For faith-filled young people

“Let us pray, brothers and sisters, so that all young people, called to live life to the fullest, may discover in Mary’s life the way to listen, the depth of discernment, the courage of faith, and dedication to service”.

Pope Francis made this invitation to Catholics in his prayer intention for the Marian month of May. Produced in collaboration with the Vatican’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, the video, symbolically begins with six empty chairs which slowly become filled by three generations of a family: grandparents, parents and children. As the Holy Father speaks about the family, a girl is seen drawing an image which slowly turns into Mary. Addressing the youth, he pointed to Mary as a role model “with whom young people can identify”. Pope Francis highlighted her courage, commitment to service and determination “to say ‘yes’ to the Lord”, and urged young men and women who “want to build something new, a better world” to “follow her example” and “take risks”.

The secret, shared the Pope, is understanding “what Jesus wants from you, not what you might think you can do”. The Holy Father also encouraged them to draw on their grandparents’ wisdom to guide them along their discernment journey.

Fr. Frédéric Fornos, sj , International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, which produces The Pope Video, explained that “in the context of the Synodal process, Pope Francis is focusing on forming young people in discernment”.

Available on the internet at www.thepopevideo.org and translated into 23 languages, the video was created and produced by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network in cooperation with La Machi Agency and the Dicastery for Communication.