THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH

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ADDRESS OF POPE LEO XIV

TO THE PARTICIPANTS IN THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON SCHOOL AND UNIVERSITY PASTORAL CARE

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___________________________

That Catholic schools and universities 

should first and foremost be a "home "

I greet you with joy at the start of this Congress on Pastoral Care in Schools and Universities. I thank the Prefect of the Dicastery for Culture and Education, the secretaries and officials , as well as those whose mission will be to foster reflection and deeper understanding; and I welcome with joy all of you who have come from many parts of the world. I congratulate you on the work you carry out within educational and academic institutions, in service of proclaiming the Gospel and upholding the dignity of the human person.

It is essential that pastoral care in schools and universities respond to the desires that reside within each of us and guide us together on a human and Christian journey. Those to whom you minister are distinguished by the enthusiasm, generosity, and spirit of service so characteristic of young people. Yet, so many students also experience existential unease: broken families, digital isolation, a feeling of not belonging, or fear in the face of a seemingly uncertain future. Many wander the halls of our schools and universities, perhaps feeling anonymous. Above all, it is important that Catholic schools and universities be a "home ," a familiar place where one is expected. The first announcement often comes through the way one is welcomed: someone who looks you in the eye, remembers your name, notices your absence, and rejoices at your return.

In a welcoming environment, students can express their deep desire to understand, to make sense of reality. This touches on the very vocation of schools and universities: the shared pursuit of truth. I therefore encourage you to stimulate the intellect of young people, to value their questions. May your passion—especially for those of you who work within Catholic institutions—be to help young people experience the beauty of encountering Christ, and the fruitfulness of the synergy between faith and reason, between the knowledge of faith and other forms of knowledge.

Pastoral care in schools and universities is called to accompany the slow germination of thought, to teach how to discern well and to search with perseverance. Educational processes “ need time for growth, a confrontation with reality beyond appearances, and a patient journey .” We must “protect our young people […] from that subtle seduction which makes human thought seem useless precisely when it is most needed” (Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas , no. 140).

Today, many young people are paralyzed by the fear of making mistakes, of not being good enough, of being misunderstood, of not meeting expectations. We live in a performance-driven culture that constantly compares and ranks, sometimes ruthlessly. A poorly understood meritocracy ultimately fails to respect people. This is why many young people give up before they've even tried.

Help the young people you meet to become agents of a new way of inhabiting the world, builders of fraternity and a more just society. Courage is born from a pact of trust: from the experience of someone who believes in you even before you believe in yourself. Jesus did not choose the Twelve because they were courageous; he called them and, through his trust, he empowered them. To our young people, we must be able to repeat the words the disciples addressed to the blind man Bartimaeus: “Take heart ! Get up, he is calling you! ” (Mark 10:49).

Beneath the protective shell many teenagers build to avoid suffering lies the desire to love and be loved. Pastoral care in schools and universities will be all the more fruitful if it focuses on the education of the heart. Educating the heart in compassion, gratitude, and the capacity to be moved by the suffering of others; educating it in praise and the desire for God. Serving the poor, volunteering, and caring for Creation are not secondary activities, but rather places where the heart learns to expand. Let us not forget : charity and prayer are inseparable.

Dear brothers and sisters, false teachers and misleading messages promise quick answers to young people's questions. You, on the other hand, have chosen to do something greater : to walk with them on the road until they discover the gifts God has already placed within them. Like the Risen Lord with the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who draws near, walks with them, listens, explains, sets their hearts ablaze, and finally reveals himself in the breaking of the bread (cf. Lk 24:13-35). May his Holy Spirit always enlighten and sustain your ministry. May Mary, Most Holy, Seat of Wisdom, accompany you, with my blessing. Thank you.

__________________________

ES

 

Que las escuelas y universidades católicas se están acercando a una "maison "

 

DISCURSOS DEL PAPEL LEÓN

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___________________________

Saludo con alegría en esta conferencia inaugural sobre la escuela pastoral y la universidad. Agradezco a los docentes del Departamento de Cultura y Educación, a las secretarías y funcionarios , así como la misión de fomentar la reflexión y el análisis profundo; y los acojo con alegría a todos, venus de muchas regiones del mundo. Me alegro por el trabajo que realizarán en las instituciones educativas y académicas, al servicio del reconocimiento del bien y la dignidad de la persona.

