On the eve of the conclave that will begin on Wednesday to elect a new Pope, members of the Belgian Catholic Church’s Youth Organization have addressed an open letter to the 133 cardinals who will participate in the process. Their message is clear: the Church must choose the future — and that future cannot be written without women, youth, and the laity.
“A living Church chooses the future. And that future cannot be written without women, young people, and lay people,” the letter emphasizes, urging the cardinals to consider inclusivity and openness as they cast their votes.
The young Catholics express their desire for “a Church in which transparency is not just a slogan, but the foundation of hope. We hope for a Church that does not judge people based on origin, gender, orientation, or social status, but by their capacity to love.”
They also call for “a Church in dialogue with all beliefs, present in the digital world,” and “fully integrated into society — not standing above it, but beside it, searching for the present moment.”
According to many commentators, this letter serves as a strong appeal for continuity with the path set by Pope Francis. The Belgian youth are signaling to the cardinal electors that the next Pope should not depart from Francis’ legacy of inclusion, humility, and engagement with the modern world.
Source: ANA-MPA, Translated by: Konstantinos Menyktas
