At 3:00pm today, the helicopter carrying the Holy Father, Pope Francis landed in the courtyard adjacent to the Sanctuario dell'Addolorata in Castelpetroso. The Holy Father was greeted there by the Mayor, Mister Fabio D'Uva, and then travelled by car to the Shrine, where he was welcomed by the Rector, Father Massimo Muccillo, along with his confreres.
At 3:30pm, after a moment of private prayer in the Shrine, the Holy Father met with youth from the Dioceses of Abruzzo and Molise in the piazza outside the Shrine.
Following the words of greeting spoken by His Excellency, Pietro Santoro, Bishop of Avezzano and by the Delegate for youth ministry, as well as one of the young women who was present, the Holy Father offered the following discourse:
Dear young people, good afternoon!
I thank you for your abundant and joyful presence. I wish to thank Monsignor Pietro Santoro for his pastoral presence with youth, and I thank you too, Sara, who acted as spokesperson, speaking about the hopes and the preoccupations of the youth of Abruzzo and Molise.
The enthusiasm and the festive atmosphere that you have created here is contagious. Enthusiasm is contagious. But do you know the origin of the word enthusiasm? It comes from the greek language and means to have something of God within. Enthusiasm, when it is healthy, demonstrates this: that someone has something within which comes from God, and this something is joyously expressed. You are open - with this enthusiasm - to hope and you desire it in all its fullness, you want to make sense of your future, of your entire life, to catch a glimpse of the path that is suitable for each of you and to choose the way that will bring you serenity and the fullness of human potential. A suitable path, choosing the way ... what does this mean? Don't stand still - a young person cannot stand still! - he or she has to continue the journey. But this means that you must be going toward something, otherwise you can be moving around and not moving toward anything in particular, remaining an itinerant, who is always on the move: moving, moving moving all through life ... But life is not made to always be on the move, it is made for a journey, and this is your challenge.
On one level, you are searching for what really matters, for that which remains stable over time and that which is definitive, you are searching for answers that will illuminate your minds and warm your hearts not only for just a morning or for a brief moment along the journey, but permanently. Ongoing light for your hearts, ongoing light for your minds, ongoing warmth for your hearts, something permanent. On another level, you experience the overwhelming fear of making a mistake - it is true, those who are on the journey can make mistakes - they can experience the fear of getting too involved in things - you have already experienced this, many times - the temptation to always ensure the presence of even a little possibility of escape, which on occasion can open new scenarios and possibilities. I am going in this direction, I choose this direction, but I leave the door open; if my choice does not please me, I can return and continue on. This kind of provision is not good, it is not good because you end up with a closed mind and a cold heart.
Contemporary society and its prevailing cultural models - for example, the temporary culture - does not offer a favourable climate for the formation of stable life choices with solid ties, built on the rock of love and responsibility rather than on the sand of passing emotions. The desire for individual autonomy is at times pushed even to the point of always questioning everything and of breaking with relative ease, some important and long pondered choices, even life paths which were freely undertaken with commitment and dedication. This attitude feeds the superficiality of taking responsibility, for in the depth of the soul, there is always the hope of consideration for something which can still be freely received. Today, I choose this, tomorrow I will chose something else ... like the wind comes and goes, so do I; or when my enthusiasm is no more, my wish is to begin another path ... So go the twists and turns of life, like a labyrinth. But our life journey does not unfold in a labyrinth! When you find yourselves twisting and turning in a labyrinth, going here, going there, ... stop! Find the way out of the labyrinth; find the way: you can't truly enjoy life if you spend your time turning in circles.
However, dear young people, the human heart aspires to great things, to important values, to profound friendships, to bonds which are strengthened rather than weakened or broken by the trials of life. Human beings aspire to love and to be loved. This is our deepest longing: to love and to be loved; and we desire definitive love. The temporary culture does not value our freedom, but deprives us of our true destiny, of the most genuine and authentic values. This situation is truly sad. It is sad when we arrive at a certain age, when we look at the journey of life that we have lived and find that it was a life of various choices, but without any unity, without definition: when everything was based on the moment ... Don't let yourselves be robbed of the desire to do great things with your lives! This advice will serve you well for the future! Don't be content with little choices! Aspire to happiness, have courage, the courage to go beyond yourselves, to fully engage in the adventure of your future together with Jesus.
