Pope Francis today urged young people not to allow themselves to be silenced and to stand up for what they believe in, a day after more than a million people in the United States took part in student-led protests demanding tighter gun control.
"Dear young people, you have it in you to shout," the pontiff told the traditional Palm Sunday mass on Saint Peter's Square, which this year coincides with World Youth Day.
While the pope was not talking about the US protests and made no reference to them in his address, his comments came just a day after huge gun control rallies were staged all across the US.
"It is up to you not to keep quiet," Francis told young people.
"Even if others keep quiet, if we older people and leaders, so often corrupt, keep quiet, if the whole world keeps quiet and loses its joy, I ask you: Will you cry out?"
"Many ways to anesthetize them, to make them keep quiet, ask nothing, question nothing. There are many ways to sedate them, to keep them from getting involved, to make their dreams flat and dreary, petty and plaintive."
The pope quoted Jesus' reply, saying "'If these were silent, the very stones would cry out'."