Pope Leo XIV urges young Catholics to seek perseverance in faith, warning many disengage from parish life after confirmation.
Newsroom (20/05/2026 Gaudium Press ) Pope Leo XIV has issued a pointed call to young Catholics preparing to receive the sacrament of confirmation, urging them to actively seek the Holy Spirit’s gift of perseverance amid concerns that many disengage from parish life soon after receiving the sacrament.
Speaking informally on May 16 to approximately 1,000 young pilgrims from the Archdiocese of Genoa in northern Italy, the pope emphasized both the spiritual power of confirmation and the responsibility it entails. Addressing the group in the Vatican’s Hall of Blessings, he highlighted the sacrament’s role in strengthening faith in an increasingly secular and distracting world.
“The fullness of the Holy Spirit gives us this enthusiasm, this strength, this ability to follow Jesus Christ,” Pope Leo said, underscoring the sacrament’s capacity to inspire courage and commitment. He encouraged the young faithful to embrace confirmation not merely as a ritual milestone, but as a transformative encounter that enables them to say “Yes” to God without fear.
Yet the pope paired his encouragement with a candid acknowledgment of a troubling pastoral trend. While describing the administration of confirmation as one of the great joys of episcopal ministry, he admitted that it is often followed by what he termed a “rather sad” reality.
“Sometimes, when the bishop confers Confirmation — the gift of the Holy Spirit — you never see the young people again,” he said. “They disappear from the parish.”
This phenomenon, widely observed in many parts of the Catholic world, has raised ongoing concerns about youth retention and the long-term impact of sacramental preparation. Pope Leo’s remarks reflect a growing effort within the Church to reframe confirmation not as a graduation from religious education but as a beginning of deeper engagement.
Central to his message was a call for intentional commitment. The pope urged confirmation candidates to pray specifically for perseverance and to make a conscious promise to remain active in their faith.
“It is so important that each of you also makes this commitment, this promise to the Lord: that you truly wish to continue as His friends, His disciples, His missionaries,” he said. “And that you wish to persevere in the faith.”
According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, confirmation, together with baptism and the Eucharist, forms the foundation of Christian initiation. The sacrament completes baptismal grace, deepens the believer’s union with Christ, and strengthens their ability to defend and spread the faith. Pope Leo reaffirmed this teaching, noting that confirmation is not an endpoint but a commissioning.
He further encouraged the young pilgrims to carry the spiritual joy they experienced during their preparation and pilgrimage back into their daily lives, particularly within their parish communities.
“May this joy live in your hearts and may you continue to be faithful disciples of Jesus Christ,” he said. “May you persevere in the faith.”
A key theme of the pope’s address was the importance of community. Rejecting an individualistic understanding of belief, he stressed that Christian life is inherently communal.
“We do not live our faith alone; we live it together,” he said. “Forming these bonds of friendship and community is a way of living out perseverance as disciples of Jesus.”
The remarks came in the lead-up to Pentecost, celebrated this year on May 24, which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles. Drawing a parallel between that foundational moment and the lives of modern believers, the pope reminded the candidates that they too are called to mission.
The early apostles, he noted, went forth to proclaim the Gospel and the love of God. Today’s young Catholics share in that same mandate.
“You will all take part in this mission, because we are all sent: to your families, to your friends, to all people,” he said. “And you must be a living witness to the Spirit who dwells in us.”
Ultimately, Pope Leo’s message combined encouragement with a challenge: to transform confirmation from a fleeting moment into a lifelong commitment. His appeal underscores a broader priority within the Church—renewing youth engagement and ensuring that the sacraments serve as a foundation for enduring faith rather than a conclusion.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from UCA News and OSV
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