VATICAN CITY - Pope Francis received in the Apostolic Palace on Friday a delegation of the Scouts Unitaires de France (SUF), on occasion of the 50th anniversary of its founding. The SUF, a Catholic scouting movement created in 1971, is the third largest in France. 

  Speaking in the Clementine Hall, the pontiff said, "in society, all too often we are faced with a degradation of human relations, and a shortage of worthy models of faith for young people looking for an education. This situation is made even more precarious by the current health crisis, that has reduced the possibility of meeting to fraternise and make new friends. Faced with all these difficulties, your scouting movement is a sign of encouragement for young people, because it invites them to dream and to act, and to have the courage to look to the future with hope."

  He added, "thanks to your relationship with nature, you carry the message that respect for others and the environment go hand in hand and that therefore we cannot delude ourselves to restore our relationship with nature and the environment without also healing all fundamental human relationships."

  "I invite you not to be discouraged in the face of the world's selfishness, not to close in on yourselves, not to be inert young people, without ideals and without dreams. Never lose sight of the fact that the Lord calls you all to carry the missionary proclamation without fear, wherever you are, especially among young people, in your neighborhoods, in sports, when you go out with friends, in volunteering and at work."

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