Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV has called on Catholic communities around the world to renew their efforts to evangelize young people, warning that many are facing a growing crisis of spiritual poverty and a loss of meaning in life.
Speaking on Thursday to participants in the Plenary Session of the Dicastery for Evangelization’s Section for Fundamental Questions of Evangelization in the World, the Pope said the Church must respond with renewed energy to the spiritual hunger emerging among younger generations.
The meeting took place after the conclusion of the 2025 Jubilee of Hope, which brought nearly 33 million pilgrims to Rome. Pope Leo thanked the Dicastery for its work in coordinating the massive spiritual gathering and described the Jubilee as a “time of grace” for the universal Church.
He said the Jubilee was experienced not only through pilgrimages to the four Papal Basilicas in Rome but also in local Catholic communities around the world, where many believers rediscovered their desire for hope and deeper faith.
The Pope stressed that evangelization is not about presenting unrealistic ideals but about giving witness through love, truth, and authentic Christian living.
He said the mission of proclaiming the Gospel must remain at the heart of the Church’s work at every level, from the Vatican to local parishes.
According to Pope Leo, many countries, especially in the Western world, are witnessing a serious crisis of faith that has led to growing religious indifference. He warned that such indifference can cause people to stop searching for answers to life’s deepest questions, including the search for meaning and purpose.
Despite these challenges, the Pope expressed confidence that an encounter with Christ can restore meaning and value to human life. He said the Church continues to carry the mission given by the Risen Lord to help humanity build a future rooted in peace, justice, freedom, and fraternity.
A major part of the Pope’s address focused on young people. He said many members of the younger generation are searching for spirituality and are open to the message of the Gospel, contrary to the assumption that modern youth are completely disconnected from religion.
“The new generation is not closed off to the Gospel,” the Pope said, adding that many young people who rediscover Christianity want to understand it more deeply because they see in it the path to true happiness.
He encouraged Catholic communities to find new and creative ways to share the Gospel while remaining attentive to the guidance of the Holy Spirit.
Pope Leo also spoke about the difficulties of transmitting the faith in today’s modern societies, which he described as hyper mediated and consumer driven. Such environments, he said, often make people less patient and less willing to undertake a sincere search for truth.
This situation, he explained, has created a form of spiritual poverty in some parts of the world, where many people lack both the motivation and the support needed to grow in faith.
The Pope said the most effective response is the witness of joyful Christian communities and believers who live their faith with sincerity and consistency.
“The holiness of life always remains the most convincing form of the beauty of the Christian faith,” he said.
He also encouraged the Dicastery for Evangelization to continue supporting catechesis and helping the increasing number of adults seeking Baptism around the world.
Pope Leo concluded by urging Catholic communities to accompany new believers with love, friendship, and mutual service so they can grow strongly in faith and Christian life.