16, thousands of Irish students were expected to wear the wristbands. Philbin-Bowman said he came up with the idea while watching coverage of Pope John Paul's funeral. "I was struck by what a great life of courage Pope John Paul had and how he gave courage to people," he said. "His message to people really was 'Be not afraid.'" The wristbands are on sale in shops and churches across Ireland, priced at 2 euros (US$2.50), with proceeds going to help the Turning the Tide of Suicide Group and the Irish Red Cross for their work in western Sudan's Darfur region.

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