As a Sister from Lebanon, a country that has suffered greatly and continues to face numerous trials, the Youth Jubilee we experienced was a profound source of consolation and hope for me.
Carrying in my heart the reality of our people and our Lebanese youth, and seeing them present, standing, praying and rejoicing in the heart of the universal Church, gave even greater meaning to this experience.
This Jubilee has deeply marked me as a true experience of a living, young and universal Church. Seeing more than a million young people from all over the world filling Rome with songs, joy and fervour was a strong sign that faith is not dead, but vibrant in the hearts of young people.
This Jubilee has deeply marked me as a true experience of a living, young and universal Church. Seeing more than a million young people from all over the world filling Rome with songs, joy and fervour was a strong sign that faith is not dead, but vibrant in the hearts of young people.
What particularly struck me was the diversity of paths and expressions of faith, welcomed with great freedom. There was no rigid programme: each group built its own path, alternating between discovery, prayer, celebrations and spiritual workshops. This flexibility seems to me to be very valuable for youth ministry today: it respects rhythms, languages and cultures and allows young people to be protagonists of their own faith.
The wealth of spiritual offerings provided by parishes, communities and movements shows how much the Church can reach young people where they are, provided that it offers them living, incarnate and accessible spaces. The moments shared with the Lebanese groups were particularly intense.
The moment of prayer for Lebanon, in the Basilica of the Twelve Apostles, will remain etched in my heart: seeing these young people praying and singing with such faith, despite the difficulties they face, was a true testimony of hope.
The final Mass at Tor Vergata was for me the culmination of this experience: a Church gathered around Christ, in unity and peace. I felt deeply that we form one family, called to walk together.
In relation to youth ministry, this Jubilee confirmed for me an essential conviction: young people thirst for meaning, depth and authenticity. They do not ask for heavy structures, but places of encounter, trust, true prayer and fraternity. The Pope’s message – ‘Jesus is our hope’ – and his invitation to aspire to holiness in daily life resonate as a mission for us consecrated persons: to accompany young people, to walk with them and to remind them that God is already at work in their lives.
I look back on this Jubilee with great gratitude and a renewed certainty: the Church is alive, the Holy Spirit is always at work in the hearts of young people and, despite the challenges, we are moving forward together towards the light of Christ.
Sr Christine Helou.
