Pope Leo to a Worried Student: Live Well And The Times Will Be Good

Vatican City, September 27, 2025: Pope Leo has offered words of encouragement to a young Roman medical student worried about conflict and uncertainty in the world, urging her to remain hopeful and committed to goodness.

The Pope responded in the September issue of Piazza San Pietro, the magazine published by St Peter’s Basilica, to a letter from Veronica, a 21-year-old medical student from Rome.

“My dream is to become a doctor and help people heal from their illnesses,” Veronica wrote. She added that she is concerned about global conflict: “It almost seems impossible to live in peace. What future awaits us? Can we hope for a better world? And what can we young people do to make that happen?”

In his reply, Pope Leo addressed Veronica warmly and directly. “Dear Veronica, first of all, I sincerely wish that you may fulfil your dream. The profession you aspire to is among the noblest, especially if lived as service to the weakest and most unfortunate … Your questions are the ones that many of your peers hold in their hearts,” he wrote.

Acknowledging the challenges of the present, the Pope said, “We are living in difficult times, but this should not make us lose hope for a better world.”

Highlighting the power of individual action, Pope Leo reminded Veronica of the wisdom of Saint Augustine: “‘Live well and the times will be good. We are the times.’ Exactly so—the times will be good if we are good! For this to happen, we must place our hope in the Lord Jesus.”

The Pontiff emphasised that it is faith that inspires young people to strive for greatness. “It is He who has awakened in your heart the desire to make something great out of your life. It is He who will give you the strength to improve yourself and the society around you, so that the times we live in will truly be good times,” he wrote.

Concluding his message, Pope Leo offered personal guidance: “For this reason, I repeat the invitation I addressed to you and to all the young people who came to Tor Vergata: ‘Cultivate your friendship with Jesus.’ It’s worth it. Be sure of that. Keep me updated on your studies and your inner journey. I bless you from my heart.”

The Pope’s message underscores a vision of hope and responsibility, urging young people to embrace goodness and faith as a means to shape a better future, even amid global uncertainty.

Courtesy: Vatican News

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