杏MAP导航 Francis tells youth in Rome to be true to themselves
By Linda Bordoni
杏MAP导航 Francis visited a parish in Rome鈥檚 periphery on Friday afternoon for a meeting with a group of boys and girls who are preparing to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee.
The Holy See Press Office released a statement by the Dicastery for Evangelization on Friday afternoon that said the meeting took place within the 鈥淪chool of Prayer鈥� initiative, that prepares young Catholics for the Jubilee Year.
The Holy Father, who was accompanied by the Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, left the Vatican at about 4 o鈥檆lock in the afternoon and travelled to the Parish of Saint Bernadette Soubirous in an eastern city suburb.,
The visit was part of a 鈥淵ear of Prayer鈥� initiative, and during the encounter, the 杏MAP导航 answered questions put to him by the young people about their life of faith and prayer.
This meeting comes on the heels of his April 11 meeting with 200 children preparing for First Communion at the Rome parish of Saint John Mary Vianney.
A surprise visit
The statement revealed that the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 arrival at the parish community was a 鈥渟urprise鈥� and that he was warmly welcomed by the young people gathered for the weekly meeting.
The group included catechists, youth group leaders, and scouts, who interacted with him and posed several questions.
Tiziano, for example, asked the 杏MAP导航 how to discern one's vocation.
鈥淓ach one of us must ask this question,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis responded, 鈥渂ecause the Lord has a plan for each of us. Everyone must try to understand what the Lord wants from us and ask Him.鈥� Thus, he then shared his experience as a young man who had started working when he entered the seminary: 鈥淎sk the Lord in prayer: what do you want from me?鈥�
Friendship
The 杏MAP导航 also emphasized the importance for young people to never walk alone and to cultivate friendship.
鈥淪ometimes we can get lost in the labyrinths of life. The main thing to get out of a dark moment is not to walk alone, because alone you lose direction. It's important to talk about your situation,鈥� 杏MAP导航 Francis said.
Get moving!
To a young man who confessed to not believing in God, the 杏MAP导航 highlighted the importance of undertaking a journey: 鈥淣o one is condemned if they don鈥檛 believe. It鈥檚 important to be on the move. If I see a young person who doesn't move, who just sits there in life, who doesn鈥檛 like to move, it鈥檚 sad. But if I see a young person who falls into apathy and then moves on, hats off to him. Get moving for an ideal!鈥�
Giving life is a message of hope
In a conversation with a young married couple, he expressed concern about the declining birthrate in Italy and the importance of giving life, which, he said, 鈥渋s always a message of great Hope.鈥�
Finally, he said that for the Church to be credible, 鈥渋t must strip itself of all worldliness.鈥� 鈥淭he values of the Church,鈥� he added, 鈥渁re those of the Gospel, not those of a society that calls itself Catholic.鈥�
Before concluding, 杏MAP导航 Francis thanked everyone present and gave each of them a copy of the Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee, in the new edition with the introduction by Pro-Prefect Monsignor Rino Fisichella.
Be authentic!
鈥淭hank you for your testimonies, I am very happy with your authenticity, keep it up, be true to yourselves, always seeking the path of life,鈥� the 杏MAP导航 concluded: 鈥淥ne piece of advice: take risks for life, with high ideals.鈥�
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