During an interview with CNN Portugal, Pope Francis made a joke when the journalist asked him if he would participate in World Youth Day in 2023.
This World Youth Day is the largest international gathering of young Catholics and is scheduled for Lisbon in August 2023.
To this question, Francis replied in a joking tone:
"Yes, I certainly intend to be there. Well, the Pope will go, either Francis or John XXIV, but in any case, the Pope is going!"
Certainly a small jab after months of media speculation regarding his alleged future resignation due to his 85 years of age. The Pope had, however, responded upon his return from Canada last July that he remained "open" to the possibility of a near retirement if such is God's will.
He has made this joke several times, especially since he canonized Saint John XXIII, Pope from 1958 to 1963.
After that, the Pope stated in the interview that next year's World Youth Day represents a great opportunity "for all the young people of the world to connect."
This multi-day gathering, created by Pope John Paul II in 1985, is usually held on a different continent every three years, in the presence of the Pope. During some past World Youth Days, participants have numbered in the millions.
The meeting in the Portuguese capital of Lisbon is scheduled for August 1-6, 2023.
Speaking about World Youth Day, Pope Francis said:
"When you go to a meeting with young people, you must be prepared to listen to another language. Young people have their own language. And it comes from their own culture, because there is a youth culture. And it also comes from their own creativity."
He added:
"We must speak with the language of the young... They have their culture and a progressive language that moves forward, right? So we must listen to them in their way of interpreting things and respond to them in a way they can understand.
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I cannot answer a young person facing a difficulty with an old theology book... They will not understand... You must answer them in a language they understand and based on the experiences they are living, right?"
This article was originally published in English by Catholic World Report ( Article Link ). It is republished, translated, and adapted with the author's permission.