“Young People have a Decisive Role to Play”, Says Pope Francis
“Young people have a decisive role to play. Consequently, they should be provided with open spaces of encounters for meetings and discussion. May they fearlessly take hold of the future which is theirs”, Pope Francis narrated
“Young People have a Decisive Role to Play”, Says Pope Francis
By Sr. Henriette Anne (FSSA)
The Holy Father Pope Francis on his Ecumenical pilgrimage of peace to South Sudan on 3rd, February 2023 has called opined that “Young People have a decisive role to play.”
“Young people have a decisive role to play. Consequently, they should be provided with open spaces of encounters for meetings and discussion. May they fearlessly take hold of the future which is theirs”, Pope Francis narrated.
The Pontiff added that there is a need for women to be added to political life and decision-making process, “then too, women, mothers who know how life is generated and safeguarded, need to be increasingly involved in political life and decision-making processes. Women need to be respected, for anyone who commits an act of violence towards a woman commits it towards God, who took flesh from a woman”.
Reflecting on the importance of encountering one other, Pope Francis explained how White Nile came to be calling upon South Sudanese to engage in dialogue, “the course of the great river can also suggest a way to move forward. Along its way, the Nile joins another river at Lake No, forming the so-called White Nile. It’s transparently clear waters, then, arise from an encounter. Dear brothers and sisters, this is the path to take: to respect one another, to get to know one another, and to engage in dialogue. Behind every form of violence, there is anger and resentment, and behind every form of anger and resentment, there is the unhealed memory of wounds, humiliations, and wrongs. It follows that the only way to break free of these is through encounter, the culture of encounter: by accepting others as our brothers and sisters and making room for them, even if it means taking a step backward. This attitude, which is essential for any peace process, is also indispensable for the cohesive development of society”.
He continued, “Christ, the Word incarnate, taught us that the more we make ourselves little, by making room for others and by welcoming every neighbor as a brother or sister, the greater we become in the eyes of the Lord”.
