Pope Francis meets with Eucharistic Youth Movement
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday morning met with more than 1500 young people from around the world, members of the Eucharistic Youth Movement. The meeting with the Holy Father was the culmination of an International Gathering of the Movement, which is celebrating its first centennial. The theme of the Gathering, taken from the Gospel of St John, is “So that my joy may be in you” (cf. Jn 15:9-17).
Listen to Christopher Wells’ report:
During Friday’s meeting, six of the participants – from Italy, Indonesia, Argentina, Brazil, Taiwan, and France – had the opportunity to greet the Pope personally, and ask him questions about issues they face in daily life. Pope Francis responded to questions on tensions and conflicts within familiesand society; on discernment between true and false peace; on signs of hope in the world; and on deepening our relationship with Jesus in the Eucharist.
Pope Francis concluded his reflections with a hopeful message: “The world has many ugly things – we are at war. But there are also so many beautiful things, and so many good things, and so many hidden saints among the People of God. God is present. God is present, and there are so very many reasons to hope and to go forward. Be courageous, and go forward!”
The Eucharistic Youth Movement (EYM) is an international Church Movement for the Christian formation of children and young people. It seeks to teach them to live in Jesus’ way, by guiding them into a loving, ‘heart to heart’ relationship with Him, based on a Eucharistic spirituality. It prepares them to live as Christian adults, committed to serving their brothers and sisters in an unjust and secularized world.