Pope Leo XIV sent a video message encouraging attendees of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival, held Nov. 30-Dec. 2, to grow close to God and trust Him more than the culture.
“As Christians, before listening to our friends or the wider-culture, we should first turn to God, our Heavenly Father, who, at the moment of our baptism, made each one of us His beloved son or daughter,” he said in the message.
The message began with a greeting in which the Holy Father assured attendees of his prayers. He then observed that youth is both a “wonderful” time and a challenging one.
“Finding one’s place in the world seems to be even harder today, as societies are constantly changing, traditional values are frequently looked down upon, and technology while containing positive elements can also leave us more isolated from each other,” he said.
The Pope said that amid the uncertainty of the world today, young people must look to God to understand their purpose.
“Our lives, therefore, find their ultimate purpose in becoming who God made us to be, in other words, by living out his will in our lives,” he said.
The Pontiff recalled Saint Catherine of Siena’s injunction to “be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire.” He then reflected on how two recently canonized saints, Saint Pier Giorgio Frassati and Saint Carlo Acutis, demonstrate what it means to follow St. Catherine’s advice.
While the two young saints had very different personalities, the Pope explained that both were very close to God and tried to do His will, which caused a profound joy.
“Saint Carlo Acutis famously said, ‘All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies,’” Pope Leo told attendees. “Do not let that happen to you! Each one of you has been created with a unique personality, possessing different strengths, weaknesses, talents, and skills, and you have a specific life journey to live out these qualities with joy.”
Pope Leo further encouraged those who are called to the priesthood or consecrated life to be courageous and respond to the call.
“Do not try merely to imitate others; instead, listen to what God is calling you to be and do,” he said. “In particular, I am sure that the Lord is calling some of you to serve him in the priesthood or consecrated life. Please have the courage to say ‘yes’!”
The Holy Father explained that to hear God’s voice, a person must grow close to Him, particularly through prayer and the sacraments.
He noted that “as with any other relationship, to be a better daughter, son, brother, or sister, we have to live out those relationships with greater love, commitment and sacrifice.”
He encouraged attendees to bring their experience at the youth festival home with them to build up the Kingdom of God in their own ways. Before blessing attendees at the conclusion of his remarks, Pope Leo entrusted those present to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and Saint Mary Mackillop, Australia’s first canonized saint.
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