By Devin Watkins
“Let us pray that the ecclesial community might welcome the desires and doubts of those young people who feel called to live Jesus’s mission in life: either through the priestly life, or religious life.”
Pope Francis made that appeal for prayers in The Pope Video, which was released on Tuesday to accompany his prayer intention for February 2025.
Drawing on his own vocational experience, the Pope recalled that at 17 years old he had other plans for his life that didn’t include becoming a priest.
“But one day, I went into the church…and God was there, waiting for me!” he said.
The Holy Father recalled that God calls many young people to serve His people through a vocation to the priesthood or religious life.
“God still calls young people even today, sometimes in ways we can’t imagine,” he said. “Sometimes we don’t hear because we’re too busy with our own things, our own plans, even with our own things in the Church.”
Yet, added Pope Francis, the Holy Spirit reveals God’s plan for our lives by speaking to the heart of young people.
The task of Catholics, he added, is to accompany their spiritual journey, so that they will be willing and able to welcome the call to a religious vocation.
“Let’s trust young people!” concluded Pope Francis. “And, above all, let’s trust God for He calls everyone!”
Accompanying young people on their vocational journey
The Pope Video, released by the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, depict scenes from the early life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, along with images from the daily lives of young people today.
The effect, according to a press release, is to tie the youth of the future Pope to contemporary young people, whom God calls to a priestly or religious vocation in a similar way.
According to Archbishop José Gómez of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, which helped produce the video, God takes the lives of young people seriously.
“The Church’s mission,” he said, “is to walk with young people to help them grow in their faith and to work to build this world into the Kingdom that God wants for His people.”
Fr Cristóbal Fones, SJ, International Director of the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network, said God’s vocational invitation always respects the full freedom of those whom He calls.
“This requires an approach to vocation ministry that truly values dialogue and accompaniment, while also welcoming and accepting the concrete concerns, questions and aspirations of young people as an important component in the vocational process,” said Fr Fones.
The press release concludes with a reminder that one of the conditions for receiving a plenary indulgence by passing through one of the Holy Doors in Rome is the “pray for the intentions of the Supreme Pontiff.” – Vatican News
