The city of Monterrey becomes the epicenter of a gathering of faith and communion this weekend. On the occasion of the Third National Youth Day, held on August 15 and 16 at the Banorte Stadium in the Archdiocese of Monterrey, the Holy Father addressed the organizers and participants with words of encouragement to accompany them on their spiritual journey.

The Pope begins his message by highlighting the beauty of this gathering, conceived as a space for encounter not only between young people and their pastors, but also with the very source of their motivation: union with Christ. The central purpose of this journey, the Pontiff reminds us, is to participate in the life of the Master in order to attain holiness, a goal that takes shape through the Gospel motto guiding the days: “You also bear witness, because you are with me” (cf. Jn 15:27).

Beacons of hope in the face of the world’s wounds

Far from offering an abstract perspective, the message directly addresses the reality faced by new generations. The Holy Father encourages young people to embrace these Gospel words with their very lives, emphasizing that faith becomes credible when it springs from a living relationship with Christ, especially in a context marked by complex social problems.

“Only united to Christ can we make the world believe in Him, even amidst the problems they see around them due to violence, indifference, and lack of meaning.”

Faced with this situation, the Holy Father proposes a concrete pedagogy: knowing how to pause. He invites those present to take time in silence to discern, quoting Saint Paul, what is truly beneficial and edifying. It is from this recollection and union with the Master that one can flourish as authentic witnesses and visible signs of hope for others.

The message concludes with an encouragement to live these days with “jovial joy,” entrusting the participants to the maternal protection and shelter of Our Lady of Guadalupe and granting them the Apostolic Blessing from the Vatican.

Full text:

MESSAGE OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV

TO THE ORGANIZERS AND PARTICIPANTS IN THE

III NATIONAL YOUTH DAY

Monterrey (Mexico), August 15 and 16, 2026

_________________

Dear young people:

Now that you are celebrating National Youth Day in that beloved land of Mexico, gathered in the Archdiocese of Monterrey, I wish to share a few words with you so that we may journey together on this path of faith. It is a beautiful opportunity for all of you, together with your pastors, to come together, a meeting that springs from communion with Christ, to show the world our purpose in life: to unite ourselves to Him and thus, by sharing in His life, attain the holiness to which we are called. The title of this gathering makes this clear, for it is Christ Himself who tells us: “You also bear witness, because you are with me” (cf. Jn 15:27).

Dear young people, embrace these words with your own lives, because only united to Christ can we make the world believe in Him, even amidst the problems you see around you caused by violence, indifference, and a lack of meaning. Be able to pause and take time in silence to discern what is truly beneficial and edifying (cf. 1 Cor 10:23). In this way, united to the Master, you will be able to be His witnesses, signs of hope.

While I encourage you to participate in this day with joyful enthusiasm, I entrust you to the maternal protection of Saint Mary of Guadalupe and wholeheartedly impart to you the Apostolic Blessing.

Vatican City, August 1, 2026

LEO XIV