Pope Francis sends message to Brazilian youth meeting
in Aparecida
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| Pope Francis points to the statue of Our Lady of Aparecida during his trip to Brazil for World Youth Day 2013 in Rio de Janeiro.- AP |
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis has sent a message to the
National Youth Meeting at the Sanctuary of Aparecida in Brazil, inviting young
people to turn their lives into leaven for a better Brazilian society.
His message came at the conclusion of the “Rota” (Way) 300
project, which closed on July 29 with a large celebration at the sanctuary. The
initiative celebrated 300 years since the discovery of the statue of Our Lady
of Aparecida in the Paraiba do Sul River.
Pope Francis told the young people that Mary is a sign of
hope and that she knows the difficulties awaiting young people. He also
encouraged them to live with a missionary spirit.
“Dear friends, in the midst of daily uncertainties and
insecurities and in the midst of the precariousness created by unjust
situations, you have one certainty. Mary is a sign of hope who will impel you
with a great missionary drive. She knows the difficulties with which you live.
Her attention and motherly care help you know that you are not alone.”
The Holy Father also recalled the Brazilian story of the
poor fishermen, who, after an unfruitful fishing expedition in the Paraiba do
Sul River, cast their nets one more time and discovered to their surprise a
broken statue of Our Lady, encrusted with mud. They first found the statue's
body and then its head.
“As I told the Brazilian bishops in 2013, this story holds
an important symbolism. What was divided has been reunited, just like the heart
of those fishermen and colonial Brazil once divided by slavery, realities which
found unity in the faith, which the black statue of Our Lady has inspired.”
Pope Francis then invited the young people to let their
hearts be transformed by the encounter with the Mother of Aparecida.
“May she transform the ‘nets’ of your lives – nets of
friendship, social networks, material and virtual nets – realities which are
often divided, into something more meaningful. May they become communities!
Missionary communities ‘going out into the world’! Communities which are light
and leaven for a more just and fraternal society.”
The Pope also recalled his message to the CELAM Meeting
earlier this year, asking young people “not to be afraid to take risks and to
work to build a new society, imbuing social, political, economic, and
university environs with the force of the Gospel!”
“Do not be afraid to fight corruption, and do not let
yourselves be seduced by it! Trusting in the Lord, whose presence is the source
of abundant life, and under Mary’s mantle, you can rediscover the creativity
and strength of being protagonists for a culture of unity and, therefore,
create new paradigms to guide the life of Brazil.”
Pope Francis concluded his message with a prayer.
“May Our Lady – who in her youth knew how to courageously
embrace the call of God for her life and go forth to those most in need – walk
ahead of you, guiding you in all her ways!”
(Devin Sean Watkins)
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