When he addressed today to a group of young people, professors and priests who pilgrimage to Rome from Denmark, Ireland, England, Wales and Scotland, Pope Leo XIV invited them to find “inspiration and hope in the deep example of how the saints and martyrs imitated Christ.”
The meeting took place this July 5 in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace. In his speech, the Holy Father told young people – who make life in the diocese of Copenhagen – that “Rome has always been a special home for Christians”, because it is the place where the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul delivered their lives for the announcement of the Gospel.
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Leo XIV, as the successor of St. Peter, thanked the presence of the pilgrims in the framework of the Jubilee Year and explained that a pilgrimage must be the occasion of “a deeper encounter with God” and also a very special moment to grow in life of grace and holiness, because “the Holy Spirit molds us with tenderness” to conform more and more “to the mind and heart of Jesus Christ.”
“Remember that God He has created each of you with a purpose and a mission in this life. Take this opportunity to listen, to pray, so that they can hear the voice of God more clearly that calls them deep in their hearts, ”said the Pope, referring in a special way to the youngest.
In addition, he warned that the modern world has lost the ability to “really listen”:
“We listen to music, we have the ears constantly flooded with all kinds of digital content, but sometimes we forget to listen to our own heart, and it is in our heart that God speaks to us, where God calls us and invites us to know him better and to live in his love,” said León XIV.
The Pontiff said that through that listening, young people can “be open to allow God’s grace to strengthen their faith in Jesus, so that they can more easily share that gift with others.”
Leo XIV said that his words are also addressed to teachers, due to the important role they play in the formation of young people. For them, teachers are “models of life, models of faith” and will observe them “for their way of teaching and their way of living.”
“I hope that, every day, they cultivate their relationship with Christ, who gives us the model of all authentic teaching so that, in turn, they can guide and encourage those who have been confident to follow Christ in their own lives,” he added.
Finally, Leo XIV assured them that the pilgrimage does not end when they return home, but becomes a daily pilgrimage to “follow the Lord and looking for the path that truly corresponds to us in life.”
He indicated that although it is not an easy task, while they remain faithful with the help of the Lord and all saints, “the experience of this pilgrimage will continue to bear fruit throughout their lives.”
Andrés Henríquez
I was born in Caracas in 1996. I am a writer for ACI Press and correspondent of EWTN since 2023. Since then, I cover events of the Catholic Church in Venezuela, Latin America and the world. I have more than 6 years of experience in bilingual media. In addition, in Venezuela I have worked from various fields for freedom and respect for fundamental rights in the country. I am a member of the Regnum Christi Federation since 2014.