President of Caritas Internationalis Cardinal Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, SVD, praised the Church’s young humanitarians this week for their generous dedication to the world’s poor, saying they are bearers of hope who have overcome the world’s “biggest problem” of selfishness.

“You see, there are many problems right now,” Kikuchi told CNA in an interview. “But the biggest problem is that people are becoming very, very selfish — to think about themselves only and forget about the cry of those people in need.”

“Young people are living in difficult situations now in many countries,” he said. “The social situation, the economic situation, jobs, and education are not satisfactory and so young people are really only interested in themselves.”

“Caritas wants to tell people that opportunities are not only for them — God created everybody and everybody are brothers and sisters,” he continued.

“We are equal,” he said. “So we have to think about other people.”

In Rome to support the multinational Caritas Youth delegation participating in the July 28 to Aug. 3 Jubilee of Youth, the Japanese cardinal expressed great pride in the young men and women who have chosen to commit themselves to Caritas’ mission to serve the poor. 

“These young people are the real present of this world today,” the cardinal told CNA during his brief visit Tuesday with Caritas Youth delegates stationed near St. Peter’s Basilica to raise awareness of the Church’s humanitarian work with passersby and other jubilee pilgrims.

Kikuchi, who was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in December 2024 and has worked for Caritas since 1995, presides over the Church’s global humanitarian network — comprising 162 national member organizations — operating in thousands of dioceses and parishes in over 200 countries. 

Since the opening of the jubilee dedicated to youth, Pope Leo XIV has reiterated the need for the Church to be witnesses of hope, telling young people to “shout” for peace. This week, he also released his August prayer intention for “mutual coexistence.”

“And today your voices, your enthusiasm, your cries — which are all for Jesus Christ — will be heard to the ends of the earth,” Leo told pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Tuesday evening.

“And our cry must also be for world peace,” he insisted. “Let us all say: ‘We want world peace!’”

According to Kikuchi, a missionary priest of the Society of the Divine Word, “Pope Leo is also saying the same thing [as Pope Francis] — that we have to be attentive to the cry of the people.”

Turning Pope Leo’s calls for peace into action 

For Caritas Korea youth delegate Maria Mi Kyong Kim, the pope’s continuous calls for peace have brought profound meaning to her work with the world’s second-largest humanitarian aid and development network.

“His first words out, ‘peace be with you,’ was very strong and powerful to many,” Kim told CNA, reflecting on the pope’s first address given from the balcony of St. Peter’s Square in May. “Peace is perhaps the essence of everything.” 

“At this moment, there are so many protracted crises and so many countries that are facing economic failures,” she said. “If you look deep down there is always that issue of ‘peace’ within the country and also with neighboring countries, and there are always constant conflicts.”

Building community, solidarity among people within regions 

Caritas Asia youth coordinator Sam Ratha Lay said the Church needs “the hands of young people” to support the vast region’s activities aimed at helping families affected by natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions.

“We need them to join together to build communities and even prevent [future] disasters,” he said. 

Supporting the poor, vulnerable in one’s own country   

Concerned by the social problems within her own country, Caritas Egypt youth delegate Engy Zaher coordinates a 90-day residential drug rehabilitation program in her home country. 

“Many younger people and families are facing challenges such as addiction, lack of economic empowerment and youth empowerment, poverty, and lack of access to mental health support,” she told CNA.

“Our professional services and our presence gives people hope and the real chance of rebuilding their lives with dignity,” she said.

Raising the voices of the poor to world leaders

Looking forward to reading Pope Leo’s highly-anticipated first encyclical once it is released, Edward Marshall, who volunteers with Caritas’ England-Wales branch known as the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development (CAFOD), said the role of advocacy is just as important as fundraising or emergency response coordination.

“About 40% of our work is in advocacy in London,” he shared with CNA. “So, campaigning in Westminster for U.K. politicians on global issues like the debt crisis, the migration crisis, and climate change.”

Speaking about the world’s future leaders who will, one day, hold positions of authority and influence in the secular world, Marshall said youth today “have a lot of energy and a lot of wisdom.”

“Younger people have a much greater understanding than people think on the issues that they care about,” he said. “If they have, or are given, a platform, they’ll use it to the best of their abilities.”

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This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.