FR
EN
As the final stage of his apostolic journey to Sarajevo, Pope Francis met at the end of the day with 800 young people at the Saint John Paul II Center in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina, welcomed by overflowing enthusiasm and joyful songs. Bishop Marko Semren, auxiliary bishop of Banja Luka, in charge of youth ministry, spoke first. He thanked the Pope for his encouragement to live peace, and his solidarity with the young people, « springtime of the Church, springtime of our homeland and of our future ».
Francis then listened to the testimony of two young people : Nadezda, a member of the Serbian Orthodox Church, and Darko, a young 24-year-old sports teacher, who shared his « one desire » : peace in his country, wishing that the visit of Francis might be an encouragement so that «tolerance and reconciliation might be the winning card for a better future ».
The Pope then preferred to answer spontaneous questions posed by the young people, rather than read the speech prepared for the occasion. Asked about the fact that he had declared in an interview that he does not watch television, Francis explained that he stopped watching it from the moment he understood that television alienated him. « But times have changed, we live in the world of the image. In this world, one must choose the things that do us good, as in the time of books, use the computer and television for beautiful things, that make us grow. It is therefore the responsibility of the channels to make programs that build up society, that carry positive values. If a program does not carry this kind of values, change the channel! » he said to the young people.
« You are the flowers of a springtime that refuses to return to destruction »
Addressing this « first post-war generation », the Pope compared the young people to the « flowers of a springtime that wants to go forward and not return to destruction, to times that raise up enemies against one another, and this is new » according to Francis. « You want to be a "we", he noted, and this is building peace, this is proper to your generation and to your joy. You have a great vocation : never to build walls, only bridges ! ». He once again denounced the powerful of this world who speak openly of peace, but who « under the table, sell weapons ». « From you, I expect honesty in what you think, say, and do. Otherwise, it is called hypocrisy » he warned.
Finally, at sunset, giving a blessing from the terrace of the Saint John Paul II Center to the young people who had not been able to find a place inside the center, he said to them: « here is the task I leave you: make peace, work for peace all together. May Bosnia and Herzegovina be a land of peace! Mir Vama! (« May peace be with you » in the three languages of Bosnia and Herzegovina and the motto of the journey ) » he exclaimed several times, each time greeted by shouts of joy and hearty applause.
Read the full speech of the Pope at News.va.
Source: news.va/fr
