“Love is the first reason for the existence of the Church”, this phrase from Pope Francis begins the letter of introduction of the new edition of YouCat, the Catechism of the Catholic Church especially aimed at adolescents and young people.
The full text was published today, January 22, by the Italian newspaper La Stampa and is titled “The Password of Joy” which, according to the Pontiff, is found precisely within the Catechism.
The Pope explains that this “love” of which he speaks is primarily the love that God the Father revealed to the world through Jesus. However, he also points out that another love comes from each person: the love that believers, in turn, profess for Jesus Christ.
“He is the center of our heart. How, in fact, can we not feel feelings of true affection towards Him who has made us sharers in a love, that of the Father, of which it is impossible to imagine a greater one? ”Writes the Pope in his letter. “The believer is, therefore, always in love with Jesus,” he adds.
Likewise, the Pontiff affirms that it is the duty of “adults in faith” to make Jesus Christ known to those who have not yet had the opportunity. This encounter, the Pope comments, must be proposed through the Catechism, which reveals the love that Catholics feel for the Lord.
“This beautiful book that you now have in your hands is born precisely from such a love; the love for Jesus that we believers carry within us,” he points out.
Regarding the importance of the Catechism for young people, the Pope recalled his predecessor, Benedict XVI, who wrote in the preface to the first edition of YouCat: “This book is compelling because it tells us about our own destiny and, therefore, concerns us. to each of us closely. That is why I beg you: Study the catechism with passion and perseverance!”
Pope Francis echoed these words and also recommended that young people frequently read the Gospel and pray daily, to “transfer” the attitudes of Jesus from the mind to the heart.
“Here is the password for a truly lively and joyful life,” the Pope indicated, “to look at and judge what happens to us and the decisions we are called to make with the same eyes, with the same feelings, with the same posture that embodied “Jesus,” he added.
German Bernhard Meuser, founder, main author and “father of YouCat” will retire at the end of this year, the organization said on its official website.
The 70-year-old theologian and philologist has written, supervised, and edited numerous publications that have received international recognition. The most important of all has been the Youth Catechism of the Catholic Church (YouCat), which has been translated into more than 60 languages and is one of the best-selling Catholic books worldwide.