Scottish Catholic Observer

Catholic love was in the air in Vatican City this morning as an estimated 25,000 young people, all engaged couples preparing for marriage, met with Pope Francis for a special St Valentine’s day audience.

Several couples asked the Holy Father questions about the challenges of Christian couples on their way towards marriage.

Nicolas Pecino and Marie Alexa Gaggero, a couple from Gibraltar, asked the Holy Father about the difficulties of commitment for the rest of their lives.

“Many feel that the challenge of living together forever is beautiful, enchanting, but very demanding, almost impossible. We ask your word to enlighten us on this?” they asked.

The Holy Father said that in today’s fast paced world, many couples are afraid of making a definitive choice in life, contributing to a mentality that brings couples to ‘stay together until this love lasts.’

“Love is more than just a feeling or a psychophysical state, but a relationship that grows like the construction of a house,” the Pope said. “Just as the love of God is stable and forever, so we would want the love that is the foundation of the family to be stable and forever. We cannot let ourselves be overcome by the ‘throwaway culture.’

The Pope told the couples gathered that the fear of ‘forever’ is cured day by day through a life of prayer. Recalling the Lord’s prayer, the Pope told the those present to ask Christ to multiply their love.

The event, which was promoted by the Pontifical Council for the Family, was filled with music and dancing prior to the Holy Father’s arrival. Archbishop Vincenzo Paglia, president of the Pontifical Council introduced the event.

“Dear young people, don’t be afraid to marry,” the Holy Father said on his official @Pontifex Twitter account. “A faithful and fruitful marriage will bring you happiness.”

—[email protected]