The 79-year-old pontiff was addressing 70,000 youngsters who had gathered in St Peter’s Square, Vatican City, for a three-day celebration of teenagers on Sunday, reported The Guardian. Pope Francis confesses a young faithful during the Youth Jubilee at Saint Peter square in Vatican, Saturday, April 23, 2016.
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“Throughout life we will fall many times, because we are sinners, we are weak”, the Pope said, again going off the cuff.
He reportedly told the teens during mass (and there’s a sample on an Instagram post): “Your happiness has no price”.
The Pope said his message was an attempt to connect with teens in the crowd who converged in Rome for a special weekend for Catholic youth.
The freedom that comes from love, he continued, does not come from “doing whatever you want”, which only makes people “self-centered and aloof”, but is a gift that comes from “being able to choose good”.
In connecting with his audience further, Pope Francis pulled out an iPhone and illustrated how living without Jesus is nearly similar to having a smartphone without a support signal.
The Pope dared young people to not “be content with mediocrity”, or believe those who equate importance with the sort of toughness shown by heroes in films, or by wearing the “latest fashions”. This also included confession near the famed Colonnade of Bernini. It can not be bought.
Pope Francis blesses youths as he celebrates a mass for the Youths Jubilee, part of the Holy Year activities, in St. Peter’s Square, at the Vatican, Sunday, April 24, 2016.
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Saturday’s hearing of confession was followed by a youth rally at Rome’s Olympic Stadium. He reminded the teenagers that in life, they always have the support of a network, referring to these as family, friends, schools and the Church.
