Among the highlights during every leg of Pope Francis’ apostolic visits, are his rather “informal” meetings with young people.
By Linda Bordoni – Singapore
As I was leaving the Convention Centre in Dili, Pope Francis, true to form, stayed behind to connect with the crowd. His flight to Singapore was delayed by about 45 minutes! It struck me that during almost every trip, he ends his journey by spending time with young people.
In Timor-Leste, where the majority of the population is under 35, he tossed aside his prepared speech and just talked with them, answering their questions. He gave them advice on how to navigate life, technology, and family. And, of course, he reminded them of their huge responsibility as they represent a call to “life, hope and the future.” This, he said, “is why young people must commit.”
Before taking off In Papua New Guinea, he spoke to over 10,000 young people in a stadium. His message? “The world needs your dreams and courage.” He expressed joy for having spent time in the country “where the ocean meets the sky,“ where over 800 different languages are spoken. A country inhabited by many young people to whom he said: “I did not want to leave here without meeting you, because you are the hope for the future.”
And in Jakarta, a day before he left, (for logistic reasons I presume), he spoke about interreligious harmony and fraternity encouraging the youth to live up to Indonesia’s promise of “Harmony in Diversity”. Together, they even planted a mangrove tree, symbolizing their shared commitment to protect the environment.
Now, here in Singapore, it’s his final stop before heading back to Rome. I’m sure, as always, he’ll leave them with a message of hope and a reminder to take action—for the planet, and for humanity.
