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Pope Leo XIV to Ecuadorian Catholics: Keep following Christ

August 3, 2026 · 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV has encouraged young Ecuadorian Catholics to follow Christ with determination and to reflect his love and mercy to the world.

The Vatican published a video message from Leo for Ecuador’s seventh National Youth Day on Aug. 2, the final day of the event that began on July 31 in Ibarra. In the message, the pope greeted those present and urged them to listen to Christ’s call for their lives.

“I encourage you to listen to the Lordʼs call and to follow him with determination,” the pope said in his message. “An encounter with Jesus Christ fills the heart with joy and gives us the strength to be witnesses of his love and his mercy.”

Leo also asked them to allow themselves to be transformed by Christ’s love and to work for peace in today’s world.

“Allow yourselves to be transformed by his love and be promoters of forgiveness, reconciliation, and peace.”

“The Church needs your joy, your courage, and your witness so that many others may come to know Christ,” Leo added.

The National Youth Day in Ecuador (“Jornada Nacional de la Juventud”) is the country’s own adaptation of World Youth Day, gathering dioceses nationwide for catechesis, worship, and fellowship. The…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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Emily Clark

That’s a good, straightforward message from the pope. I especially like how he ties listening to Christ’s call with actually working for forgiveness and peace right where you are. Our own parish youth group could use a reminder like that before school starts.

Maria Müller

Yes, I think it's well said about transformation through Christ's love and then specifically promoting peace and reconciliation. Last year after World Youth Day, our youth group here in Cologne also talked about how difficult this is in everyday life. Maybe we'll send the link to our pastor.