Pope Francis encouraged the half-a-million young people who warmly received him on Thursday evening at Lisbon's Edward VII Park to repeat this word numerous times.

The Pope appeared revitalized and invigorated by the contagious enthusiasm of the girls and boys who, together with their pastors and educators, travelled to Portugal from all over the world.

"For everyone, para todos," exclaimed Pope Francis. His message neatly epitomizes the first ten years of his pontificate—a pontificate that began under the banner of mercy.

What does it mean to reiterate that there is room for everyone in the Church?

By way of explanation, the Pope said,

"No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone.

'Just as we are, everyone... ‘But Father, I am a wretch; I am a sinner: is there room for me?'

"There is room for everyone.

"For, 'God loves us; God loves us as we are, not as we wish to be or as society expects us to be: as we are.

"He loves us with our flaws, limitations, and desires to progress in life.

"God calls us in this way: have faith because God is a father, and he is a loving father, a father who love us."

In a time when everyone gives their opinion, and no one listens, when so many try to appear as something they are not, there is no message more attractive and revolutionary than what the Pope is reminding us of: God loves us just as we are, always forgives us, awaits us with open arms, and extends His mercy.

This awareness represents a logic that goes beyond human capacity and reaches the divine, one we learn from the Gospel episode of Zacchaeus, the sinful publican disliked by all in the city of Jericho.

Despite the opinions of others about him and feeling curious about the Nazarene prophet, Zacchaeus climbs a sycamore tree and waits for Him to pass, half-hidden among the leaves.

Jesus looks at him first, loves him first, and invites Himself to Zacchaeus's home, regardless of the scandalized comments from onlookers.

There are no prerequisites to receiving Jesus' merciful embrace. There are no "instructions" to follow, no preparatory courses to attend, nor techniques to learn.

It is enough to be present when He passes by, surrender to His gaze filled with love and mercy.

We need only to remove our barriers and allow Him to embrace us, recognizing Him in the faces of the witnesses He places in our path every day.

The Church has room for everyone, just as it did for Zacchaeus, who had the privilege of hosting the Nazarene at his own table in his own home.

His was an unprecedented surprise, a free gift, bestowed purely by grace.

Jesus' gaze, His call, turned Zacchaeus's life upside down: because he was loved like never before, he could comprehend the depths of sin and corruption in his existence.

However, conversion for Zacchaeus wasn't a prerequisite for receiving love and forgiveness. Continue reading

• Andrea Tornielli is an Italian journalist and religious writer. He is the manager of the editorial department of the Dicastery for Communication. Here he offers his thoughts on Pope Francis' impassioned appeal for the Church to welcome everyone.

Regardless of his impending cardinal appointment, Bishop Robert Barron has made it clear to Américo Aguiar that he intends to evangelise during his visit to Lisbon.

Aguiar, a youthful 49-year-old auxiliary bishop of the Patriarchate of Lisbon, is the primary coordinator of World Youth Day 2023 (WYD) and was recently appointed as a cardinal by Pope Francis.

Aguiar stirred up a debate when he allegedly stated that the WYD with the pope is not about converting people to Christ.

He made the comment while discussing Pope Francis' encyclical 'Fratelli tutti' on Portuguese television.

Aguiar stated that the WYD is not meant to "forcefully convert young people to Christ, to the Catholic Church or to anything else."

Regrettably, his interview snippets were disseminated on news websites and social media platforms.

Often taken out of context, these fragments have incited confusion and disapproval among Catholics who feel their leader abandoned them in their evangelisation mission.

The controversy surrounding the bishop's remarks was ignited primarily by the headline of an article published by the Catholic News Agency (CNA), a service of EWTN.

In response to the criticism, the news agency altered the headline.

Controversy unfortunately enflamed

The comment, when viewed in isolation, sparked controversy among many WYD participants including Barron who, in a recent column, wrote:

"When any Catholic institution, ministry or outreach forgets its evangelical purpose, it has lost its soul."

Barron concluded his column in a somewhat 'stroppy' tone, writing:

"I'm scheduled to give five presentations at World Youth Day in Lisbon, and I want to assure Bishop Aguiar that each one is intended to evangelise."

Regrettably, Barron took the CNA report at face value and seems to have overreacted.

The Pillar, a Catholic media agency, also strongly criticised Aguiar's misquoted remarks, with author Filipe D'Avillz branding him a "raging heretic."

WYD is not Catholic World Youth Day

Aguiar confirmed that World Youth Day is not exclusively for Catholics.

"Popes have never invited only young Catholics; they have always invited youth from all over the world," he said.

He emphasised the importance of the youth who come to Lisbon to meet other young people from different parts of the world, different backgrounds, different faiths and understanding that this diversity is a richness.

He concluded the interview by expressing his hope that the pilgrims would appreciate the mutual contribution of differences:

"'I think differently, I feel differently, I organise my life differently, but we are brothers and sisters and we will build the future together.' This is the main message of this encounter with the living Christ that the pope wants to give to young people" he said.

A chaplain in charge of World Youth Day in a diocese in France affirmed that "WYD is a source of conversions."

"The invitation is sent to all young people, it's not WCYD (World Catholic Youth Day)" the priest continued.

Yes, the Pope's Catholic

Cardinal-designate Aguiar has met Francis several times in the run-up to World Youth Day and quotes extensively from the pope's work.

"The world will be objectively a better place if we are able to put the certainty of Fratelli tutti in the hearts of all young people," Aguiar told RTP during the July 6 interview.

The encyclical, published in 2020, is dedicated to fraternity and social friendship.

In terms of substance, the cardinal designate's comments are not at odds with the Jesuit pope's teachings. During his visit to small Christian communities in Morocco in March 2019, Francis warned against any temptation to "proselytise" to swell the ranks.

"The paths of mission are not those of proselytism, which leads always to a dead end," the pope said.

"The Church grows not through proselytism, but through attraction and through witness."

Before Aguiar became a priest he was a politician, a fact he has never hidden and is proud of.

Aguiar is still known in Portugal for his political acumen. He has used it to some effect as he manages preparations for the upcoming World Youth Day in Lisbon — the largest public event in Portuguese history.

When asked by The Pillar if he is flattered or offended when people say that he is like a politician in a cassock: "That all depends on the tone with which they say it," Aguiar replied.

Sources

• La Croix International
• The Pillar
• Word on Fire
• CathNews