Es esencial que el ministerio escolar y universitario sepa responder al deseo de que cada una de nuestras puertas y las nuestras nos hagan estacionar junto a nuestros amigos, seres queridos y seres queridos. Los destinatarios de su ministerio se distinguen por su entusiasmo, generosidad y espíritu de servicio, características de los jóvenes. Sin embargo, ¡tantos estudiantes también experimentan situaciones existenciales malsanas ! Familias benditas, soledad numérica, la sensación de no saber nunca adónde ir o saber qué hacer con un futuro aquí que parece incierto. Muchos estacionaron los pasillos de nuestros établissements et des universités, se sintant peut-être anonymes. La importancia ante todo es que las escuelas y universidades católicas son una "casa ", un lugar familiar que espera el honor. El estreno anuncia el paso del tiempo por la manera de guardar: aquí miras tus ojos, aquí te recuerdan tu nombre, aquí señalas tu ausencia, aquí te alegras por tu regreso.

En un entorno propicio, el estudiante puede expresar un profundo deseo de comprender, de experimentar la realidad. En el contacto con la realidad reside la vocación propia de las escuelas y universidades: la búsqueda común de la verdad. Los animo a estimular la inteligencia de los jóvenes y a valorar sus preguntas. Que su pasión —en particular por lo que desean que sea parte de los centros católicos— sea cómo pueden experimentar para los jóvenes la belleza del encuentro con Cristo y la fecundidad de las sinergias entre ustedes y su alma, en el seno del conocimiento de la mujer y otras formas de saber.

La escuela y la universidad pastoral están llamadas a acompañar la lenta germinación del pensamiento, a enseñar el comentario bien discernidor y buscador con persévérance. Les Processes éducatifs «ont besoin de times de croissance, d’une confrontation avec la réalité au-delà des apparences et d’un cheminementpatient » . Debemos «proteger a nuestros jóvenes [...] de esta sutil seducción que hace inútil pensar en la humanidad précisément en el momento en que es más necesario» (Carta encíclica magnífica humana , n. 140).

Hola, algunos jóvenes están tan paralizados por el miedo a ser demasiado populares, a no ser arrogantes, a ser incomprendidos, a no poder responder suficientemente a tu atención. Vivimos en una cultura del rendimiento que parece y sigue siendo clasificada de una manera a veces impitoyable. Una meritocrática incomprensible finita por no respetar a la gente. Hay muchos jóvenes dispuestos a abandonarse ante la misma prueba.

Ayuda a los jóvenes que quieren conocer a los actores de una nueva forma de vivir en el mundo, de los defensores de la fraternidad y de una sociedad más justa. Le coraje nace de un pacto de confianza: de la experiencia de una persona que croit en vous avant même que vous ne croyiez en vous-mêmes. Jésus n'a pas choisi les Douze parce qu'ils étaient Courageux; los appelés et, par sa confiance, los a renduscapaces. A nuestros jóvenes debemos saber repetir las palabras que los discípulos dirigieron al viejo Bartimée: «¡Ánimo ! ¡Lève-toi, il t'appelle! » (Mc 10, 49).

Bajo la coraza que muchos adolescentes construyen para evitar el sufrimiento, se esconde el deseo de querer y querer más. Una escuela pastoral y una velada universitaria de la persona más fructífera que se concentrará en la educación del corazón. Educa tu corazón en la compasión, en la gratitud, en la capacidad de conmoverse fácilmente ante el sufrimiento ajeno; l'éduquer à la louange et au désir de Dieu. El servicio a los pobres, las bendiciones, los susurros de la Creación no son pas des activities annexes, sino de las mentiras donde el corazón aprende a expandirse. Ne l'oublions pas: charité et prière sont indissociables.

Hermanos y hermanas Chers, falsos maîtres y trompeurs de mensajes que prometen responder rápidamente a las preguntas de los jóvenes. Tú, en cambio, has elegido hacer lo mejor que elegiste: caminar con dos en la ruta, justo lo que quieres saber sobre los regalos que Dieu le ha dejado al otro. À l'instar du Ressuscité avec les discípuls d'Emmaüs, qui s'approche, fait route avec eux, écoute, explique, fait brûler leur cœur et, finalmente, se laisse reconnaître à la fracción del dolor (cf. Lc 24, 13-35). ¿Quién es Esprit Saint éclaire et soutienne toujours votre service? Que Marie très sainte, Siège de la Sagesse, vous accompagne, avec ma bénédiction. Merci.

