Pope to Taizé youth: ‘Dare to build a different world’

By Christopher Wells

Pope Francis has sent his greetings to young people gathering, under the auspices of the Taizé community, “to pray and share the life of the local people and Church communities” in Ljubljana, Slovenia.

The 46th Taizé European Meeting, an ecumenical gathering of youth from various countries and denominations, is taking place from 28 December to 1 January and will focus on the theme “Journeying Together.”

46th European Meeting

'Dare to build a different world'

In the message conveyed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, the Holy Father highlights the opportunity for participants to live “the beautiful experience of friendship with God and with others” as a Church and a community.

As the “Body of the Risen Lord present in the world,” young people are invited to rediscover the art of listening, an act of love that lies at the heart of trust. In a world where conflicts and wars continually arise due to lack of listening, the Pope urges the young “to dare to build a different world, a world of listening, dialogue, and openness.”

Working for 'qualitative transformation'

The challenge, he says, is “to work towards the qualitative transformation of our life in societies,” especially by avoiding all forms of “marginalization, closure, exclusion, and rejection” of various categories of people.

In this way, the Pope says, young people can become builders of “cultures, and religions, for a stable and open world.”

Taize meeting in Madrid

Live like Jesus

He encourages them to commit themselves to living like Jesus, who excluded no one but instead recognized God’s presence in those on the margins of society.

Cardinal Parolin concludes his letter with the assurance that Pope Francis “is counting on you and trusts you, and the Church trusts you.” The Pope, he said, is calling on them, by their words and actions, to “give a powerful message to our world, which rejects the vulnerable. Make your dreams of love, justice, and peace a concrete reality… Don’t let your dreams be stolen, and contribute to ‘building a society worthy of the name.’”