The Pope encourages young Papuans to foster harmony and avoid causing division

Pope Francis met all the young Papuans from Papua New Guinea to bring harmony and avoid causing division through "the language of love and service," at the Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby on September 9.

Pope Francis paused his prepared speech to engage in an interaction with the about 10,000 youths assembled at Sir John Guise Stadium in Port Moresby.

He stated, "You people in Papua, who speak over 800 languages, have a common language: that of love and service."

Then some youths approached the Pope and spoke to him.

Patricia Harricknen-Korpok, a member of the Catholic Professionals Association and one of the Young Papuna, discussed the difficulties in promoting Catholic morality and religion in a culture that is greatly impacted by social media, entertainment, and technology.

Next, Ryan Vulum talked about his rough upbringing in a dysfunctional household and how the Church served as a haven for him.

He also mentioned how many young people in Papua New Guinea face similar difficulties communicating with parents who are either absent or divorced.

He claimed that this frequently results in drug misuse, engaging in unlawful activity, and losing hope.

Bernadette Turmoni, a Legion of Mary member, gave the last testimony. She discussed the terrible consequences of family violence on young people. According to her, "Those who are victims feel disrespected and unloved, which can lead them to commit suicide or leave their families."

Despite the abundance of natural resources in Papua New Guinea, Bernadette also brought attention to the problem of poverty. She claimed that a lot of young people give up on their education and turn to begging, stealing, or drug peddling.

Pope Francis noted that Papua is a young country filled with young people and is called to "face the future with smiles of hope.”

“Thank you for your joy, and for how you have shared the beauty of Papua, where the ocean meets the sky, where dreams are born, and challenges arise,” the Pope said.

Speaking to the more than ten thousand young attendees, Pope Francis said that since the youth represent our best chance for the future, he couldn't leave Papua New Guinea without spending time with them.

He used the biblical tale of the Tower of Babel to teach them a lesson, drawing a comparison between two approaches to life and the construction of society: one that promotes harmony through interactions with God and other people, and the other that results in confusion and division.