{"id":4273,"date":"2019-04-08T12:30:01","date_gmt":"2019-04-08T11:30:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/combonimission.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=4273"},"modified":"2019-04-05T15:41:31","modified_gmt":"2019-04-05T14:41:31","slug":"pope-francis-make-your-youth-worthwhile","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/2019\/04\/08\/pope-francis-make-your-youth-worthwhile\/","title":{"rendered":"Pope Francis: \u201cMake your youth worthwhile\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

Published April 2, Christus vivit (Christ lives) is Pope Francis\u2019 apostolic exhortation on the Synod of Bishops on young people, faith, and vocational discernment, which took place Oct. 3-28, 2018. <\/em><\/p>\n

In the apostolic exhortation, Francis explained that \u201cbecoming an adult does not mean you have to abandon what is best about this stage of your lives.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing older means preserving and cherishing the most precious things about our youth, but it also involves having to purify those things that are not good and receiving new gifts from God so we can develop the things that really matter.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

The 50-page letter is addressed to \u201call Christian young people\u201d in particular and to the \u201centire People of God.\u201d Francis stated that while the document was inspired by what emerged from synod discussions it is not exhaustive, but a summary of the proposals he considers most important.<\/p>\n

This letter, he said, \u201cis meant to remind you of certain convictions born of our faith, and at the same time to encourage you to grow in holiness and in commitment to your personal vocation.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

According to Pope Francis, the idea of \u201cyouth\u201d should not be analysed in the abstract, but always considered as concrete \u201cyoung people,\u201d each \u201cwith the reality of his or her own life.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his letter he focused on the obstacles faced by young people today, such as isolation, over-consumption of media, and addiction to drugs and pornography. Do not let the world \u201crob you of hope and joy, or drug you into becoming a slave to their interests,\u201d<\/em> the pope said.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou need to realise one basic truth: being young is not only about pursuing fleeting pleasures and superficial achievements. If the years of your youth are to serve their purpose in life, they must be a time of generous commitment, whole-hearted dedication, and sacrifices that are difficult but ultimately fruitful.\u201d<\/em> He warned against isolation and lack of community, which modern technology can contribute to, saying, \u201cwhen we live apart from others, it is very difficult to fight against concupiscence, the snares and temptations of the devil, and the selfishness of the world. Bombarded as we are by so many enticements, we can grow too isolated, lose our sense of reality and inner clarity, and easily succumb.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

But whenever young people are united, they have a \u201cmarvellous strength,\u201d he continued. \u201cWhenever you are enthused about life in common, you are capable of great sacrifices for others and for the community. Isolation, on the other hand, saps our strength and exposes us to the worst evils of our time.\u201d<\/em> Pope Francis also reflected on the contribution young people can make to the renewal of the Catholic Church through evangelisation and community.<\/p>\n

\u201cYoung people can offer the Church the beauty of youth by renewing her ability to \u2018rejoice with new beginnings, to give unreservedly of herself, to be renewed and to set out for ever greater accomplishments,\u2019\u201d<\/em> he said, quoting from the Second Vatican Council\u2019s Message to Young People.<\/p>\n

He said \u201cIf you are young in years, but feel weak, weary or disillusioned, ask Jesus to renew you. With him, hope never fails.\u201d<\/em> He encouraged silent prayer, discernment, and listening to God.<\/p>\n

Even \u201cif you feel overwhelmed by vices, bad habits, selfishness or unhealthy pastimes,\u201d<\/em> he said, \u201cJesus, brimming with life, wants to help you make your youth worthwhile. In this way, you will not deprive the world of the contribution that you alone can make, in all your uniqueness and originality.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cYou can become what God your Creator knows you are, if only you realise that you are called to something greater. Ask the help of the Holy Spirit and confidently aim for the great goal of holiness,\u201d<\/em> he said. \u201cIn this way, you will not be a photocopy. You will be fully yourself.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Published April 2, Christus vivit (Christ lives) is Pope Francis\u2019 apostolic exhortation on the Synod of Bishops on young people, faith, and vocational discernment, which took place Oct. 3-28, 2018. In the apostolic exhortation, Francis explained that \u201cbecoming an adult does not mean you have to abandon what is best about this stage of your […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4273","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4273","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4273"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4273\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4273"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4273"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/combonimissionaries.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4273"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}