Signs of Hope in a Hopeless World by Geraint Wong

These days, a commonly heard refrain among people of a certain vintage (and that includes educators!) is that the world is degenerating, young people are becoming more entitled, and there is little hope left for the world. But is this really true?

This Easter, record numbers of adults were baptised in the United Kingdom and France – and many of them were young men. In France, the 18–25 age group represented 42% of all adult catechumens.

Fr Daniel Seward of the York Oratory in the UK explained to the Catholic Herald, a British publication:
‘There is a sense of moral chaos and lack of meaning in today’s society. If people can find something that makes sense, provides meaning, and also gives a community, which the Catholic Church does, they are going to be attracted to this, and I think this is particularly true for young men.’

On 18 May 2025, in the United States, a group of eight young people started the 36-day National Eucharistic Pilgrimage across the country, as a public expression of hope and as a witness to the truth that Christ is truly present in the Blessed Sacrament.

Back home, many young people regularly attend daily Masses as well as events organised by the Office for Young People and Catholic groups at the various tertiary institutions.

At the recent Jubilee of Teenagers on 25 April 2025, co-organised by ACCS and Catholic Junior College, the fervour shown by the students of Catholic schools was inspiring.

Fr Reginald Marie, OCD, shared at that event that his experiences going to schools for penitential services had been edifying. Based on some of the very good confessions by students, he remarked that ‘there are saints among us’.

In fact, that was precisely my observation in 2022 while facilitating small-group dialogues in school during the diocesan phase of the synodal process. Listening to the faith stories my students shared convinced me that they were truly saints, or at least well on the way to becoming saints, and that moved me greatly.

True, many young people these days stop going to church altogether after they have been confirmed – the numbers and anecdotal evidence don’t lie. But I think that if that is all we focus on, we miss seeing the bigger picture.

History has shown us time and again that when there is a crisis in the Church or in the world, God raises up saints – it seems to be one of his favourite ways to bring healing and renewal to difficult circumstances. Just think of St Francis of Assisi, St Catherine of Siena, St Teresa of Ávila, St Francis de Sales, St John Paul II and so many more saints who inspired hope in people when times were tough.

But God doesn’t just call the clergy and religious to fulfil his purposes. Among this great ‘cloud of witnesses’ (Hebrews 12:1) are many young people who by all accounts led pretty ordinary lives – such as St Dominic Savio, Bd Pier Giorgio Frassati, Bd Chiara Badano, Bd Carlo Acutis. These youthful saints maintained their focus on Christ while immersed in everyday situations like their studies or work, their hobbies or recreation, and were still well-liked and popular among their friends. Their stories are indeed inspirations for our young people that holiness can be cool and that heaven is a truly attainable goal.

Just as St Dominic Savio benefited from the guidance of St John Bosco, our young people need the guidance of trusted adults – their parents, teachers and mentors. Rather than lamenting or throwing up their hands in frustration at the perceived hopelessness of the world, adults need to inspire hope in young people – that, with the Holy Spirit empowering them, they can live as God desires, they can make the world a better place, they can attain eternal life in heaven.

In his Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee Year 2025, Pope Francis listed groups of people in need of signs of hope – the sick, the migrants and the elderly. But he also included a surprising category: young people.

‘Signs of hope are also needed by those who are the very embodiment of hope, namely, the young. Sadly, they often see their dreams and aspirations frustrated. We must not disappoint them, for the future depends on their enthusiasm… With renewed passion, let us demonstrate care and concern for adolescents, students and young couples, the rising generation. Let us draw close to the young, for they are the joy and hope of the Church and of the world!’ (Spes Non Confundit, 12)

Yes, God wants to raise up saints among the youth of today to lead the Church and the world forward to a brighter tomorrow – and, to inspire hope in them, he is counting on those he has called to form and mould them. Will we cooperate with him in this work of saint-making?