Pope to young people: 'Take the risk and love!'

Pope to young people: 'Take the risk and love!'

Pope Francis joins 70,000 Italian young people at Circus Maximus for an opening prayer service.(Vatican Media)

Pope Francis responds to the heartfelt questions of 4 young Italians at a gathering of 70,000 pilgrims in Rome’s Circus Maximus on Saturday evening.

By Sr Bernadette Mary Reis, fsp

Part of a pilgrimage of more than 70,000 young Italians included an evening prayer vigil in Rome on Saturday. The week-long pilgrimage was organized by the National Service for Youth Ministry of the Italian Bishops’ Conference in view of the Synod for Young People in October and World Youth Day in January.

During the prayer vigil at the Circus Maximus, Pope Francis responded to 4 questions presented by a few of the young people present.

Dreams are shining stars

Letizia and Lucamatteo both asked the Pope a question involving the realization of the dreams they carry within them.

Pope Francis responded saying that their dreams are the most important because “they are the most brilliant”. He encouraged them to make their dreams their future as well and he invited them to ask themselves where their dreams come from. The scope of their dreams needs to be like the “great dreams” narrated in the Bible, he said. What made them great is that they included everyone.

“Great dreams include, involve, are extroverted, share, and generate new life”. In the face of adults who are afraid of young people’s dreams, Pope Francis encouraged them now to allow themselves to be “robbed of your dreams” but to seek mentors to “help you understand them and gradually concretize them”.

www.vaticannews.va/en