Pope Leo XIV tells American teens true joy isn’t found in ‘endless scrolling’ on social media

(OSV News) — Pope Leo XIV has a message for American teens gathered this summer at the Steubenville Youth Conferences: True joy is not found “spending hours in front of a screen or endlessly scrolling on social media.”

In a video message released June 20 for the 50th anniversary of the conferences hosted by Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, the pope told young people his message is simple: “Only the love of God can provide us with true and perfect joy.”

“True peace and perfect joy are gifts from God that come when we open ourselves to him and trust in his power to transform us,” he said.

Pope Leo underlined that the hours spent scrolling social media often crowd out time better spent in prayer, building real friendships, being with family, studying or playing sports. He went further, warning that drugs, alcohol, promiscuity, or a fixation on image or appearance are not paths to fulfillment either, adding that even wealth, beauty, fame and health are fleeting.

For the pope, reflecting on the message of St. Francis of Assisi, the answer lies elsewhere entirely. He told the young Catholics that only God’s love can give them genuine and lasting joy, and that trusting in God is what allows people to remain steady even when life gets hard.

“If we have the profound conviction that God cares for us as his beloved children, we will not be flustered or discouraged, even in difficult situations,” he said.

The pope acknowledged that many of the teens have been told their whole lives that God loves them, but he asked them to reflect on whether they actually believe it and live like it.

“Many of you have heard since you were little that God loves you. But do you really believe it? You are precious in God’s eyes! You are unconditionally loved by Him! Are you certain of this?” he said.

Pope Leo added that the “secret to being able to face challenging circumstances with a smile” lies in having a real relationship with God, built through prayer and the sacraments.

“If you cultivate a trusting relationship with him, through regular prayer, through reception of the sacraments, if you abandon yourself into his hands, then anxiety, or sadness, and loneliness will fade away as his grace fills you and as his love inflames your heart,” he said.

Speaking directly to the thousands of American teens who will take part in the Steubenville Youth Conferences this summer, the pope also made a direct appeal for young people to discern and follow courageously the vocation Jesus Christ is calling them to.

“What can we give him in return for such great love, for such generous gifts? Nothing but ourselves!” Pope Leo said. “Today, the Lord needs missionaries to spread the word to those who do not know him, holy men and women to begin loving Catholic families, priests to be spiritual fathers and ministers of the sacraments as well as religious men and women to be witnesses of the true joy of his kingdom.”

“If you have a sense that the Lord may be calling you to one of these vocations, do not close yourself off or turn away in fear, but take a step forward and say to the Lord, ‘Here I am, send me!'” Pope Leo said. “At the same time, do not be afraid to talk to someone about it: a trusted friend, priest or religious sister.”

The people encouraged young participants in the Steubenville Youth Conferences to take advantage of moments of silence during the conference “to discover the peace of Christ that he promised to give to his disciples.”

The pope’s video message marks a milestone year for the Steubenville Youth Conferences, which Franciscan University has run since the 1970s and which have grown into one of the largest Catholic youth evangelization efforts in the country. This summer the university is hosting four sold-out conferences on its Ohio campus, with 15 more conferences taking place across North America, including the program’s first-ever event in Belize, held in March.

Conference locations this year include Georgia, Massachusetts, Florida, Illinois, Texas, Missouri, Washington, Colorado, Minnesota, California, Louisiana, Arizona and Nova Scotia, Canada. Speakers on this summer’s lineup include Father Mike Schmitz, Chris Stefanick, Father Leo Patalinghug, Paul J. Kim, and Katie Prejean McGrady. Franciscan University also runs summer conferences for adults alongside its youth programming.

According to Brian Kissinger, Franciscan University’s executive director of Conferences, 18% of priests ordained in the U.S. this year attended a Steubenville Conference as a teenager.

“We are humbled and honored by the many ways that God continues to reach thousands of young people each year through our conferences, and the profound impact that these events have on the faith and vocations of young men and women,” Kissinger said.

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