World Youth Day USA Guides Retreat Manual | Page 55

In this, the Holy Father reminds young people

encyclical on solidarity with creation and its

that solidarity is messy and noisy. We choose to

impact on global poverty.

be uncomfortable for the sake of others, so that
we might understand their needs better and

World Youth Day itself is an encounter of

inform ourselves at a deeper level about how

solidarity – of standing together with pilgrims

we should live. We also choose to be bold in

from almost every country, from developing

these acts of witness and compassion.

nations and developed nations, mutually
learning about the global Church through

“Lent is a fitting time for self-denial; we would

evangelization in catechesis, central events, in

do well to ask ourselves what we can give up in

the encounters at meals and in prayer, and

order to help and enrich others by our own

journeying together through the host country.

poverty. Let us not forget that real poverty
In his 2014 World Youth Day message,

hurts: no self-denial is real without this

focusing on the theme and beatitude of

dimension of penance. I distrust a charity that

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the

costs nothing and does not hurt.”

kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:2), Pope Francis

Lenten Message of Pope Francis 2014

reminded the young pilgrims:

vatican.va/content/francesco/en/messages/lent/docum
ents/papa-francesco_20131226_messaggioquaresima2014.html

“All of us need to experience a conversion in the
way we see the poor. We have to care for them and

Pope Francis models solidarity: he chose the

be sensitive to their spiritual and material needs.

name “Francis” to remind himself and the

To you young people I especially entrust the

Church of the call to be in solidarity with those

task of restoring solidarity to the heart of

who are poor; he walked among the barrios in

human culture. Faced with old and new forms

Rio de Janeiro; he visited Lampedusa off the

of poverty – unemployment, migration and

coast of Italy to be in solidarity with immigrants

addictions of various kinds – we have the duty

and refugees from Africa; he unexpectedly

to be alert and thoughtful, avoiding the

prayed at the dividing wall of Israel and

temptation to remain indifferent. We have to

Palestine; he kissed the feet of prisoners in

remember all those who feel unloved, who have

Rome during the rite of the washing of feet on

no hope for the future and who have given up

Holy Thursday; he called forth bishops and

on life out of discouragement, disappointment

leaders from smaller countries; he embraced the

or fear. We have to learn to be on the side of

sick and those who are marginalized in his

the poor, and not just indulge in rhetoric about

public audiences; he released Laudato Si’, an

the poor! Let us go out to meet them, look into
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