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Pope Francis has asked Catholic young people around the world to read, meditate and act on the beatitudes as they celebrate World Youth Day in their dioceses in 2014 and 2015 and as they prepare to join him in Poland in 2016. Taking the text of the beatitudes from the fifth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew, Pope Francis has chosen the themes for World Youth Day celebrations for the next three years, the Vatican announced November 7. World Youth Day is celebrated annually on a local level and every two or three years with an international gathering with the pope. At the end of World Youth Day in Rio de Janeiro, Pope Francis announced the next international gathering would be held in Krakow, Poland, in 2016. The annual Rome diocesan celebration with the pope is held on Palm Sunday each year; the date of the celebration in other dioceses varies. But don't wait until then. Urge the youth, and for that matter everyone, in your home parish to adopt the beatitudes to guide their daily lives. Living up to the benchmarks that Jesus shared when He was on earth is a difficult task but one worth pursuing. Can you be humble and meek? Do you mourn when others are suffering? Do you hunger and thirst for righteousness? Is your heart pure? Do you seek peace in your community? The accomplishment of having even a small portion of our planet adhere to the beatitudes would make our world a much more blessed place to exist.

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