Photo ©: Vatican Media
【慈幼通訊社 ─ 2025 年11月24日梵蒂岡城】2025年11月21日星期五，超過15,000名青年，參加了美國印第安納州舉行的全國天主教青年大會（NCYC），並通過視像與教宗良十四世會面。教宗良十四世邀請年輕的天主教徒培養與耶穌的友誼，善用科技來加深信仰，不要以「政治框架」來談論教會。
由Katie Prejan McGrady擔任主持，活動中有六位青年教友向教宗提問，探討的主題包括聖事、心理健康、人工智能及教會的未來等。
教宗良在開幕致詞中讚揚了美國青年抽出時間親自聚會，並鼓勵他們積極參與堂區活動。
太會讓他們有機會參與彌撒、在聖體前祈禱、領受修和聖事，教宗說這些活動是「真正與耶穌相遇的機會」。
聖事中的生活
在交談中，第一位青年詢問，在犯錯、感到失望時，如何接受天主的仁慈寬恕？
教宗良十四世承認，每個人都會經歷祈求天主垂憐，並難以接受在懺悔中天主真正饒恕了我們的事實。
教宗答道：「罪惡不是最後的結局，每當我們祈求天主的憐憫，祂都會寬恕我們。教宗方濟各說過，天主從不厭倦寬恕我們，有時是我們厭倦祈求寬恕！」
教宗補充說，天主的心與我們的心不同，因為祂永不厭倦尋找迷失的羊。教宗邀請青年透過修和聖事與基督相遇，坦誠地懺悔自己的罪過，並在神父的赦免中接受耶穌的寬恕。
面對抑鬱症和心理健康問題
接著，教宗回答了一個關於心理健康的問題，例如感到悲傷或不知所措。
他邀請所有人敞開心扉與耶穌建立深切的關係，在祈禱中將自己的困難交託給他。
他說：「在靜默中，我們可以坦誠地傾訴心聲。在朝拜聖體中，你可以注視著耶穌聖體，並知道祂正以愛注視著你。」
教宗補充說，青年也應當尋找值得信賴的成年人，讓天主能通過他人與他們說話，如父母、老師、神父和青年牧者。
他也邀請他們祈求能擁有真正的朋友，這些朋友會激勵我們在「人生迷惘或艱難時尋求耶穌」。
「許多青年會說，『沒有人理解我。』但這種想法會讓你感到孤立，」教宗說。 「當你們感到迷茫時，就試著對主說：『主，你比我更了解我自己。』並信任祂會指引你。」
科技、人工智能與信仰生活
在回答關於科技對信仰影響的問題時，教宗良十四世肯定現今科技幫忙相隔千里的人們連繫起來。
他說：「科技可以幫助我們做很多事情，甚至真正幫助我們活出基督徒的信仰。它還為我們提供了絕佳的工具來祈禱、閱讀聖經，以及更深入了解我們信仰的內容。」
同時，教宗指出，科技永遠無法取代真實的面對面交流和參與聖體聖事，他呼籲公教青年要留意自己花在屏幕前的時間，並確保科技是為你的生活服務，而不是讓你的生活被科技所支配。
教宗良指出，人工智能已成為我們時代的一個關鍵特徵。安全不僅僅在於控制人工智能模型的發展，更在於通過教育和個人責任來賦予人們做出健康決策的能力。
他說，每一種工具都應該幫助我們的信仰生活和智力發展，而不是阻礙它。他提醒道：「不應讓人工智能的使用限制你真正的人性成長。即使它明天消失了，你仍然知道如何思考、創作、及獨立行動。記住：人工智能永遠無法取代你是這個世界上獨一無二的恩寵。」
教會的未來
教宗良隨後回答了有關教會未來的問題，他重溫了耶穌對伯多祿的承諾：「陰間的門決不能戰勝教會。」
他表示，教會要為未來做好準備，就必須「忠於耶穌今天對我們的要求」。他也回顧說，兩千年來，聖神一直引領教會處理各種問題和挑戰。
教宗指出，青年「不僅是教會的未來，也是教會的當下」，並鼓勵青年多參加堂區彌撒和活動，使信仰得以成長。
他說：「如果你覺得主可能在召喚你去做某些特定的事情，請與你的堂區神父或其他值得信賴的領袖交談。他們可以幫助你辨識天主的召叫。」
基督的朋友，福音的傳教士
最後，教宗良十四世表達了他對青年在教會未來的期望，邀請他們在未來的歲月中積極參與塑造教會。
針對青年希望做些有意義的事情，教宗鼓勵公教青年慷慨地奉獻自己的時間和才能，以建設教會。
他說：「在內心深處，我們渴望真理、美與善，因為我們是為這些而創造的。而我們所尋求的這份寶藏有一個名字：耶穌，祂希望被你所找到。」
青年被召叫成為基督的朋友和和平的使者，「建立橋樑而不是牆壁，重視對話和團結而非分裂。」他說：「切勿用政治框架來談論信仰，教會不屬於任何政黨；相反，教會為幫助你們塑造良知，好使你們以智慧與愛行動。」
最後，教宗良邀請美國的公教青年聆聽天主在他們生命中的召叫，並辨別他們的聖召，無論是婚姻、神職或修道生活。
他問道：「還有什麼比福音更偉大的目標值得你奉獻一生呢？世界需要傳教士，需要你分享你在耶穌裡找到的光明和喜樂。」
Source: Vatican News
Vatican – Pope Leo to young people: Technology can help us live our Christian faith
24 November 2025
(ANS – Vatican City) – Over 15,000 young people met with Pope Leo XIV via video link on Friday, 21st November 2025, as they attended the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in the US city of Indianapolis. Pope Leo XIV invited young Catholics to grow in friendship with Jesus Christ, use technology healthily to deepen their faith, and avoid using political categories to speak about the Church.