__________________________

El observador romano

 

FOOD AND HUMAN RIGHT

 

Pope to FAO: 

'Access to food

 is a basic 

human right'

In his message to the UN Food and Agricultural Organization for World Food Day 2026, Pope Leo XIV calls for food to be recognized as 'a basic human right,' insists that bread must never be used as 'a weapon of war,' and urges the international community to show the 'moral audacity' needed to combat hunger.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

"Regular access to safe, adequate and sufficient food, in keeping with the dignity of every person, is a basic human right. Guaranteeing this right is an obligation of justice that binds both individual States and the international community."

Pope Leo XIV offered this reminder in the message he sent to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the occasion of this year's World Food Day, which takes place on October 16.

The Holy Father's message was read on Friday at a commemoration event by Monsignor Fernando Chica Arellano, the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the FAO.

In the message addressed to FAO Director-General Qu Dongyu, the Pope recalled that the theme for this year's Day is "Innovate Today. Nourish Tomorrow" and thanked the organization for their efforts internationally.

Intolerable that water be considered 'a contested commodity' and bread 'a privilege'

Pope Leo stressed that despite technological advancement being greater than ever before, "it is intolerable that bread should be considered a privilege and water a contested commodity."

In his letter, the Holy Father argued "that hunger cannot be considered a statistical anomaly, as it is caused mainly by a lack of political will and collective charity," and criticized the notion that food shortages are geographically unavoidable.

He observed that while innovations accelerate production, distribution is being neglected.

"Grain markets," he lamented, "are being optimized on stock exchanges, while the actual seeds that germinate in the soil fall into the hands of monopolies that suffocate small-scale farming."

Bread should not be an instrument of geopolitical pressure or war

The Holy Father explained that ensuring tomorrow's nutritional needs are met "requires freeing food production from a purely speculative mentality."

"Bread," the Pope stressed, "should be neither an instrument of geopolitical pressure nor a volatile financial asset. Nor must it ever be used as a weapon of war."

"Indeed," he continued, "it is a terrible offense against human dignity to prevent bread from reaching any person or to destroy the means by which it is produced."

He said that bread is precious because it sustains the life that God has given us and that, therefore, we must overcome the temptation of short-term thinking.

Reaching a breaking point

The Holy Father went on to observe that "the myth that growth can be endless when resources are limited" has reached a "breaking point."

Today, the Pope suggested, innovation requires adopting an intergenerational sense of responsibility that looks beyond annual budgets.

Innovation, he continued, "means reconciling technology with wisdom, including ancestral wisdom, while maintaining a vision for the future."

"It is not a matter of rejecting technological advances," Pope Leo said, "but rather of integrating them with the wisdom of farmers who have deepened their understanding of the soil and the climate through centuries of conscientious observation."

He said this also involves protecting water as an inalienable common good.

Encouraging the FAO to continue contributing to the universal common good

In the text, the Pope encouraged the Food and Agriculture Organization and its member States "not to settle for abstract analyses or declarations of limited effectiveness."

"Now is the time for moral audacity," he said, stressing that "a new global food order is essential — one in which technological innovation is unconditionally subordinated to respect for God-given human dignity and the universal common good."

Furthermore, the Pope said there is "an urgent ethical imperative to redirect resources invested in the war industry towards sustainable agricultural research and the regeneration of degraded soils."

Courage to resist unethical innovation

Tomorrow, the Holy Father said, is "not an abstract span of time that awaits us passively"; rather, he insisted, "it is the harvest of what we sow today through our decisions."

"If we sow unethical innovation based on a desire to dominate the earth and exclude the weak," he said, "we will reap barrenness and strife."

"If, on the other hand," he observed, "innovation stems from respect for the natural order and justice for the hungry, tomorrow will bring a table spread wide for the nourishment of humanity."

