The Holy Father highlighted the principles guiding Catholic student associations in Germany — of which Pope Benedict XVI was also a member — religion, scholarship, friendship, and homeland.
Pope Leo XIV received members of German Catholic student associations at the Vatican on June 5, reminding them that they “represent Catholic values in society not as those who carry partisan flags but as representatives of the common good of humanity.”
In his address in the Paul VI Audience Hall, the Holy Father also highlighted the principles guiding the associations — of which Pope Benedict XVI was also a member — religion, scholarship, friendship, and homeland.
The Catholic faith has never been a label
In his speech, the pope stressed that “in the face of the despotism and ideologies of the past, the Catholic faith has never been merely a veneer or a label but rather a way of life to be shared in university and in work settings.”
He added that the association’s communal dimension benefits not only Germany but also all of Europe. For this reason, Leo XIV encouraged students to devote particular attention to study and to promote “our common humanity,” especially in light of the challenges posed by the technological revolution.
He underscored that the human person is “always relational and limited, and therefore called to become a task for oneself and a gift to the other.”
“Just like the exercise of reason, so too does the light of faith illumine the promises and deceptions of the present time, calling on each person to do their best to help build a just and peaceful society,” he continued.
Addressing the associations’ members, he reminded them that by following Christ they represent “Catholic values in society not as those who carry partisan flags but as representatives of the common good of humanity.”
In this way, he reiterated that “the same Catholic faith strengthens our cooperation, without compromising with the trends of the moment, without placing individualistic preferences ahead of the common tradition of the Church.”
He also encouraged them to promote the evangelization of culture, recalling that “the search for truth is a good worth desiring and passing on.”
‘Truth sets us free’
The pope also praised self-discipline and conversion, noting that “by doing our very best, we become responsible stewards in society without being seduced by careers focused on money.”
“Let us rather recognize that culture is the good of humanity: truth sets us free, while falsehood distorts names and things,” he warned.
The Holy Father urged the German students to be “witnesses to Christian humanism” and reiterated that “the world is full of meaning and not an inert entity to be shaped arbitrarily or by the thirst for power.”
“We, in fact, are not random aggregates of particles but bodies open to transcendence: by directing our thirst for life and justice, for wisdom and love, we discover together the truth in knowing, doing, and believing,” he explained.
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV recalled that the cultural mission of Christians “is to direct society and history toward this pinnacle of a God-centered life.”
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
