Pope Leo’s address to the Jesus Youth International Conference
Paul VI Audience Hall = Saturday, 24 October 2026
“You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;
and you shall be my witnesses in Jerusalem
and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Pope Leo’s address
My dear brothers and sisters, welcome to all of you!
I joyfully greet all of you delegates from the many Jesus Youth groups around the world, as well as the bishops, priests, and consecrated men and women accompanying you.
This is a special occasion, because it is the first time that the entire Jesus Youth movement, including all its leaders and delegates, has met with the Successor of Peter.
These days, you have gathered to reflect on and discern how best way to continue your journey forty years after the inception of your movement.
I know you have engaged in extensive synodal consultation over the past three years.
Now, you wish to transform the fruits of this reflection into a new impetus and a more generous embrace of the gifts bestowed upon you by the Holy Spirit.
Your movement began in Kerala, India, as part of the Charismatic Renewal Movement. Young people inspired by a personal encounter with Jesus Christ started it.
Indeed, every authentic renewal in the Church begins with the discovery of Jesus’ love.
Members of various prayer groups came together to channel their enthusiasm and initiatives into something that could sustain and guide the new spiritual and missionary impulse they had experienced.
My dear friends,
For ten years now, the Holy See has recognized you as an international association of the faithful.
Therefore, a time of ecclesial maturity has begun for you: a time in which you are called to face new challenges and produce new fruits.
Do not lose your apostolic zeal.
Rather, foster it and share it to new countries.
Once again, all of this is possible only by keeping your gaze on Jesus Christ.
Many young people in your movement have done precisely this, becoming joyful and courageous witnesses to the faith.
Some have done so in a particularly beautiful and moving way.
Ajna George is one example. Her love for Jesus, present in the Eucharist, sustained her through the great trial of her illness.
Many of you live in areas where Christians are in the minority.
Don’t be afraid to share your friendship with Jesus.
Young people long to experience Christ’s love.
In particular I encourage you to work with families to support vocations to married life.
Young people need to know that their lives are meaningful because they are part of God’s plan.
In addition to promoting the priesthood and consecrated life, it is important to encourage marriage as a calling from God—a vocation to holiness to be embraced with joy, knowing that God sustains all those he calls with his grace.
You have seen this in Jesus Youth: young Christians get married, become parents, and find their calling as missionary families.
They collaborate with ordained ministers to spread the Gospel.
Dear brothers and sisters,
I urge you to continue your journey by faithfully living the prayerful and service-oriented life of Jesus Youth.
Seek to preserve your unity, especially in the light of the great diversity of social backgrounds, cultures, and languages that define your movement.
In this regard, I also ask priests and bishops to adopt a fatherly and forward-thinking perspective.
Overcome any difficulties arising from ritual differences and prioritize the highest spiritual good of young people above all else.
May the Jesus Youth movement always be marked by youthful enthusiasm and freshness in the faith.
In this way, it will enable many more people to encounter the Lord and grow in their spiritual lives.
As you entrust your endeavors to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Saint Francis of Assisi, I warmly impart my Apostolic Blessing to all of you.
Footnote:
The 2026 Jesus Youth International Conference is envisioned as a grace-filled event centered on gratitude, unity, and mission.
Rooted in the theme “Go to the Ends of the Earth,” the conference will celebrate two significant milestones:
(1) the Ruby Jubilee, which marks 40 years of the Jesus Youth movement, and
(2) ten years of pontifical approval by the Holy See, which affirms the movement’s charism and mission within the universal Church.