Pope Francis

His amazing vibe with youth

Pope Francis has an extraordinary fascination for young people. He became Pope at the age of 77. Those who were familiar with the extraordinary capacity of his predecessor, Pope John Paul II, to connect with the youth had doubts about Pope Francis’ ability to vibe with them. But their scepticism vanished within months after Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became Pope Francis on 13 March 2013, assumed leadership of the worldwide Catholic Church. Bergoglio, the first Pope from the Americas, chose the name Francis in honour of the medieval Italian saint, Francis of Assisi, a man known for gentleness and humility, and love for nature.

Pope Francis has now become, for millions of youth across the world, “A loving Papa” or as the Filipinos call him, their dear Lolo Kiko or Grandpa. It is enough to have a glimpse of what thousands of youth write to Pope Francis in response to his social media posts to know how much they love him. Pope Francis’ young admirers hail from different parts of the world and belong to different nationalities, ethnic groups and faiths. They have a rare bonding with him, a high decibel of trust that characterizes their communication with him.

Pope Francis has infused a new level of energy and passion into the youth, who may be affluent or in abject poverty or lack employment, the migrants or the homeless. Wherever he goes, Pope Francis takes special time with young people. His encounters with the youth are personal, intimate, stimulating. With a father’s heart, he is able to listen, encourage and exhort them, and comfort them. The young people, in turn, sense in his words and actions a genuine love and concern for them, an unsullied sincerity, a deep understanding of their needs and aspirations. After an encounter with him, their spirits soar.