Speaking to a group of young people soon to be confirmed, Pope Leo XIV encouraged perseverance in the faith and emphasized that faith is lived in community, not in isolation.
Pope Leo XIV lamented that after being confirmed, many young people no longer attend church. He asked those awaiting confirmation to “pay special attention” to one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, perseverance.
The Pope met on Saturday, May 16, with those awaiting confirmation from the Archdiocese of Genoa, Italy. In an impromptu message, the Holy Father said that “one of the greatest joys of a bishop is celebrating confirmations, because it is truly a gift of the Holy Spirit.”
“It is truly beautiful to receive this sacrament, for the fullness of the Holy Spirit gives us this enthusiasm, this strength, this ability to follow Jesus Christ, to always say ‘yes’ to the Lord, to have no fear of following him with courage, and to live out our faith in a world that so often seeks to draw us away from Jesus,” he told them.
After recalling the significance of the solemnity of Pentecost — to be celebrated on Sunday, May 24 — the pope lamented a sad
