My dear friends,

It is with immense joy that I greet you today, young people together with priests, religious and bishops from all over the country, on the occasion of the Australian Catholic Youth Festival. Be assured of my prayers that the Lord will bless your activities and make this a grace-filled time for everyone involved.

Being young is a wonderful time in life because there is so much to learn and experience. At the same time, there are many challenges to face as you try to grow and mature your character within a social context. Finding one’s place in the world seems to be even harder today, as societies are constantly changing, traditional values are frequently looked down upon, and technology while containing positive elements can also leave us more isolated from each other.

As Christians, before listening to our friends or the wider-culture, we should first turn to God, our Heavenly Father, who, at the moment of our baptism, made each one of us his beloved son or daughter. Reflecting on how our fundamental relationship with God gives true meaning to our lives, Pope Benedict XVI said, “We are not some casual and meaningless product of evolution. Each of us is the result of a thought of God. Each of us is willed, each of us is loved, each of us is necessary.” [1] Our lives, therefore, find their ultimate purpose in becoming who God made us to be, in other words, by living out his will in our lives.

Saint Catherine of Siena once said, “Be who God made you to be and you will set the world on fire.” [2] We can see this truth in the shining example of all the saints, who demonstrate what it means to follow God’s will in their lives, each in their own unique way. We can call to mind our two new young saints, Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati, whom I recently canonized. Pier Giorgio is remembered for being physically active, joking around with friends and helping the poor. Whereas, Carlo is portrayed in a more reserved and reverent manner, who wanted to use his computer skills to promote knowledge of Eucharistic miracles online. Yet, they both had a profound relationship with God and sought to do his will in their lives; as a result, we can see from their photos that they radiated a deep joy in their eyes.

Saint Carlo Acutis famously said, “All people are born as originals, but many die as photocopies”. Do not let that happen to you! Each one of you has been created with a unique personality, possessing different strengths, weaknesses, talents, and skills, and you have a specific life journey to live out these qualities with joy.

Do not try merely to imitate others; instead, listen to what God is calling you to be and do. In particular, I am sure that the Lord is calling some of you to serve him in the priesthood or consecrated life. Please have the courage to say ‘yes’!

As you know, the only way to hear our Heavenly Father’s voice is to grow closer to him, especially through prayer and the sacraments. Moreover, as with any other relationship, to be a better daughter, son, brother, or sister, we have to live out those relationships with greater love, commitment and sacrifice. Take inspiration from the saints who profoundly lived out their identity as children of God and always kept him at the centre of their lives.

Finally, when all of you return home at the end of the Youth Festival, please remember that what you learn and experience ought to be incorporated into your daily discipleship. In this regard, I encourage you to build networks and friendships with one another and work together to build up the Kingdom of God in your local areas. As Saint Paul teaches us, the Body of Christ is united even with many different members, so there is a place and a need for each of you, and for the unique contribution only you can make (cf. 1 Cor 12:14-20). At the same time, never be discouraged when you fall in your discipleship, for with God’s grace – and encountering him in the sacrament of confession – this too can become a moment for renewal and growth in holiness.

My Dear friends, with these few words, and entrusting you to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and Saint Mary Mackillop, I gladly impart to each of you my heartfelt blessing.

And may the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit come down on you and remain with you forever. Amen.

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[1]  Homily, Mass for the Beginning of the Petrine Ministry of the Bishop of Rome, 24 April 2005.

[2] Letter to Stefano Maconi [1376] in St Catherine of Siena as seen in her letters tr. Vida D. Soudder (1905).