Vatican News

 

LE PAPE A L'UNESCO

 LA PRESENCE DU

 PAPE LEON XIV

 A L’UNESCO

POUR L’EDUCATION, LE DIALOGUE

 ET LA PAIX

L’Union Mondiale des Enseignants Catholiques (UMEC/WUCT) par son représentant auprès de l’UNESCO a été bien concernée par le message du Pape Léon XIV au cœur de l’UNESCO à Paris le 25 septembre 2026. L’UMEC fait partie du Centre Catholique International pour la Coopération avec l’UNESCO pour une voix chrétienne au sein de cette grand institution mondiale.

L’UMEC/WUCT par sa mission, elle est au service des associations nationales d'enseignants catholiques et d'enseignants travaillant dans des écoles et des universités catholiques et publiques, en coordonnant leurs activités d'étude et de recherche visant à témoigner des valeurs de l’Évangile.

La visite du Pape Léon XIV encourage l’UMEC/WUCT dans ses actions qui visent à rejoindre tous les éducateurs où qu’ils soient en étant des témoins dans la terre numérique en visant l’éducation qui permet d’être des acteurs de communion et d’unité.

Comme membres de l’UMEC/WUCT, nous nous engageons à suivre les indications exprimées par le Pape Léon XIV et du directeur générale de l’UNESCO monsieur Khaled El-Enany:

- Construire les passerelles entre les humains, entre les nations, l’importance du dialogue et du rapprochement entre les peuples et les cultures ; agir pour le bien commun.

- L’éducation commence dès la naissance, nous sommes nés nus et pauvres, nous avons besoin de tout, oublier notre histoire de naissance, c’est oublier celle de notre vie.

- L’éducation et la culture doivent prendre soin de l’être humain, la paix est authentique quand elle sort de la vertu de la justice, la paix nous amène à reconnaître l’autre qui est en face de moi,

- La technologie doit être au service de l’homme et non pour la domination… »

- Prendre soin de ceux qui sont improductifs

L’UMEC/WUCT avec cette visite du Pape Léon XIV ouvre des pistes d’organiser des rencontres au niveau des régions pour des formations des enseignants afin qu’ils demeurent des missionnaires de l’espérance dans les écoles et universités. Ainsi l’appel est lancé de construire la paix avec les autres dans un esprit de confiance par l’éducation en tenant compte de la terre numérique pour que la dignité de la personne soit respectée.

Nous adressons notre gratitude à l’Observateur Permanent du Vatican à l’UNESCO, Mgr Roberto Campisi qui nous a permis de vivre cette rencontre avec le Pape Léon XIV dans un esprit de fraternité et à madame Isabelle Chaperon, pour le suivi de la participation comme membre du CCIC. Nous tenons à remercier notre Président Jan De Groof avec son comité pour l’accompagnement dans cette présence à l’UNESCO.

Etant une organisation pour les enseignants catholiques, éduquons en transmettant les valeurs évangéliques pour la construction de la paix qui vient d’une démarche de l’intérieur et en collaborant avec le directeur générale monsieur Khaled El-Enany qui nous rappelle en ces termes : « Une UNESCO pour les peuples. »

KITUNGWA KABUGE Albert, SDB

Représentant de l’UMEC/WUCT auprès de l’UNESCO

TO THE ROOTS FOR EUROPE

 

AR  - DE  - EN  - ES  - FR  - IT  - PL  - PT

“TO THE ROOTS

 OF EUROPE 

FOR PEACE 

AND UNITY”

 MEETING

ADDRESS OF POPE LEO XIV

“Robert Schuman” Conference Centre in Metz - Monday, 28 September 2026

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___________________________________

I am pleased to be here in this historic city, a crossroads at the heart of the continent, for this meeting entitled “To the Roots of Europe, for Peace and Unity.”  I thank you for the kind words just addressed to me.

The title of our meeting was undoubtedly inspired by the figure of Venerable Robert Schuman, whom we would like to honor in a special way today in this Center that bears his name, and especially here in Moselle, where he lived for many years, where he is buried and which he represented for many years in the National Assembly.  It was from this region, with all its trials and tribulations in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, that he drew the inspiration to help shape the Europe of today and tomorrow through his famous Declaration of 9 May 1950.  This text marks both the starting point and the culmination of his lifelong commitment to the reconciliation and unity of the European continent.