Alone we cannot do it. Faced with the pressure of events and fashions, we will not be able to find the right path, and even if we could find it, we would not have enough strength to persevere, to deal with the climbs and unforeseen obstacles. And here comes the invitation of the Lord Jesus: If you want ... follow me. He invites us to allow him to accompany us on the journey. Only with Jesus, praying and following him, will we find clarity of vision and the strength to carry on. He loves us, definitively, he has chosen us definitively, he has given himself to each of us definitively. He is our defender and brother and will be our only judge. How nice to be able to face the vicissitudes of life in the company of Jesus, to have with us his person and his message! He does not take away autonomy or freedom; on the contrary, he strengthens us in our fragility, allowing us to be truly free, free to do good, strong to continue doing so, able to forgive and to ask for forgiveness.
God never gets tired of forgiving. He forgives definitively, cancelling and forgetting our sin if we turn to Him with humility and trust. He helps us not to be discouraged by difficulties, to not consider them as insurmountable; and then, trusting in Him, will throw out the nets again for an amazing and plentiful catch. He helps us to have courage and hope even when dealing with the difficulties resulting from the effects of the economic crisis. Courage and hope are gifts given to all but are especially suited to young people. The future is in the hands of God, and Jesus, the Only Begotten Son, assuring us that they are the hands of a provident Father. This is not to deny difficulties and problems, but to see them, yes, as temporary and surmountable. The difficulties, the crises, with the help of God and the good will of all can be overcome, won, transformed.
We are gathered in front of the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, erected in the place where in 1888 two girls of this land, Fabiana and Serafina, had a vision of the Mother of God as they worked in the fields. Mary always helps us when we work and when we are in search of work, when we have clear ideas and when we are confused, when prayer comes spontaneously and when the heart is dry. Mary is the Mother of God, our Mother, and the Mother of the Church. Many men and women, young and old have turned to her to say thank you and to ask a favour. Mary leads us to Jesus, our peace. We have recourse to her, trusting in her help, with courage and hope. May the Lord bless each of you and your families.
Thank you.
Now, let us pray to Our Lady, all together: Hail Mary ....
(Blessing)
Please, I ask you to pray for me: please, do it! And don't forget: journey through life, don't just wander through life! Thank you!
Concluding his meeting with young people from the Dioceses of Abruzzo and Molise, the Pope departed by car from the Shrine of Castelpetroso and travelled to Isernia.
At 3:30pm, after a moment of private prayer in the Shrine, the Holy Father met with youth from the Dioceses of Abruzzo and Molise in the piazza outside the Shrine.
Following the words of greeting spoken by His Excellency, Pietro Santoro, Bishop of Avezzano and by the Delegate for youth ministry, as well as one of the young women who was present, the Holy Father offered the following discourse:
Speech of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the meeting with youth from the
Dioceses of Abruzzo and Molise
Dear young people, good afternoon!
I thank you for your abundant and joyful presence. I wish to thank Monsignor Pietro Santoro for his pastoral presence with youth, and I thank you too, Sara, who acted as spokesperson, speaking about the hopes and the preoccupations of the youth of Abruzzo and Molise.
The enthusiasm and the festive atmosphere that you have created here is contagious. Enthusiasm is contagious. But do you know the origin of the word enthusiasm? It comes from the greek language and means to have something of God within. Enthusiasm, when it is healthy, demonstrates this: that someone has something within which comes from God, and this something is joyously expressed. You are open - with this enthusiasm - to hope and you desire it in all its fullness, you want to make sense of your future, of your entire life, to catch a glimpse of the path that is suitable for each of you and to choose the way that will bring you serenity and the fullness of human potential. A suitable path, choosing the way ... what does this mean? Don't stand still - a young person cannot stand still! - he or she has to continue the journey. But this means that you must be going toward something, otherwise you can be moving around and not moving toward anything in particular, remaining an itinerant, who is always on the move: moving, moving moving all through life ... But life is not made to always be on the move, it is made for a journey, and this is your challenge.
On one level, you are searching for what really matters, for that which remains stable over time and that which is definitive, you are searching for answers that will illuminate your minds and warm your hearts not only for just a morning or for a brief moment along the journey, but permanently. Ongoing light for your hearts, ongoing light for your minds, ongoing warmth for your hearts, something permanent. On another level, you experience the overwhelming fear of making a mistake - it is true, those who are on the journey can make mistakes - they can experience the fear of getting too involved in things - you have already experienced this, many times - the temptation to always ensure the presence of even a little possibility of escape, which on occasion can open new scenarios and possibilities. I am going in this direction, I choose this direction, but I leave the door open; if my choice does not please me, I can return and continue on. This kind of provision is not good, it is not good because you end up with a closed mind and a cold heart.
