Pope Francis: to young Romanians, “be steadfast in faith, courageous in hope and tireless in charity”

“Dear young people, I greet you with affection. It is a great joy to know that you have gathered to live moments of prayer, fraternity and reflection on our common faith”, Pope Francis wrote in a letter to the young Romanians gathered for the 15th edition of the National Meeting of Catholic Youth. The letter was conveyed by the Apostolic Nuncio to Romania Mgr. Giampiero Gloder. The meeting, which began on the evening of 4 September in Cheile Gradistei (Brasov), will end on 7 September, bringing together 1,200 young people from all the dioceses and eparchies of the Catholic Church in Romania. “In a lost and hopeless world – the Pope went on to say in his letter –, you are called to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth. Christian hope is not mere optimism, but a certainty based on God’s faithfulness. Jesus Christ, the Risen One, is our hope! With Him, everything is possible”. Pope Francis then encouraged young people to bear witness to their faith with joy, to be authentic Christians, and to use social media “to spread the message of love, peace and hope of the Gospel”: “Become influencers of the faith, bringing the light of Christ into the virtual spaces where so many young people seek answers, role models and meaning!”. “Be steadfast in faith, courageous in hope and tireless in charity! Go forward with confidence and continue to be witnesses of joy and Christian hope!”, the Pope added, assuring young people of the Church’s closeness and asking them to pray for him.
Cristina Grigore