Nuncio Gänswein says young people in France and the US are drawn to the faith

Archbishop Georg Gänswein, the Holy See's nuncio to Lithuania, said the Catholic Church draws considerable interest from young people, though he added that seeing it requires looking beyond Germany. He spoke in an interview streamed live on Saturday night on the platform Twitch, which drew close to 10,000 viewers and between 600 and 800 questions.

Gänswein, who served as private secretary to Pope Benedict XVI throughout his pontificate (2005-2013), said he is convinced the Church plays an important role for young people and teenagers looking for meaning in their lives. He pointed to France and the United States, where he said many young people take an interest in the Gospel and try, in his words, to "get on the trail of the good Lord."

'It is worth arguing with the Church'

"It is worth arguing with the Church," the nuncio said, summing up his message to young people. Anyone who does so "does not come off worse, but gains a great deal," he said. What matters most as young people come closer to the faith, Gänswein said, is that they arrive at a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Asked how far the Church should adapt to contemporary society, Gänswein said: "The Church has to unsettle people." The Church must stay faithful to Jesus Christ and preserve tradition while also looking ahead, he said. That means not unlimited adaptation, he said, but a fidelity that keeps the future in view.

The nuncio urged young people to engage more deeply with the Church and its message, saying the Church guards a great treasure that is worth discovering. Asked which Bible verse he considers the most important, Gänswein cited a passage from the First Letter of John: "God is love."

Two social media hosts moderate

The conversation was led by Thomas Schmidt, 27, and Philipp Stehling, 33, both trained emergency medical technicians who are known on social media such as Instagram and YouTube and for appearing on various reality television shows. It was the first time either had moderated a discussion of this kind.

Before the broadcast, Stehling described the aim of the format: "We don't just want to talk about what questions young people might have about the Church and the faith. We want to give them the chance to ask those questions themselves, live." Those taking part in the livestream chat were mostly young people and young adults.

Questions on doctrine and personal taste

The questions ranged widely, from doctrine to personal details. Viewers asked what course of study is needed to become an archbishop, and about Gänswein's taste in music.

Gänswein said that in his youth he enjoyed the British rock band Deep Purple, though over time his taste has become, in his own words, "completely classical." Classical music calms him, does him good, purifies him and helps him release tension, he said. He also said he likes listening to podcasts about politics and history.