Today, I would like us to make an imaginary journey that begins from the roots of Europe, moves through the present and looks towards the future.  We can ask ourselves: how was Robert Schuman shaped by the history of this land, of which he was a son, and how did he play a fundamental role in shaping modern Europe, to the point of being regarded as one of its founding fathers?

It is always difficult to define Europe, whether we are speaking of its present or past.  Europe gradually developed a sense of its own identity over the course of the historical periods of Hellenistic civilization, the Roman Empire and then the spread of Christianity, integrating, over time, new cultures, including the Germanic and Slavic cultures, thereby expanding to encompass ever larger regions.

Europe must therefore be understood as a cultural and historical reality before a geographical one.  Over the centuries, its contours and definitions have changed, undergoing periods of growth, profound crises and new beginnings.  One constant however can be observed throughout its long and turbulent history, namely that Europe has flourished and progressed when it has been able to draw on the best aspects of its past and reinvent them in new and creative ways through encounters with others.  Indeed, European civilization is also the fruit of centuries-long encounters, even though these have not always been easy.  We need only think of the presence of Arab culture in the Iberian Peninsula, or of the expansion of the “old continent” into the “new world,” which gave rise — at times painfully — to new integrations on the American continent.

Yet in order to understand this long history, we cannot overlook another founding father of Europe: Saint Benedict, whom Saint Paul VI proclaimed its patron in 1964, describing him as a “messenger of peace, craftsman of unity, teacher of civilization.” [1]  Care for the poor, the sick and the elderly; education of children and universities; hospitals and medicine; architecture and engineering; the development of the sciences; law and the organization of cities and States themselves — so much in Europe stems from the profound influence of Saint Benedict and his monks!  Without this monastic tradition, European civilization as we know it would not exist.  Here in Metz, thanks in part to the work of Saint Chrodegang, one can sense the Benedictine spirit of fraternity, communion and sharing.  It was from here that Gregorian chant spread throughout the Carolingian territories, bringing harmony and beauty to the whole continent.

We cannot speak of Europe, then, without mentioning Christianity. Robert Schuman understood this when he wrote: “Christianity taught the equality of all people by nature, as children of the same God, redeemed by the same Christ, without distinction of race, color, class or profession.  It taught the dignity of work and the duty of all to undertake it.  It recognized the primacy of those inner values which alone ennoble the human person.  The universal law of love and charity made every person our neighbor, and it is on this that social relations in the Christian world have since been founded.” [2]

Another founding father of modern Europe was Alcide De Gasperi, who expressed the same idea, emphasizing that the “common European heritage” [3] is “that shared moral outlook which exalts the human person and his or her responsibility, with its spirit of evangelical fraternity, its respect for the law inherited from the ancients, its love of beauty refined over the centuries, and its commitment to truth and justice sharpened by a thousand years of experience.” [4]

Far from being an exclusively religious criterion, [5] recognizing Europe’s debt to Christianity helps us understand more clearly that openness to the transcendent is always a constitutive part of the human person and a living source of civilization.

In this regard, Article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union is of great importance.  It calls for “an open, transparent and regular dialogue with… churches,” and it “respects and does not prejudice the status” which Churches enjoy in the Member States.  The principle of secularity (laïcité) that governs the life of States does not simply imply the non-confessional nature of civil institutions; it also presupposes genuine cooperation among all parties, as well as respect by national and European authorities for the autonomy of the Churches and the promotion of their freedom of organization, expression and worship.

This requires returning to the sources of the values that underpin civil society, namely “the universal values of the inviolable and inalienable rights of the human person, freedom, democracy, equality and the rule of law” (Treaty on European Union, Preamble).

In today’s multicultural context, affirming the universal character of these values, which is essential to their survival, requires both a rediscovery of Europe’s roots and an openness to dialogue with others. This is a social and political necessity if we are to rediscover the central place of the human person and give real substance to words such as freedom, democracy, peace and unity.  For this reason, Pope Francis’ invitation remains valuable, namely to appreciate the complexity of European reality in all the richness of its traditions and sensibilities, while “striving to create a constructive harmony, one free of… pretensions to power.” [6]

This twofold movement — returning to our roots and then engaging in dialogue — can also help us to restore a proper balance both among the rights themselves and between rights and duties.  As Pope Francis always reminded us, “The equally essential and complementary concept of duty no longer seems to be linked to such a concept of rights. As a result, the rights of the individual are upheld, without regard for the fact that each human being is part of a social context wherein his or her rights and duties are bound up with those of others and with the common good of society itself.” [7]

Contemporary Europe is now entering a new stage in its long history of encounters, with the arrival on the continent of so many men and women fleeing war and persecution or seeking a better life far from poverty and hardship.

