The Pope to young people:

The Holy Father received this Saturday the youth teams of the movement of matrimonial spirituality Teams of Our Lady, and encouraged them to “form community and walk together.”
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“Each young person is a hope for Jesus: a hope for friendship, a hope for a journey together, a hope for a mission together. And for this reason, each one of you is also a hope for the Church”, said Pope Francis to the members of the Teams of Our Lady youth movement whom he received this Saturday, August 6.

Addressing the young people of the movement, born in France in 1938, which proposes to live according to the principles of Catholic doctrine, “to grow in relationship with Christ and the Virgin Mary and in a mission in daily life, meeting in teams, led by a couple to pray, share, discuss and define objectives to be achieved, the Pope reflected with them on the three words that form his name: “Team, Our Lady and young people”.

Equipment
Speaking of the group experience of the young people of Our Lady, the pontiff defined as a gift “being part of a community, of a family of families that transmits a lived faith” and added that “we are all in a relationship, to learn to form a equipment. God wanted to enter into this dynamic of relationships and draws us to himself in community, giving our lives a full sense of identity and belonging. Because the Lord saves us by making us a people, his people. Don’t let the world make you think it’s better to go alone.”

The Holy Father warned young people that “alone” you can “perhaps achieve some success, but without love, without company, without belonging to a people, without the invaluable experience that is dreaming together, risking together, suffering together and celebrating together. “. Hence the invitation to open up, to take risks, not to be afraid of others. And “if it is true that there is harassment, abuse, lies, betrayal,” he added, we have to worry more “of defending the victims.”

Hence the Pope’s invitation to “grow as a team” and “in this era of the virtual and the consequent loneliness in which many young people fall”, he urges the youth groups of Our Lady to advance as a team, to build bridges and do equipment.

Our lady
Then, insisting on the word “Our Lady”, which recalls the particular devotion to the Virgin of the young people of the movement and the desire to follow her example – “putting ourselves under her maternal protection” – and to understand her privileged place in the mystery of Christ and of salvation, the Pope points out that when Mary is accepted into one’s life, “the center is never lost, which is the Lord. Because Mary never points to herself, but to Jesus and to the brothers”, she always invites us to look at Christ. That is why he exhorts young people to entrust themselves to the Virgin.

“I encourage you to live in daily dedication to the Virgin Mary, which will also help you grow as a team, sharing the gifts received in a spirit of dialogue and mutual acceptance. It will help them to have a generous heart, to discover the joy of service in gratuitousness, as she did when she went to visit Saint Elizabeth”.

In this regard Francis reminded young people that the theme of the next World Youth Day, which will take place in Lisbon in a year, is taken from here: “Mary got up and left quickly”. And he said that she loves the title of “‘Mother in a hurry’, that she wastes no time to help.”

“Getting up to serve, going out to take care of others and creation: these are typical values ​​of young people. I invite you to practice them while preparing for WYD in Lisbon”, encouraged the Pope.

Young man
Finally, the third word: “young”. The Pope uses it to affirm that “the future belongs to the young”, but that it is necessary to have “wings to fly, dream, create” and “roots to receive the wisdom of the elders”, remain united to grandparents, their roots, because if you can’t talk to your grandparents you won’t be able to fly.

At the end of his speech, Francis turns his thoughts to the adults who follow the young people of the Teams of Our Lady: married couples and assistant priests.

I think it is a great joy for you to receive and accompany these young people. Be witnesses of them, with humility and simplicity. Witnesses of love for Christ and the Church, witnesses of listening and dialogue, witnesses of free and generous service, witnesses of prayer. Thank you for your presence with young people: for the time and care you dedicate to them.”+

The Pope to young people: