Latin Americans return from the jubilee of young people with renewed commitment

Thousands of young people from all over Latin America recently participated in Rome in the jubilee of young people, an encounter that, beyond the celebrations, left the commitment to return to their communities to “be a call to turn on” other hearts.

Among the attendees was Argentina Micaela Cappucci, 22, a student of Industrial Engineering at the University of Buenos Aires, who assured Aci Prensa that the jubilee was a renovating impulse, especially to deepen his relationship with Jesus and strengthen ties with his friends.

On August 2, a vigil that brought together more than one million young people was held in Rome, in Rome. In that framework, Pope Leo XIV spoke about the importance of friendship and how he “can really change the world.”

Micaela recalled that the message of the Holy Father “moved a lot,” because, he said, “in today’s world it is very difficult to have a real friend, because many young people are engaged in being popular, in being the best.” He added that the Pontiff, on the other hand, invited them to “seek the friendship, friendship of Jesus, and from there to seek universal friendship.”

After the event, he confessed to feeling to “be a call to turn on, because I really feel on, I feel invited to light, invited to walk, invited to build. It was truly a huge push to live the experience of a universal church.”

A vocation that reaffirmed

Thousands of young people arrived in Mexico from Mexico. Among them was Vanessa Carmona Álvarez, 28, originally from the state of Coahuila, who shared with ACI Press that a process of discernment for consecrated life currently lives.

For the Mexican, the jubilee was the confirmation of his call, especially thanks to the blessing of the Holy Father. He reported that, after several attempts to approach Pope Leo XIV, he finally succeeded when he passed her in the Papamóvil. At that time he raised a small poster that said: “Future religious, give me his blessing.”

“He carefully observed my poster, looked at me tenderly” and gave him “his blessing,” said Vanessa.

“We looked at all the young people, we jump and hugged each other. We had all experienced as if Jesus passed between us and we were healed,” he added, describing the moment as an encounter with “Christ living, a Christ who tells us: young people are not alone, I will be with you until the end of the world.”

Upon his return from Rome, Vanessa plans to initiate spiritual exercises to subsequently enter the convent.

Young people worshiping the Eucharist

For Alvis Ríos Fuentes, 30 years old and originally from Coclé (Panama), the most important moment he experienced during the retirement days was the worship of the Blessed Sacrament in Tor Vergata.

“More than one million young people in silence worshiping the Lord, as a single church, is a time that I will treasure in my heart forever,” he told ACI Press.

Upon returning to his community, he assured that he wants to remind everyone that “Jesus Christ lives and queen, which is love and mercy and that he always awaits us with open arms in confession and in the Eucharist, in a special way.”

“Here I am, I replied to the call”

The Venezuelan Gaby Romero said that for her it was very significant to cross the Holy Gate of the Basilica of Santa María la Mayor in Rome, but, especially, to meet Pope Francis’s tomb to say: “Here I am! I replied to the call.”

Although Pope Leo XIV was the one who received the million young people gathered in Rome, since Pope Francis convened The Jubileo de la Esperanza for this 2025, Gaby felt important to express that commitment to him.

Speaking to ACI Press, he said he returns with a renewed commitment to “holiness from everyday life.” He explained that this can be lived “from our work, or any habit that we are about to have, in order to make it a virtue aimed at life full of genuine love, especially within a world dominated by technology and loneliness.”