“I always desire to remain close to God, because it is to God that I give first place in my life.” These lines were found in the diary of seventeen-year-old Jo Wilson, who unexpectedly passed away at the age of seventeen. Just five days after his seventeenth birthday, on 20 December 2011, Jo breathed his last at Wishaw General Hospital. His passing was sudden and unforeseen, and it left his family, friends, and all who knew him heartbroken.
Jo was born in 1994 in Carfin, North Lanarkshire, as the son of Alan and Veronica Wilson. He belonged to a Catholic family of Irish and Scottish heritage. His home was within walking distance of Carfin Grotto, the national Marian shrine of Scotland, often referred to as the “Lourdes of Scotland.” Jo was a frequent visitor there. When he fell into a coma due to a heart condition, hundreds gathered before the grotto, lighting candles and praying fervently for his recovery. Like the Blessed Mother, Thérèse of Lisieux had also captured Jo’s heart. The spirituality of the “Little Flower” deeply attracted him.
Jo was remarkably different from other young people of his age. He was a teenager marked by deep faith, a joyful disposition, and compassion for the marginalized and the poor. This is how others described him. Once, during a class discussion on saints, the teacher asked the students what kind of saint they would like to see in the present age. Almost unanimously, they pointed to Jo—an indication that even during his lifetime, he was recognized as someone living a saintly life.
In 2010, the news that Pope Benedict XVI would visit Scotland filled Jo with great joy. He wrote: “When the Pope comes, I prayed the Rosary for many conversions. Jesus is present on the altar—or at least as close as we can possibly be to Him on earth. I know the world will never be perfect. That is why I want to be a believer.”
“Think about those who suffer because of war, who are hungry, rejected, persecuted, unloved. I am certain that all these people, considered the most unfortunate on earth, are seated on the highest thrones in heaven. How comforting that is!” These reflections from Jo’s writings clearly reveal the depth of his relationship with God.
Jo’s death was caused by a rare heart condition known as Wolff–Parkinson–White syndrome. His parents and younger sister found some strength to bear the pain of his sudden loss, perhaps because they had witnessed his deep love for God, expressed through his zeal for attending the Holy Qurbana, prayer, and leading others closer to God. It was while preparing a memorial tribute that his father discovered Jo’s personal diary, which he had been quietly writing since the age of fifteen. It opened a window into his inner spiritual life and revealed how profoundly he loved God. In his diary, Jo had written that although he once desired to become a doctor, his present aspiration was to become a priest.
In 2012, the headmaster of his school suggested publishing selected excerpts from Jo’s diary. These were released under the title “Jo’s Words.” It was through these writings that Jo began to be regarded by many as an extraordinary witness of faith. People started praying to him and seeking his intercession. Even those unfamiliar with the Church or the lives of the saints sensed a fragrance of holiness in his words. The Diocese of Motherwell has now initiated the preliminary steps toward his cause for canonization. If miracles, as required by the Church, are obtained through his intercession, Jo Wilson may one day be recognized as the first millennial saint from Scotland.
