Pope Leo XIV has encouraged young Catholics to recognize marriage as a vocation to holiness, alongside the priesthood and consecrated life. During an audience held this Saturday, October 24, in the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Pontiff recalled that married life is part of God’s plan and asked ecclesial movements to accompany families in their evangelizing mission.
“Besides the priesthood and consecrated life, it is good to promote marriage as a call from God, a vocation to holiness that must be embraced with joy,” the Pope stated before participants in the Jesus Youth International Conference 2026, the international gathering of the Jesus Youth movement, which was born in India within the Charismatic Renewal.
Leo XIV also highlighted the importance of young people bearing witness to their faith, especially in countries where Christians are a minority. Likewise, he asked bishops and priests to accompany with a paternal gaze the different realities of the movement, overcoming difficulties that may arise from ritual differences and always seeking the spiritual good of the young people.
Below, we offer the full English translation of the address delivered by Leo XIV.
To the participants in the Jesus Youth International Conference 2026
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Peace be with you!
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome to all of you.
I greet with joy all of you, delegates of the Jesus Youth groups present in many parts of the world, and I likewise greet the bishops, priests, and consecrated men and women who accompany you. This is a special gathering, because it is the first time that the Jesus Youth movement, with all its leaders and delegates, meets with the Successor of Peter.
You have gathered these days to reflect and discern how to continue your journey more effectively, forty years after the birth of your movement. I know that over the past three years you have carried out an extensive synodal-style consultation process. Now you wish the fruits of this reflection to be transformed into a new impetus, into a more generous welcome of the gifts that the Holy Spirit has granted you.
Your movement was born in the state of Kerala, in India, as part of the Charismatic Renewal, through the spontaneous initiative of young people themselves, inspired by a personal encounter with the Lord Jesus. Indeed, the starting point of every authentic renewal in the Church is the personal discovery of Jesus’ love. Thus, members of various prayer groups felt the need to unite in order to channel their enthusiasm and initiatives toward something that could sustain and guide the new spiritual and missionary impulse they had experienced.
For ten years now, dear friends, you have been recognized by the Holy See as an international association of the faithful. A time of ecclesial maturity has therefore begun for you, a time in which you are called to take on new challenges and bear new fruit. Do not lose your apostolic zeal, but cultivate it and bring it to new countries. Once again, all of this is possible only by keeping your gaze fixed on Jesus Christ. Many young people in your movement have done precisely this and, in this way, have become joyful and courageous witnesses of the faith. Some have done so in a particularly beautiful and moving way, such as Ajna George, who was sustained during the great trial of her illness by her love for Jesus present in the Eucharist.
Although many of you live in places where Christians are a minority, do not be afraid to bear witness to your friendship with Jesus. The hearts of young people long to discover the love of Christ. In a particular way, I encourage you to work with families to support the vocation to married life. Young people need to know that their lives are great and beautiful because they are part of God’s greater plan. Besides the priesthood and consecrated life, it is good to promote marriage as a call from God, a vocation to holiness that must be embraced with joy, with the certainty that God sustains with his grace all those whom he calls. This is precisely what you have experienced in Jesus Youth over these years: young Christians who marry, become parents, and discover their vocation to be missionary families, working together with ordained ministers to spread the Gospel.
Dear brothers and sisters, I exhort you to continue your journey by faithfully living the life of prayer and service to the poor that characterizes Jesus Youth. Strive to preserve your unity, especially amid the great diversity of social backgrounds, cultures, and languages that characterizes your movement. In this regard, I also ask priests and bishops to adopt a paternal and broad-minded perspective, overcoming difficulties that may arise from ritual differences, in order to seek above all the greater spiritual good of the young people. I hope that the Jesus Youth movement will always be distinguished by its youthful freshness and enthusiasm for the faith and that, in this way, it will enable many more to encounter the Lord and grow in the spiritual life.
Entrusting your efforts to the intercession of the Virgin Mary and Saint Francis of Assisi, I cordially impart to all of you my apostolic blessing.
Thank you.