'Do not let yourselves be robbed of hope,' Vatican cardinal urges youth

Cardinal Michael Czerny addresses worshippers during the opening Mass of the 21st AMECEA Plenary Assembly at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa in Nairobi on Sunday, July 19, 2026. [Courtesy]

Vatican Cardinal Michael Czerny has called on young people to build "bridges of hope" through faith and action rather than succumb to global despair.

Speaking on Sunday, July 19, during the opening Mass of the 21st Plenary Assembly of the Association of Member Episcopal Conferences in Eastern Africa (AMECEA) at the Catholic University of Eastern Africa (CUEA) in Nairobi, the Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development urged tens of thousands of young people to embrace hope as a force for renewal despite growing global challenges.

"Do not let yourselves be robbed of hope," Cardinal Czerny said, urging the young people to hold onto the image of the mustard seed and ask God for the grace to build "bridges of hope" while praying and working for God's kingdom.

Drawing on Jesus' parables of the wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed and the yeast, Czerny said the Kingdom of Heaven is already present among believers and grows through their participation and commitment rather than remaining a distant promise.

Reflecting on Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, the cardinal said Christians are called to become "servants of the coming Kingdom" by viewing the present not as a fixed destiny but as an opportunity for personal and collective conversion.

He warned against what Pope Leo described as "false realism", saying Christian witness should go beyond condemning evil and instead recognise the new paths God is opening.

Turning to the parable of the wheat and the weeds, Czerny said that the landowner's decision to wait until harvest rather than uproot the weeds immediately offers a lesson in patience and restraint.

He explained that the parable recognises the struggle between good and evil while cautioning against actions that could destroy the good still taking root.

The cardinal also linked the message to Pope Leo's reflections on international relations in Magnifica Humanitas, saying dialogue remains an essential tool for preventing conflict and rebuilding trust between nations.

Even amid aggressive rhetoric and power politics, he noted, humility, patience and a willingness to nurture signs of goodwill among opposing sides can help advance peace.