Since 30 April, the novices and pre-novices have been meeting for a face-to-face encounter. The young men who will soon make their request to be admitted to the novitiate have a chance to share with those who have already embarked on this experience. The meeting with the Holy Father was planned as part of this programme but was kept secret until the last minute. It was expected to last a quarter of an hour but went on for all of 50 minutes!
Pope Francis responded in a precise and decisive manner to many questions. On the theme of accompaniment in vocational discernment he emphasized that young people "take on their own responsibilities". He urged them to beware of hypocrisy and mediocrity. Be careful "of those who want to enter a seminary because they feel they are incapable of making it on their own in the world". Observe the candidates to see "how they pray”: they do not need long artificial prayers, but a prayer that is "simple, but trusting".
The Pope also explained what he means by the peripheries: the "social" peripheries of the poor, and the peripheries of "thought," in the dialogue with atheists and agnostics ... In any case, the advice for the Superiors is explicit: "You must send the best to the peripheries!”
In youth ministry, the Holy Father exhorted them to use much "creativity" and to teach them "to help others, the human values of friendship, the family, respect for the elderly" to stem the "culture that discards people”.
Finally, the Pope sent a greeting and blessing to the Salesians and Christians in Syria and promised his prayers for Fr Tom Uzhunnalil, the Salesian kidnapped 14 months ago in Yemen.
Fr Antonello Sanna, Master of the Novices of Genzano in Rome, made this comment: "This was really a beautiful moment of communion with the Shepherd of the Church. It will mark the lives of these young people. It is a welcome gift as we prepare well for the World Day for Vocations and for the Feast of St. Dominic Savio."
