Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

VATICAN CITY — To fully experience love and hope, young people must approach the journey of life as pilgrims and not just sightseers seeking the perfect selfie, Pope Francis said.

“Do not be like superficial sightseers, blind to the beauty around you, never discovering the meaning of the roads you take, interested only in a few fleeting moments to capture in a selfie. Tourists do this,” the pope said in a message to young people ahead of the local celebrations of World Youth Day on Nov. 24.

“Pilgrims, on the other hand, immerse themselves fully in the places they encounter, listen to the message they communicate and make them a part of their quest for happiness and fulfillment,” the pope wrote in the message released by the Vatican on Sept. 17.

The November celebrations of World Youth Day are taking place just a month before Pope Francis is scheduled to open the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica and inaugurate the Holy Year 2025.

“The jubilee pilgrimage,” he told young people, “is meant to be the outward sign of an inward journey that all of us are called to make toward our final destination.”

While expressing his hope that many young people would be able to make a pilgrimage to Rome during the Holy Year, including the July 28-Aug. 3 celebration of the Jubilee of Youth, the pope said he hoped the year would be an opportunity for all Catholics to have “a moment of genuine, personal encounter with the Lord Jesus, the ‘Door’ of our salvation.”

Three attitudes should characterize Catholics’ celebration of the Holy Year, he said.

“First, thanksgiving, with hearts open to praise God for his many gifts, especially the gift of life. Then, a spirit of seeking as an expression of our heart’s unquenchable thirst to encounter the Lord,” he said. “And finally penance which helps us to look within, to acknowledge wrong paths and decisions we have at times taken and in this way be converted to Lord and light Gospel.”

Bernini’s colonnade around St. Peter’s Square is meant to evoke an image church as mother embracing all her children pope said “In coming Holy Year Hope invite all you experience embrace merciful God pardon forgiveness interior debts biblical tradition jubilee years”

Knowing one loved forgiven God makes possible embrace others help them sense welcome love God he said

Pope Francis told young people realizes how challenging it can look future hope especially “in times marked by dramatic situations generate despair prevent looking future serenity tragedy war social injustices inequalities hunger exploitation human beings natural environment”

Too many young people he said are “tempted live without hope prisoners boredom (or) depression” destructive behaviors

The key overcoming those temptations pope trust Lord keep turning him when road gets rocky

Getting tired normal part any long journey he said different from “ennui apathy dissatisfaction affect those who never set out choose decide take risks preferring remain own comfort zone closed themselves seeing judging world distance without ever ‘dirtying hands’ problems other people life itself”

Ennui is “a kind wet cement which stand eventually hardens weighs down paralyzes prevents moving forward” Pope Francis wrote prefer tiredness those moving forward ennui those stand still no desire move

The energy nourishment keep going provided Jesus Eucharist

Pope Francis cited example Blessed Carlo Acutis Italian teenager set canonized soon who “made Eucharist most important daily appointment!”

All Catholics should same pope In union Lord walk without tiring walking alongside encourage rediscover great gift Eucharist