MERRILLVILLE – A teen from LaPorte who serves on the Diocese of Gary Youth Advisory Council and became a charter member of the National Federation for Catholic Youth Ministry’s new National Youth Advisory Council just last summer said she was “very excited and tearful” when she learned the group was heading to Italy last month to meet the most famous man in the world.
“At 16, to go to Vatican City to meet the Pope, I was very nervous,” admitted Julia Zerbes, a parishioner at Queen of All Saints in Michigan City and a junior at Michigan City High School. “We were invited to give a message to Pope Francis about the youth of the United States, and to receive a message from him to share with our young people attending the National Catholic Youth Conference (NCYC) in Long Beach, Calif. in November.”
Their brief encounter with the Holy Father came on Oct. 12 at the conclusion of the general audience at St. Peter’s Square in Rome, where they received directly from him the papal message for young people in the U.S.
His message to the delegation was “that they be joyful, and not to lose that joy,” reported Vicky Hathaway, ministry consultant for the Diocese of Gary’s Youth and Young Adult Ministry and a member of the adult advisory council for the NFCYM who served as a chaperone for the trip.
To prepare their message to the pope, the nine young people gathered at a retreat house in Des Plaines, Ill. – the first time they met in person after holding only Zoom meetings this summer – to brainstorm ideas and compose a statement. “We did a ‘sticky note project,’ writing down all the ideas for what we wanted to ask him to do and the issues we have,” explained Zerbes. Two members of the council took all the ideas and put together a 30-second speech.
“We asked if we could get to know him better, not just as the pope, but as a person, and for him to do more for youth in the U.S.,” said Zerbes.
The full statement read to Pope Francis by youth council members Olivia Marcoux and Destiny Morris: “The youth in America have a deep need for community and are searching for a cure to anxieties caused by society. Youth come across many barriers that make it incredibly difficult to have a relationship with God. These barriers are anti-Catholic pressure, fear of judgement, and of not being accepted, and not knowing how to connect with God in a personal way.
“Youth would be more able to overcome these barriers if we had more involvement in the Mass and (more) say in our parish decisions. Youth would like a safe space to express their thoughts and feelings and to be accepted for who they are and what they believe. We want you to directly address the youth and to connect with us as people, not just as a concept. This connection may look like posting social media videos telling the youth how important they are, or it may look like visiting youth in America and saying Masses there.”
The U.S. youth also gave the pope three gifts, a packet of letters with prayers and prayer intentions written by the young people, a pair pf St. Francis socks, and a friendship bracelet they made that one of the teens put on his wrist. “He smiled at the socks, and then he took a group photo with the delegation before they were escorted away,” added Hathaway. “Then they went to the Vatican radio studio to give interviews, and spoke by phone with two other news agencies from a room where (Guglielmo) Marconi, who developed the first broadcasts, had set up the first Vatican radio almost 100 years ago.”
The rest of the trip, which lasted a week, included a tour of the Castel St. Angelo and Museum and the North American College in Rome, a tour of the Vatican Museum and Sistine Chapel, a walk to the Pantheon and side trips to the tomb of St. Catherine of Siena and the Basilica of Santa Maria.
“One highlight for everyone, I think, was the private Scavi Tour of the excavation site beneath St. Peter’s, where the burial place of St. Peter was found,” noted Hathaway. “Standing as close as you can to St. Peter made our faith a little more real.”
Zerbes agreed it was very impactful “to attend Mass in front of St. Peter’s tomb, the first pope.”
The young people also met with Father Fernando Torres, a Piarist priest to led them on tours of the major basilicas in Rome and accompanied them on a day trip to Assisi by train. “We saw St. Mary of the Angels, which houses the first church St. Francis built and where he died,” Hathaway said. “We also saw the tomb of Blessed Carlos Acutis, who died at the same age as our council members.”
Zerbes said “I know I will not forget that visit. He was a teenager like all of us, and everything he did as a teenager is amazing. All of Assisi was phenomenal.”
Another favorite memory of Italy, admitted both Zerbes and Hathaway, were the pizza and pasta meals, as well as the taste of Italian gelato. “It was the food of the day, every day, “Zerbes said.
Sharing the trip with the U.S. youth was Archbishop Nelson Perez of Philadelphia, episcopal advisor for NFCYM. “I (was) overjoyed to join a delegation from NFCYM to meet with the Holy Father. These young men and women are on fire with love for the Lord and have the zealous heart of a missionary disciple. I am deeply grateful to Pope Francis for welcoming this group and allowing them to share their unique voices and gifts with him,” he said.
The National Youth Advisory Council was formed as a diverse group of young people who speak on behalf of the youth of the U.S. to ensure that the voices of young people are integrated into the mission and work of NFCYM. The members represent various parts of the country and cultures (i.e., African American, Asian, Caucasian, Hispanic and Native American).
The youth council will work collaboratively with their local and diocesan communities, and with all members of NYAC to ensure the Holy Father’s message reaches the young church. Their efforts will include digital campaigns, blogs, video projects, and witness reflections.
“It was mind blowing to meet Pope Francis and that he listened to us, and I hope the kids understand and realize their place in the life of the Catholic Church,” said Hathaway of the pilgrimage. “I hope they continue to take an active role in their faith; there are so many ways to use their gifts. What impressed me was how much they were ready to come back and share their experiences. Most of them will attend NCYC in person and serve on two panels, one with their peers and one with youth ministry leaders.”
Zerbes said: “I look forward to sharing my experiences with not only my peers and parish, but also at NCYC. I hope the stories I share will open people’s hearts, minds, and souls to the many possible things Christ can do for everyone.,”