Follow Christ and do not fear lifelong commitments, Pope tells young people in Assisi

August 06, 2026

Pope Leo XIV arrived in Assisi this morning for a brief pastoral visit with participants in the Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting. In his first public meeting there (video), he challenged young people present to follow Jesus and not fear lifelong commitments.

Upon his arrival, Pope Leo was greeted by local Church and civil dignitaries. He was then greeted by the ministers-general of the three major Franciscan institutes: the Order of Friars Minor, the Conventual Franciscans, and the Capuchin Franciscans.

The Pontiff then met with young people in the Piazza of Saint Mary of the Angels. Three young people asked him questions about how to remain true disciples of Christ, how to say “yes” to a lifelong commitment, and how to cope with crises in the Church.

Being a witness to Christ “is both captivating and demanding,” Pope Leo said in response to the first question. “It enlarges our minds and hearts, freeing us from artificial boundaries, from the fears created by misinformation and from walls built by prejudice.”

“Rejecting the culture of power and building a civilization of love are choices that are not immediately understood or accepted,” he continued. “Saint Francis, however, teaches that radicalism of the Gospel is the very opposite of fundamentalism. It does not make us blind or violent; instead, it makes us aware, attentive and always eager to follow Jesus, and therefore humble and welcoming towards everyone. It is not an easy path, but it brings much joy.”

In response to the second question, Pope Leo said:

Choosing “for ever” does not imprison us within a cage; rather, it opens us to a greater dynamism. To love is an exodus. It is a path to be discovered, a journey that God himself walks with us ..

Here we see the inseparable bond between faith, trust and faithfulness. Faith unmasks the illusion that our problems can be solved by running away, or abandoning our commitments, or taking a few steps along ever-changing roads without ever truly arriving anywhere. We may multiply our experiences, our acquaintances and our possessions, yet remain in exactly the same place. The human cost is immense, and the inner emptiness that follows is profound ...

For this reason, from adolescence onwards it is important to learn to know ourselves, to make decisions and to stake our lives on them—in other words, to respond to the Lord who calls us. Nor in adulthood should we stop being faithful to the commitments we have already made and to those still to come.

“Throughout history, and even today, many people struggle to experience the Church as Jesus desires her to be,” Pope Leo said in response to the final question. “This causes deep suffering; it leaves wounds and disappointments, and for some it even becomes an obstacle to faith.”

“In the Gospel, Jesus himself warns us about this danger, namely the scandal that his disciples can cause, especially to the little ones and the poor,” he continued. “Yet from the very beginning, his desire was to gather a people in whom everything that ordinarily divides humanity would be overcome. Around Jesus, men and women became brothers and sisters who otherwise would never have met.”

The Pontiff added:

Jesus’ desire for the Church is unmistakable: she is to become his Body and make his own life visible by exercising a different kind of authority—one that does not oppress but raises others up. The word of God, the Sacraments and the practice of fraternal love are the means by which the image of Christ is formed within us.

Francis walked this path: not to dominate, but to serve; not to grasp, but to receive; not to withhold, but to give back. This is the very life of God, which continually renews the Church and makes her a free people, a place of refreshment and salvation.

Following the meeting with young people, Pope Leo greeted representatives of the Franciscan orders in the basilica’s cloister.

 

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Further information:

• MEETING OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV WITH THE YOUNG PEOPLE TAKING PART IN THE “GO! FRANCISCAN YOUTH MEETING 2026” SANTA MARIA DEGLI ANGELI – ASSISI (Dicastery for Communication - Libreria Editrice Vaticana)
• Pastoral Visit to Assisi: Meeting of the Holy Father with the Young People taking part in the "Go! Franciscan Youth Meeting 2026" (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 8/6/26)