As I said during my recent visit to the Canary Islands in Spain, “Human dignity demands legal and safe pathways, rescue and assistance, real cooperation against traffickers, effective protection for victims, serious processes of reception and integration, and policies that allow every person to live with dignity in their own land” (Address to Organizations working with Migrants).

However, this alone would not suffice.  To welcome a person means to integrate them as if they were part of one’s own family, offering them the opportunity to develop their gifts, abilities and sensibilities, but also to enter into the life of the household.  We must grasp the historical significance of what is taking place, namely an unprecedented encounter between peoples and cultures, which calls us to rediscover our roots in new and creative ways, while at the same time listening carefully to others.  The universal character of Europe’s founding values assures us that this dialogue is possible and that it can provide a solid foundation for our societies, enabling us to work more effectively for peace and a reconciled world.

It was precisely this clear-sightedness that inspired men like Schuman to overcome the opposition between cultural identities and to establish the European institutions after the immense tragedy of the Second World War, which showed the depths of the evil that human beings are capable of when they believe that nothing stands in the way of their exercise of power.

Robert Schuman, who lived through a time of constantly shifting borders, helped to lay the foundations of a Europe that was aware of the urgent need to tear down the walls that were dividing it.  His Christian formation taught him the value of equality, without distinction of race or social class, and the dignity of work.  The succession of different national sovereignties taught him the importance of international law and the value of keeping one’s word.  Having grown up in an environment where pride and a spirit of revenge seemed to prevail, Schuman committed himself to peace and fraternity among peoples who, after having been in conflict for so long, finally recognized their need for each other.

What, then, can Robert Schuman teach Europe and the world today? First of all, a deep desire for peace. Today, sadly, war has returned, even to Europe: a new “senseless slaughter,” [8] claiming countless civilian lives every day.  And today, as in 1950, the words of the Schuman Declaration remain timely: “An organized and revitalized Europe can make a contribution to civilization which is indispensable for maintaining such peaceful relations.” [9]  We need to commit ourselves to patient dialogue, to show courage in negotiation and to be willing to give up some positions for the greater good of peace.

Of course, the search for peace in Europe, as throughout the world, must not be confused with a naïve form of pacifism. On the contrary, Schuman’s words are more relevant than ever: “World peace cannot be safeguarded if constructive efforts are not made commensurate with the dangers that threaten it.” [10] However, we must also guard against the illusion that rearmament is the answer.  “It is no coincidence that repeated calls to increase military spending, and the choices that follow, are presented by many government leaders as a justified response to external threats” ( Message for the 59th World Day of Peace, 1 January 2026).  Promoting peace is an active task.  Today we must ask whether we are truly making “creative efforts” to advance world peace, or whether we are simply seeking to “stem the tide of war” and better prepare ourselves for wars that we assume are still to come.

According to Schuman, Europe is a continent where dialogue is preferred to armed conflict, and where resources are shared so that “any war… becomes not only unthinkable but materially impossible.” [11]

Schuman understood Europe to be based on respect for international law, which, unlike national law, cannot be enforced by one State through force, but rests on the universally recognized principle of pacta sunt servanda.  This principle is safeguarded by the specific legal framework of this region, which also governs relations between the State and the Catholic Church on the basis of the 1801 Concordat between the Holy See and France, which is still in force.

International law and multilateralism emphasize the genuine equality of States in their relations and constitute the best antidote to the desire for domination, which lies at the root of every conflict.  Today, relations between individuals and States are becoming increasingly uncivilized.  The value of keeping one’s word is dismissed; instead, people boast of lies and deceit.  Europe can help to break this cycle through the respect for others that it has learned to cultivate and preserve.  Over the past eighty years, Europe has amply demonstrated that it is possible to articulate divergent opinions, claims and interests through encounter rather than conflict.

