Pope Leo XIV surprised attendees at SEEK 2026 with a videotaped message encouraging young people to seek after fulfillment they are looking for through personal encounter with Christ.<\/p>\n
\u201c\u2018What do you seek?\u2019 Jesus asked the disciples this question because he knows their hearts,\u201d the Holy Father said, reflecting on the Gospel of John.<\/p>\n
Jesus knew the disciples were restless for God and longing for meaning, he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cToday, Jesus directs the same question to each one of you. Dear young people, what do you seek? Why are you here at this conference? Perhaps your hearts are also restless, searching for meaning and fulfillment and direction for your lives.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe answer,\u201d Leo continued, \u201cis found in a person.\u201d<\/p>\n
The pope\u2019s video message was played at the end of opening Mass for the some 26,000 SEEK26 attendees gathered across Columbus, Ohio; Denver; and Fort Worth, Texas. The SEEK conference, Jan. 1 through Jan. 5, is organized by FOCUS.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Lord Jesus alone brings us true peace and joy and fulfills every one of our deepest desires,\u201d the pope said, noting that just like the disciples, each SEEK participant has \u201cthe opportunity to spend time with the Lord,\u201d whether for the first time or in a moment of deepening relationship with him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBe open to what the Lord has in store for you,\u201d he said. \u201cThe two disciples were initially with Jesus only for a few hours, but that encounter changed their lives forever.\u201d<\/p>\n
Pope Leo further noted the Gospel showcases what it means to be a missionary, pointing out that \u201cAndrew could not help but share with his brother what he had found\u201d after meeting Jesus. \u201cI pray that as you leave this conference, all of you will be moved by this same missionary zeal to share with those around you the joy that you have received from a genuine encounter with the Lord,\u2019 he said.<\/p>\n
The pope called on participants not to be afraid of the Lord\u2019s calling, emphasizing that \u201che alone knows the deepest, perhaps hidden longings of your heart, the path that will lead you to true fulfillment.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u2018How many messages did you send?\u2019<\/p>\n
In Columbus, Bishop Earl Fernandes introduced Leo\u2019s message after Mass on opening night with a joke about his various attempts to request the presence of Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the papal nuncio to the U.S, to deliver a message on behalf of the Holy Father.<\/p>\n
After numerous emails, written letters, and visits to the Vatican, Fernandes said he did not receive an answer till just before Christmas. \u201cPeople say, \u2018Well how many messages did you send?\u2019 and I answered, \u2018I don\u2019t know, six or seven,\u201d he joked, and was met with a burst of laughter.<\/p>\n
\u201cI did get a response, which we will show you now,\u201d he said, and Pope Leo\u2019s message appeared, to many cheers, across the screens in the auditorium.<\/p>\n
The night also included keynote speeches by popular Catholic apologist Matt Fradd and Sister Josephine Garrett, CSFN.<\/p>\n
This article was originally published on CNA.<\/p>\n