ROME – As Pope Francis readies himself to visit Portugal to preside over World Youth Day (WYD), one of the largest global gatherings of young people in the world, akin more to a rock concert than a an event of prayerful reflection, one of his primary goals will be not just to send a message, but to listen.
For Pope Francis, young people are not simply a priority, as if they are an agenda item that needs forcing or has to be added to a list, but rather they are an integral part of his vision because “they have a contribution to give today, they have a contribution in understanding reality,” said Fr Antonio Spadaro SJ.
