In a moving posthumous message to young Catholics, Pope Francis reminded the world that one of life’s greatest skills is learning how to listen with care and patience.
The video, recorded on January 8 at the Holy Father’s residence in Casa Santa Marta, was made public on April 27 by the Italian magazine Oggi, just one day after the late pope’s funeral Mass at St. Peter’s Basilica. According to Vatican Media, the message was directed to teens and young adults participating in “Listening Workshops,” an initiative launched by Italian educator Luca Drusian to help young people discover the beauty of conversation, attentive listening, and being heard.
In his address, Pope Francis emphasized, “Dear boys and girls, one of the most important things in life is to listen — to learn how to listen.” He explained that genuine listening requires patience and attentiveness: “When someone speaks to you, wait for them to finish so you can really understand, and then, if you feel like it, respond. But the important thing is to listen.”
Highlighting a common shortcoming in today’s fast-paced conversations, the pope observed, “Look closely at people — people don’t listen. Halfway through an explanation, they’ll answer, and that doesn’t help peace. Listen — listen a lot.”
He also urged the young to recognize the wisdom offered by older generations. “Listen to your grandparents,” Pope Francis said, “who teach us so much,” according to Vatican Media.
The release of this message coincided with a deeply symbolic moment in the Church. On the morning of April 27, an estimated 200,000 people—many of them teenagers—gathered in St. Peter’s Square to celebrate Mass as part of the Jubilee of Teenagers, held April 25-27 in Rome. The Mass also marked the second day of the “Novendiales,” the traditional nine days of mourning following the death of a pope, according to Vatican Media.
Following the funeral and burial of Pope Francis at the Basilica of St. Mary Major, tens of thousands visited his tomb. Later that afternoon, Cardinal Rolandas Makrickas, the coadjutor archpriest of the Basilica, led solemn Vespers attended by the College of Cardinals and a packed assembly of mourners.
In his final message to youth, Pope Francis’ words ring as a timeless invitation for Christians to embrace a culture of listening — a practice he linked directly to building peace. As young Catholics look to the future, they do so carrying the late Holy Father’s encouragement to listen deeply, patiently, and with love.
