“As young people not only of Asia, but also as sons and daughters of this great Earth, you have a right and a duty to take full part in the life of your societies.”

Pope Francis urged Asian youth to “wake up” and “be vigilant” as he celebrated the closing Mass of the sixth Asian Youth Day (AYD) being held at the Haemi Fortress in Chungcheongnam-do (South Chungcheong Province), on August 17.

Celebrating Mass, the pope called the Asian youth gathered from 23 countries, “the future,” of the Roman Catholic Church and of their own societies, and urged them to care for the poor and the marginalized.

“You and your friends are filled with optimism, energy and good will, which are so characteristic of this period of life,” said the Holy Father in his sermon. “Let Christ turn your natural optimism into Christian hope, your energy into moral virtue and your good will into genuine self-sacrificing love.”

The pontiff went on to say, “With your bishops and priests, spend these years building a holier, more missionary-oriented and humble Church, a Church which loves and worships God by seeking to serve the poor, the lonely, the infirm and the marginalized.”

“Dear young people, God, our God, has blessed us. From him we have received mercy. Assured of God’s love, go out into the world.”


During the closing ceremony, shouts of, “Viva il Papa,” came from more than 50,000 people, including the young people at the event, Catholics and locals alike. The shouts rang out across the fortress, a holy place where many Roman Catholic Koreans were martyred in the late 1800s.

Dressed in a white robe, the pontiff called on the youth. “Do not be afraid to bring the wisdom of faith into every aspect of your social life,” he said, as he emphasized their role in society.



“You will find many occasions that will tempt you, like the disciples in today’s Gospel, to push away the stranger, the needy, the poor and the broken-hearted,” the pope said. “No. We are to be like Christ, who responds to every plea for his help with love, mercy and compassion.”




Photos: Jeon Han
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
jiae5853@korea.kr