Moderated by Katie Prejan McGrady, the event saw six young Catholics ask the Pope to share his thoughts on topics ranging from the Sacraments and mental health to artificial intelligence and the future of the Church.
In his opening remarks, Pope Leo praised the American youth for taking the time to meet together in person, and encouraged them to be active members of their parish communities.
The conference gave them the chance to attend Mass, pray before the Blessed Sacrament, and receive the Sacrament of Reconciliation, and the Pope said these activities are “real opportunities to meet Jesus.”
Life in the Sacraments
The first question put to the Pope asked about accepting God’s mercy when we’ve sinned or let others down.
Pope Leo XIV acknowledged that everyone struggles with asking for God’s mercy and accepting that He truly does forgive us in Confession.
“Sin never has the final word,” he said. “Whenever we ask for God’s mercy, He forgives us. Pope Francis said that God never gets tired of forgiving—we get tired of asking!”
God’s heart, he added, is different than our own, since He never tires of searching for the lost sheep. The Pope invited young people to encounter Christ in the Sacrament of Reconciliation, confessing their sins openly and welcoming Jesus’ forgiveness in the priest’s absolution.
Struggling with depression and mental health issues
Next, the Pope responded to a question about mental health struggles, such as feeling sad or overwhelmed.
He invited everyone to open themselves to a deep relationship with Jesus, entrusting their difficulties to Him in prayer.
“In the quiet, we can speak honestly about what is in our hearts,” he said. “During Eucharistic adoration, you can look at Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament and know He looks at you with love.”
Young people, added the Pope, should also find trusted adults whom they trust, so that God can speak to them through others, such as parents, teachers, priests, and youth ministers.
He also invited them to pray for the gift of true friends, who push us to “seek Jesus when life gets confusing or difficult.”
“Many young people say, ‘No one understands me.’ But that thought can isolate you,” said Pope Leo. “When it comes, try saying, ‘Lord, you understand me better than I understand myself,’ and trust that He will guide you.”
Faith and technology
Answering a question about technology’s effects on faith, Pope Leo XIV upheld the usefulness of modern tools to connect people who are thousands of miles apart.
“Technology can help us do many things and even really help us live our Christian faith,” he said. “It also gives us amazing tools for prayer, reading the Bible, and learning more about what we believe.”
At the same time, the Pope noted that technology can never replace real, in-person relationships and participation in the Eucharist, inviting young Catholics to be intentional with their screen time and making sure that technology serves their lives, not the other way around.
Artificial intelligence, said Pope Leo, has become a defining feature of our times, pointing out that safety is not only about controlling the development of AI models but also about empowering people to make healthy decisions through education and personal responsibility.
Every tool should support our journey of faith and intellectual development, not hinder it, he said.
“Be careful that your use of AI does not limit your true human growth,” he said. “Use it in such a way that, if it disappeared tomorrow, you would still know how to think, create, and act on your own. Remember: AI can never replace the unique gift that you are to the world.”
Future of the Church
Pope Leo then responded to a question about the future of the Church, recalling Jesus’ promise to Peter that “the gates of hell will not prevail against the Church.”
The Church prepares for the future by remaining “faithful to what Jesus asks of us today,” he said, recalling that the Holy Spirit has guided the Church through two millennia of issues and challenges.
Young people, said the Pope, are not only the future of the Church but also her present, and he urged them to get involved by attending Sunday Mass and joining youth activities where their faith can grow.
“If you feel the Lord may be calling you to something specific, talk to your parish priest or another trusted leader,” he said. “They can help you discern what God is asking.”
Friends of Christ, missionaries of the Gospel
Finally, Pope Leo XIV expressed his hopes for the future of young people in the Church, inviting them to help shape her in the years ahead.
In response to their youthful desire to do something meaningful, the Pope urged young Catholics to offer their time and talents generously to build up the Church.
“Deep down, we long for truth, beauty, and goodness because we were created for them,” he said. “And this treasure we seek has a name: Jesus, who wants to be found by you.”
Young people are called to be friends of Christ and peacemakers, “who build bridges instead of walls, who value dialogue and unity instead of division.”
“Be careful not to use political categories to speak about faith,” he said. “The Church does not belong to any political party. Rather, she helps form your conscience so you can think and act with wisdom and love.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo invited young American Catholics to listen to God’s call in their lives and to discern their vocation, whether to marriage, the priesthood, or religious life.
“What greater cause could you dedicate your life to than the Gospel?” he asked. “The world needs missionaries. It needs you to share the light and joy you have found in Jesus.”
Source: Vatican News