Contemporary society and its prevailing cultural models - for example, the temporary culture - does not offer a favourable climate for the formation of stable life choices with solid ties, built on the rock of love and responsibility rather than on the sand of passing emotions. The desire for individual autonomy is at times pushed even to the point of always questioning everything and of breaking with relative ease, some important and long pondered choices, even life paths which were freely undertaken with commitment and dedication. This attitude feeds the superficiality of taking responsibility, for in the depth of the soul, there is always the hope of consideration for something which can still be freely received. Today, I choose this, tomorrow I will chose something else ... like the wind comes and goes, so do I; or when my enthusiasm is no more, my wish is to begin another path ... So go the twists and turns of life, like a labyrinth. But our life journey does not unfold in a labyrinth! When you find yourselves twisting and turning in a labyrinth, going here, going there, ... stop! Find the way out of the labyrinth; find the way: you can't truly enjoy life if you spend your time turning in circles.
However, dear young people, the human heart aspires to great things, to important values, to profound friendships, to bonds which are strengthened rather than weakened or broken by the trials of life. Human beings aspire to love and to be loved. This is our deepest longing: to love and to be loved; and we desire definitive love. The temporary culture does not value our freedom, but deprives us of our true destiny, of the most genuine and authentic values. This situation is truly sad. It is sad when we arrive at a certain age, when we look at the journey of life that we have lived and find that it was a life of various choices, but without any unity, without definition: when everything was based on the moment ... Don't let yourselves be robbed of the desire to do great things with your lives! This advice will serve you well for the future! Don't be content with little choices! Aspire to happiness, have courage, the courage to go beyond yourselves, to fully engage in the adventure of your future together with Jesus.
Alone we cannot do it. Faced with the pressure of events and fashions, we will not be able to find the right path, and even if we could find it, we would not have enough strength to persevere, to deal with the climbs and unforeseen obstacles. And here comes the invitation of the Lord Jesus: If you want ... follow me. He invites us to allow him to accompany us on the journey. Only with Jesus, praying and following him, will we find clarity of vision and the strength to carry on. He loves us, definitively, he has chosen us definitively, he has given himself to each of us definitively. He is our defender and brother and will be our only judge. How nice to be able to face the vicissitudes of life in the company of Jesus, to have with us his person and his message! He does not take away autonomy or freedom; on the contrary, he strengthens us in our fragility, allowing us to be truly free, free to do good, strong to continue doing so, able to forgive and to ask for forgiveness.
God never gets tired of forgiving. He forgives definitively, cancelling and forgetting our sin if we turn to Him with humility and trust. He helps us not to be discouraged by difficulties, to not consider them as insurmountable; and then, trusting in Him, will throw out the nets again for an amazing and plentiful catch. He helps us to have courage and hope even when dealing with the difficulties resulting from the effects of the economic crisis. Courage and hope are gifts given to all but are especially suited to young people. The future is in the hands of God, and Jesus, the Only Begotten Son, assuring us that they are the hands of a provident Father. This is not to deny difficulties and problems, but to see them, yes, as temporary and surmountable. The difficulties, the crises, with the help of God and the good will of all can be overcome, won, transformed.
We are gathered in front of the Shrine of Our Lady of Sorrows, erected in the place where in 1888 two girls of this land, Fabiana and Serafina, had a vision of the Mother of God as they worked in the fields. Mary always helps us when we work and when we are in search of work, when we have clear ideas and when we are confused, when prayer comes spontaneously and when the heart is dry. Mary is the Mother of God, our Mother, and the Mother of the Church. Many men and women, young and old have turned to her to say thank you and to ask a favour. Mary leads us to Jesus, our peace. We have recourse to her, trusting in her help, with courage and hope. May the Lord bless each of you and your families.
Thank you.
Now, let us pray to Our Lady, all together: Hail Mary ....
(Blessing)
Please, I ask you to pray for me: please, do it! And don't forget: journey through life, don't just wander through life! Thank you!
Concluding his meeting with young people from the Dioceses of Abruzzo and Molise, the Pope departed by car from the Shrine of Castelpetroso and travelled to Isernia.
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