Pope Leo XIV to 16,000 Youth “The world needs missionaries. It needs you to share the light and joy you have found in Jesus” at Historic Online Meeting VIDEO

Pope Leo XIV had a historic online meeting with 16,000 teenagers from the U.S.A. They were gathered in Indianapolis, Indiana. The National Catholic Youth Conference has taken place annually for the past 42 years and is the biggest Catholic Youth Conference in America. (WATCH Full Replay below)
The 16,000 young people met with the Pope via video link on Friday, Nov. 21, as they attended the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in the US city of Indianapolis. There was a 45-minute virtual dialogue at the National Catholic Youth Conference in Indianapolis with an estimated crowd of 16,000 young people ages 14-18.
Katie Prejean McGrady, host of the “Katie McGrady Show” on SiriusXM’s The Catholic Channel, moderated the event at Lucas Oil Stadium in which the Pope responded to questions from five high school students: Mia Smothers from the Archdiocese of Baltimore; Ezequiel Ponce from the Archdiocese of Los Angeles; Christopher Pantelakis from the Archdiocese of Las Vegas; Micah Alcisto from the Diocese of Honolulu; and Elise Wing from the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa. (Updated information)
The event moderated by McGrady, involved the six young Catholics asking the Pope to share his thoughts on a range of topics including the Sacraments and mental health to artificial intelligence and the future of the Church.

In his opening remarks, Pope Leo praised the American youth for taking the time to meet together in person, and called on them to be active members of their parish communities.

The conference featured a youth Holy Mass, Eucharistic Adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, and the ability to receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the Pope said these activities are “real opportunities to meet Jesus.”
The first question to the Holy Father was about accepting God’s mercy when we’ve sinned or let others down.
Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that everyone struggles with asking for God’s mercy and accepting that He truly does forgive us in Confession.
“Sin never has the final word,” he said. “Whenever we ask for God’s mercy, He forgives us. Pope Francis said that God never gets tired of forgiving—we get tired of asking!”
In this topic area, the Pope invited young people to encounter Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, confessing their sins openly and welcoming Jesus’ forgiveness in the priest’s absolution.
Mental health issues
Then, the Pope responded to a question about mental health struggles, such as feeling sad or overwhelmed.
He invited everyone to open themselves to a deep relationship with Jesus, entrusting their difficulties to Him in prayer.
“In the quiet, we can speak honestly about what is in our hearts,” he said. “During Eucharistic adoration, you can look at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and know He looks at you with love.”
Young people, recommended the Pope, should also find trusted adults whom they trust, so that God can speak to them through others, such as parents, teachers, priests, and youth ministers.
He also invited them to pray for the gift of true friends, who push us to “seek Jesus when life gets confusing or difficult.”
“Many young people say, ‘No one understands me.’ But that thought can isolate you,” said Pope Leo. “When it comes, try saying, ‘Lord, you understand me better than I understand myself,’ and trust that He will guide you.”
Technology
Pope Leo XIV noted the usefulness of modern tools to connect people who are thousands of miles apart.
“Technology can help us do many things and even really help us live our Christian faith,” he said. “It also gives us amazing tools for prayer, reading the Bible, and learning more about what we believe.”
However, the Pope said that technology can never replace real, in-person relationships and participation in the Eucharist, inviting young Catholics to be intentional with their screen time and making sure that technology serves their lives, not the other way around.
Artificial intelligence, said Pope Leo, has become a defining feature of our times, pointing out that people need to make healthy decisions through education and personal responsibility.
Every tool should support our journey of faith and intellectual development, not hinder it, he said.
“Be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth,” he said. “Use it in such a way that, if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, create, and act on your own. Remember: AI can never replace the unique gift that you are to the world.”
Future of the Church
Pope Leo XIV on the future of the Church, recalled Jesus’ promise to Peter that “the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church.”
The Church prepares for the future by remaining “faithful to what Jesus asks of us today,” he said, recalling that the Holy Spirit has guided the Church through two millennia of issues and challenges.
Young people, said the Pope, are not only the future of the Church but also her present, and he urged them to get involved by attending Sunday Mass and joining youth activities where their faith can grow.
“If you feel the Lord may be calling you to something specific, talk to your parish priest or another trusted leader,” he said. “They can help you discern what God is asking.”
Friends of Christ and Missionaries
Finally, Pope Leo XIV expressed his hopes for the future of young people in the Church, inviting them to help shape her in the future.
The Pope urged young Catholics to offer their time and talents generously to build up the Church.
“Deep down, we long for truth, beauty, and goodness because we were created for them,” he said. “And this treasure we seek has a name: Jesus, who wants to be found by you.”
Young people are called to be friends of Christ and peacemakers, “who build bridges instead of walls, who value dialogue and unity instead of division.”
“Be careful not to use political categories to speak about faith,” he said. “The Church does not belong to any political party. Rather, she helps form your conscience so you can think and act with wisdom and love.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo invited young American Catholics to listen to God’s call in their lives and to discern their vocation, whether to marriage, the priesthood, or religious life.
“What greater cause could you dedicate your life to than the Gospel?” he asked. “The world needs missionaries. It needs you to share the light and joy you have found in Jesus.”

Edited from Vatican News