Replying to a letter from a young man about to start college, Pope Leo offers him reassurance, encouragement, and fatherly advice about life and his future hopes and dreams.
Pope Leo XIV sent a moving letter filled with tenderness, understanding, and valuable guidance to an 18-year-old man who had expressed his fears regarding uncertainty of the future and the new chapter he is about to begin in his life at a university.
In just a few weeks, young Pietro from Reggio Calabria in Italy will finish high school and begin his university studies, a major change about which he feels “a great deal of confusion.”
The young Italian conveyed his concerns to the Holy Father in a heartfelt letter published May 19 in Piazza San Pietro (St. Peter’s Square) magazine. Specifically, the young man said he fears losing the friendships he has forged in high school and not knowing which path God desires for him.
Fear of the future
In his letter, he opened up to the pope and shared his dream of “building and realizing the project of a family united in the love of Christ.” He also asks for prayers for his future and for the ability to understand how to live with the feelings of “restlessness and longing” while embarking upon his new path with serenity.
Mindful of the weight the young man feels upon his shoulders, Pope Leo XIV congratulated him in his letter for not being easily satisfied and for taking his life seriously.
First, the pontiff reminded him that he is loved by Jesus — personally and just as he is — including his dreams, questions, and fears. “This love precedes you and will always accompany you; it does not depend on the decisions you make or the paths you take,” he assured the young man.
‘What was authentic isn’t lost’
The pope also reminded Pietro that Jesus “knows the experience of friendship well,” and for this reason, “he would be the first to understand your fear regarding the friendships that have marked these years.”
The Holy Father reminded him that “what was authentic isn’t lost; indeed, true love does not dissolve but remains forever; it matures even when it changes form.”
Regarding the desires the young man harbors in his heart, the pope encouraged him to focus on those that grant him “a profound peace” and guide him toward good decisions, reminding him of the importance of discernment.
“Do not be in a hurry to understand everything immediately. Time is a patient teacher and heals wounds,” he added.
‘Not everything that ends is a defeat’
He also advised him to pray every day, listen to the word of God, receive the sacraments, and converse with wise individuals who could help him discern which ties he ought to keep.
“Not everything that comes to an end is a defeat; sometimes, it is merely a necessary step toward growth. Your dream of a family founded upon the love of Christ is a precious gift for the Church as well; preserve it with confidence. The Lord does not disappoint the desires that he himself has kindled within the heart,” the pontiff advised.
Before concluding his letter, the pope reminded Pietro that restlessness is not a negative sign but rather represents “the place where God is working on a deep level.”
“I ask for you the grace of inner peace, of trust, and of a clear perspective on your life. I entrust you to Mary, who as a young woman learned to trust despite having kept in her heart questions greater than herself,” the pope said.
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.
