The Pope calls on young people "He lives and he wants you alive" – Post-Synodal exhortation

25 March 2019: Pope Francis signing the Apostolic exhortation of the Synod on youth, Lorette, Italy

On last 25 March, Pope Francis signed an apostolic exhortation to the youth: Christus Vivit ("he lives, Christ"). This apostolic exhortation (letter from the Pope) appears following the Synod of bishops on "youth, faith and vocational discernment" (October 2018).

Drawing largely on the final document of this Synod, Pope Francis, delivers to the young people of the world a proposal for a journey of faith and hope.

In a great development that travels the Bible and the history of the Church, the Pope shows the companionship that unites God and the young at all times and at every moment. It evokes the grace of youth and what it brings in the history of salvation, what it says about God's will in this story.

Pope Francis cites the young people listened to during this Synod: young people with varying expectations towards the Church, sometimes distant or even strangers to his message. The Pope wants to give the figure of Jesus as a model of youth to all the young people of the world and describes the fruits of the encounter of young people with Christ, of this faithful friendship to build.

The Pope addresses the "great Proclamation for all young people" (Chapter 4): "God loves you"; "Christ saves you" and "he lives today". Rooted in faith and reassured by Christ, young people are invited by the Pope to live their youth fully for themselves, for the Church and for the world.

Pope Francis invites them to freedom, enthusiasm, creativity. He invites them to be a link between the elder and the future that must be made of dreams and ideals "[the roots are] an anchor point that allows us to develop and respond to new challenges (200)."

He asks young people to love the world of today as it is. In this letter, Pope Francis entrusts the Church to young people: "it is precisely young people who can help it to remain young not to fall into corruption, not to settle down, not to be proud, not to become a sect, to be poorer and more witness, to be close to the last and the marginalized, to fight for Justice, to be challenged with humility (37). »

The Pope invites a renewed Pastoral that will invite young people to be missionary disciples so that they can rediscover the face of Christ. He advocates a popular pastoral, relates the central place of the kerygma and invites to accompaniment.

He explores the diversity of vocations and the necessary path of discernment to respond to the best. Pope Francis encourages young people to risk, to commit themselves and to serve, constantly relying on the grace that comes from Christ.

To download and read the Apostolic Exhortation "Christus Vivit", click here: