Pope Leo XIV told the young people of Italian Catholic Action that they can perform a simple gesture that would be the best gift this Christmas: make peace.
“Before the holy night of Christmas, think of someone with whom you can make peace,” the pontiff urged members of the organization, founded in 1868, which has established itself as one of the main lay organizations of the Church in Italy.
‘A gift more valuable than those you can buy in stores’
“It will be a gift more valuable than those you can buy in stores, because peace is a gift that is truly found only in the heart,” he added.
He said peace is the “Catholic action par excellence,” because it is “the gesture that transforms us as witnesses of Jesus, the redeemer of the world.”
In this way, Leo made it clear that peace “is not only the absence of war” but above all “a friendship between peoples founded on justice.”
“We all desire this peace for the nations wounded by conflict, but let us remember that harmony and respect begin in our daily relationships, in the gestures and words we exchange at home, in the parish, with our schoolmates and teammates,” he explained.
Christians, called ‘to be better every day’
The pontiff also asked them that when they pray before the Nativity scene, they “ask to be able to be like those angels who announce the glory of God and peace to men.” This peace, he continued, is the “commitment of every person of goodwill, and especially of us Christians, who are called not only to be good but to be better every day.”
Leo thus invited his listeners to “become saints” and gave the example of the two young Italians: Pier Giorgio Frassati — who was part of Catholic Action — and Carlo Acutis, whom he canonized together on Sept. 7.
“I encourage you to imitate their passion for the Gospel and their works, always inspired by charity. By acting like them, your proclamation of peace will be radiant, because in the company of Jesus you will be truly free and happy, ready to reach out to your neighbor, especially those in difficulty,” he emphasized.
Italian Catholic Action has more than 229,000 members and is present in approximately 5,000 parishes in almost all the dioceses of the country.
This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.
