“My dear friends, united to Jesus, like branches to the vine, you will bear much fruit. […] You will be seeds of hope where you live, in your families, among your friends, at school, at work, and in sports. You will be seeds of hope with Christ, our hope.”
These were some of the last words of Pope Leo XIV during the Angelus prayer at the end of the Jubilee of Youth in Tor Vergata, Rome (August 3, 2025).
He said “seeds.” He could have said lights, bridges, or footprints. I take the liberty of paraphrasing the Pope and choosing: “you will be voices of hope wherever you live.”
The “voices of hope” of Schoenstatt
On July 29, 30, and 31, more than 45 representatives of the Schoenstatt Youth from around the world gathered in the shadow of the Belmonte Shrine in Rome to discover the voices of time, of being, and of the soul that are shaking young people today.
Young people from Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland, Portugal, Nigeria, Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica, Mexico, Paraguay, Uruguay, the United States, Chile, Romania, and Ecuador participated, along with moderators from eight of these places, three seminarians from the Schoenstatt Fathers, and three postulants from the Sisters of Mary.
How beautiful it is to dream together
On Tuesday, the 29th, some of us had just landed in Rome when we headed to the Shrine to begin a historic moment: the first International Schoenstatt Youth Congress. We began to grasp the significance of this event that afternoon with Holy Mass presided over by Father Pablo Pérez and a subsequent sharing with Father Alexandre Awi Mello, president of the International Schoenstatt Presidium, on “Being Pilgrims of Hope and this International Congress.” In addition to laughing and sharing, while getting to know each other through fun activities, we were also able to close the day with a moment of Adoration, organized by the Girls’ Youth from Ecuador and the Boys’ Youth from Mexico.
On Wednesday, the 30th, it was time to get down to work. During the morning, we experienced different moments: from working on the voices of the soul, time, and being, to different workshops led by the youth moderators who accompanied us during the days of the Congress.
The day went by, and more than one person agreed with me that there was a deep spirituality in the air, a sense of family. I saw young people from Paraguay preparing the songs for Holy Mass together with young people from Poland, and I was moved because, as Fr. Lucas Chiappe said at Holy Mass that day, paraphrasing him a little: “Sometimes the only thing that unites us is the Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother! And how beautiful it is that this is often enough to be able to dream together!”
We ended the day with a vigil in front of the Shrine, where we remembered our Father and Founder, Father Joseph Kentenich, and his struggle for the external freedom of the Schoenstatt Movement!
The beginning of a path to discover
As Thursday began, we approached the end of the Congress, imploring the Holy Spirit and listening to the testimonies of different Schoenstatt leaders and their apostolates. The Congress closed with music, sharing, proposals, and ideas, but we all agreed on one thing: it was the beginning of something more. It was a first encounter that we hope will allow us to continue dreaming and building together in the future.
To conclude, Fr. Gabriel Oberle from Brazil was moved during the final Holy Mass and emphasized once again: we had had a profound encounter for the first time among the young leaders of our Movement, and this was only the beginning!
The Congress ended with each of the young people waving the flags of their countries, even those who could not be there, and to the rhythm of our anthem, no longer sung only in Spanish or English, but in each of our languages:
Come, Spirit, Holy Spirit
Come, Spirit, Spirit of Love
Perhaps many are expecting a grand statement or a great resolution, something “tangible” and quick that will somehow mark the path we must take together.
Voices of Hope gave us something priceless: the discovery that we are part of something much greater. That we come from many places, that we speak different languages, but that our hearts beat in unison, because of the fire that the Covenant of Love with the Blessed Mother gives us.
How do we continue? What do we do now? When will we meet again? These may be some questions that arise on the horizon. Are they important to answer? Yes. Are they urgent? Not yet! This Congress reminded us that the first thing is to see each other, to share, to be together. Only in this way can we dream of a more human, apostolic, and universal Schoenstatt.
Let us be Voices of Hope for the world.