Pope Leo XIV urged young people not to be «TV addicts» in a video message on July 25, adding that the Church needs their missionary energy and their «holy rebellion.».
«Jesus does not want you to be ‘lazy young people,’ complacent, or content with the comfort of ‘that’s just the way it’s always been done,'» said Pope Leo, quoting the phrase in Spanish that Pope Francis used during his address at World Youth Day 2016 in Krakow.
The Church needs young missionaries
In a video message in Spanish sent to young people in Chota and Cutervo, Peru, on the occasion of their second Diocesan Youth Day, the Pope urged young people to «feel the call to be missionaries in their schools, their universities, on their streets, and in their fields.».
«The Church »needs your holy defiance, your pure energy, and your desire to transform situations of suffering into spaces of hope,«» said the Pope. "Serve with joy, especially the most forgotten, because that is where you will find the suffering face of Jesus.".
It was one of three video messages that Pope Leo XIV sent to youth gatherings around the world over the weekend.
In a video message dated July 26 addressed to the Aleluya Festival in Fortaleza, Brazil, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the example of St. Charles Acutis, encouraging young people never to lose the «missionary zeal that is essential for transforming this world, which desperately needs the Gospel.».
The Proper Use of Technology
«Even today, there are still many people who need to know that it is Jesus who answers their deepest longings, revealing to human beings the truth about themselves,» he said in Portuguese. «Therefore, proclaim with courage that a life without Christ is a life without grace. He is the way, the truth, and the life; it is he who gives meaning to existence and to all things.».
«Let us be inspired by the example of St. Charles Acutis: He shows us how to always keep Christ at the center, even in our use of technology,» Pope Leo told the young people of Brazil, urging them to use social media and artificial intelligence «in a moderate and disciplined way,» and warning that such tools can drag people into «an unreal world where the ephemeral, mere appearances, and deception end up taking the place of true values and what really matters.».
Enthusiasm
The Pope acknowledged that the enthusiasm felt during a celebration such as Easter can fade over time, and said that to maintain it, it is necessary to remain in God’s presence through prayer, with «constancy, perseverance, and the firm certainty that the Heavenly Father never abandons us.».
Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, he added: «Do not be afraid of Christ! He takes nothing away from you and gives you everything.».
In a third video message, sent to the young people gathered in Lamego, Portugal, on the occasion of the second National Youth Day «Rejoice,» Pope Leo reflected on his recent encounters with young Catholics—from the Youth Jubilee in Rome to a youth vigil during his apostolic trip to Spain—and expressed his excitement for World Youth Day, which will be held in Seoul, South Korea, in August 2027.
«It’s always special to be with young people, because the enthusiasm of your faith is contagious!» said the Pope.
Pope Leo encouraged young people to «channel their restlessness so that, in moments of prayer and silence, in dialogue with God, they may ask Him: “Lord, what do you want me to do in the Church and in the world? What is my vocation? Are you calling me to start a family through marriage? Or are you calling me instead to the priesthood? Or to religious life?”»
«Do not be afraid of the unease you feel! Make the most of that impulse to draw even closer to Christ and bear witness to the values of the Gospel,» said the Pope.
By Courtney Mares, OSV News
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