Schuman reminds us that we must always be realistic and courageous: “Europe will not be made at once, nor according to a single master plan of construction. It will be built by concrete achievements, which create de facto dependence.” [12]  We must never lose confidence in our ability to move forward, even when the steps we take are small and almost unnoticed. The modern desire to “have everything, and right away” does not fit with European history and culture, which instead teach us the value of time and patience.  It is through small steps that we can bring to life this concrete solidarity, so that no one feels abandoned or forgotten.

As I share these thoughts with you, I am thinking above all of young people, who are called upon to build the Europe of today and tomorrow.  Schuman already expressed this hope: “May this idea of a Europe reconciled, united and strong become the watchword of the younger generations, eager to serve a humanity at last freed from hatred and fear, which, after far too many divisions, is learning once again about Christian fraternity.” [13]

To young people, I say: have the courage to take up with responsibility the task of promoting peace — in your hearts, in your relationships, within your families, in schools and universities, in your cities and countries, and throughout all of Europe.

Do not give in to the mentality of violence and oppression.

Love life at every moment, and do not be afraid of the future!

Do not be afraid to start a family, to bring children into the world, to defend the dignity of every person, from the moment of conception to death.

Do not be afraid to work tirelessly for the good of your communities, including through political engagement.

Be builders of community!

And with you, Europe, firmly rooted in its heritage, will continue to flourish and to inspire the whole world.

May God sustain you in these commitments, and may he bless and protect all of Europe.

___________________________________________

[1] SAINT PAUL VI, Apostolic Letter Pacis Nuntius (24 October 1964): AAS 56 (1964), 965.

[2] R. SCHUMAN, Pour l’Europe, Geneva 2010 ⁵, 57-58.

[3] A. DE GASPERI, Our Homeland, Europe: Address to the European Parliamentary Conference, 21 April 1954, in: Alcide De Gasperi e la politica internazionale, Rome 1990, vol. III, 437-440.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Cf. ibid.

[6] FRANCIS, Address to the Council of Europe, 25 November 2014.

[7] FRANCIS, Address to the European Parliament, 25 November 2014.

[8] BENEDICT XV, Note to the Heads of the Belligerent Peoples (1 August 1917): AAS 9 (1917), 423.

[9] Schuman Declaration, Paris, 9 May 1950.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Ibid.

[12] Ibid.

[13] R. SCHUMAN, Pour l’Europe, 46.

 

AGE OF CLICKBAIT

 

‘Paying

 attention 

in age

 of clickbait’

2027 World Communications Day theme

The Vatican Dicastery for Communication releases the theme for the 2027 World Communications Day, which is “A New Gaze: 

Paying Attention in the Age of Clickbait.”

By Devin Watkins

On the feast of St. Gabriel the Archangel, the Holy See’s Dicastery for Communication released the theme for the 61st World Communications Day.

The theme will be “A New Gaze: Paying Attention in the Age of Clickbait,” according to a press release published on Tuesday by the Dicastery (our parent organization).

This year’s theme invites Christians to open ourselves to “a conversion of our gaze: to look again, with attention and with love.”

“The attention economy, with its struggle for a few moments of interest amid the rapid and endless flow of content, is transforming not only our cognitive abilities but also the depth of our interpersonal communication,” it noted.

Only by paying attention to others with love can we see the “world, others, even ourselves, as Christ sees us: called by name and loved.”

“Our communication changes when our gaze chooses to encounter others rather than judge them,” said the statement.

People are inundated every moment of every day with expectations of rapid reactions and superficial relationships, resulting in a lack of genuine attention fueled by digital culture, it added.

“Yet attention is a precious form of generosity: the word ‘attention’ comes from ad-tendere—to reach out toward the other and toward the truth,” said the press release. “Christian communication can rediscover attention as both a gift and a way of seeing—the gaze of Jesus, who saw and allowed Himself to be touched.”

Rather than seeking to capture attention, communicating is about safeguarding attention “as a precious resource for relationships.”

In our modern age of “clickbait,” Christians are invited to pay attention and rediscover a healthy form of attention to one another.

“Communication is not just about words,” concluded the press release. “It involves the entire person and asks us to look, hear, and feel again in order to answer Christ’s call.”

World Communications Day 2027 takes place in many parts of the world—including the United States, England and Wales, France, Spain, Poland, and Italy—on May 9, but is celebrated on different days in various parts of the world, as set by the national Bishops’ Conferences.

Vatican News