Pope Leo XIV Tells Young "when you pray...ask to be like those angels who proclaim God's glory and peace...This peace is the commitment of every person of good will...to become better every day"
Pope Leo XIV greets several young members of the Italian Catholic Action, and invites them to make peace with somebody close to them before Christmas.
FULL TEXT GREETING OF POPE LEO XIV
TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE ITALIAN CATHOLIC ACTION
Consistory Hall - Friday, 19 December 2025
_________________________________
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Your Excellency,
Dear boys and girls, brothers and sisters all!
How good it is to meet just a few days before the Nativity of the Lord! I greet you all with affection: the national President, the general ecclesiastical Assistant, along with the national team of Catholic Action Youth, the educators and collaborators who accompany you. I thank you very sincerely for the enthusiasm you express and share with the rest of us – truly beautiful – bearing witness to the beauty of faith and the beauty of Catholic Action. The name of your association clearly expresses its identity: you are disciples of Jesus, witnesses of his Gospel and fellow travellers together with the whole Church.
During Advent, you have certainly prepared the Nativity scene in your homes, schools and parishes. As you look at Saint Joseph and Our Lady, the shepherds, the donkey and the ox, you see the title of your association’s journey this year come to fruition: “There is room for everyone”. Yes, around the Lord, who became man to save us, there is room for everyone! He makes room for every person, every child, young person, and elderly person. When the Son of God comes into the world, he finds no room in a house, but knocks on our hearts just as he opens his own to welcome everyone with love.
Therefore, when you pray before the Nativity scene, ask to be like those angels who proclaim God's glory and peace to humankind. This peace is the commitment of every person of good will, and especially of us Christians, who are called not only to be good, but to become better every day. To become saints, like Pier Giorgio Frassati – who was part of Catholic Action – and like Carlo Acutis: I encourage you to imitate their passion for the Gospel and their works, always animated by charity. By acting like them, your proclamation of peace will be luminous, because in the company of Jesus you will be truly free and happy, ready to reach out to your neighbour, especially those in difficulty.
Dear friends, the birth of the Prince of peace (cf. Is 9:6) reveals to us the authentic meaning of this word, peace, which is not merely an absence of war, but a friendship between peoples based on justice. We all desire this peace for nations wounded by conflicts, but let us remember that harmony and respect start with our everyday relationships, the gestures and words we exchange at home, in the parish, with schoolmates, in sport. Therefore, before the holy night of Christmas, think of someone with whom you would like to make peace: it will be a more precious gift than those you can buy in the shops, because peace is a gift that is found, truly, only in the heart.
To make peace is the quintessential “Catholic action”, because it is the gesture that makes us witnesses of Jesus, the Redeemer of the world. In his name, I wish all the best to you and your loved ones, and I cordially bless you, together with all the boys and girls of Catholic Action.
_________________
Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 19 December 2025
TO THE YOUNG PEOPLE OF THE ITALIAN CATHOLIC ACTION
Consistory Hall - Friday, 19 December 2025
_________________________________
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you.
Your Excellency,
Dear boys and girls, brothers and sisters all!
How good it is to meet just a few days before the Nativity of the Lord! I greet you all with affection: the national President, the general ecclesiastical Assistant, along with the national team of Catholic Action Youth, the educators and collaborators who accompany you. I thank you very sincerely for the enthusiasm you express and share with the rest of us – truly beautiful – bearing witness to the beauty of faith and the beauty of Catholic Action. The name of your association clearly expresses its identity: you are disciples of Jesus, witnesses of his Gospel and fellow travellers together with the whole Church.
During Advent, you have certainly prepared the Nativity scene in your homes, schools and parishes. As you look at Saint Joseph and Our Lady, the shepherds, the donkey and the ox, you see the title of your association’s journey this year come to fruition: “There is room for everyone”. Yes, around the Lord, who became man to save us, there is room for everyone! He makes room for every person, every child, young person, and elderly person. When the Son of God comes into the world, he finds no room in a house, but knocks on our hearts just as he opens his own to welcome everyone with love.
Therefore, when you pray before the Nativity scene, ask to be like those angels who proclaim God's glory and peace to humankind. This peace is the commitment of every person of good will, and especially of us Christians, who are called not only to be good, but to become better every day. To become saints, like Pier Giorgio Frassati – who was part of Catholic Action – and like Carlo Acutis: I encourage you to imitate their passion for the Gospel and their works, always animated by charity. By acting like them, your proclamation of peace will be luminous, because in the company of Jesus you will be truly free and happy, ready to reach out to your neighbour, especially those in difficulty.
Dear friends, the birth of the Prince of peace (cf. Is 9:6) reveals to us the authentic meaning of this word, peace, which is not merely an absence of war, but a friendship between peoples based on justice. We all desire this peace for nations wounded by conflicts, but let us remember that harmony and respect start with our everyday relationships, the gestures and words we exchange at home, in the parish, with schoolmates, in sport. Therefore, before the holy night of Christmas, think of someone with whom you would like to make peace: it will be a more precious gift than those you can buy in the shops, because peace is a gift that is found, truly, only in the heart.
To make peace is the quintessential “Catholic action”, because it is the gesture that makes us witnesses of Jesus, the Redeemer of the world. In his name, I wish all the best to you and your loved ones, and I cordially bless you, together with all the boys and girls of Catholic Action.
_________________
Holy See Press Office Bulletin, 19 December 2025
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