‘You have to believe in goodness’: Maia’s hopes for fellow Argentine youth

On the sidelines of the youth prayer vigil in Buenos Aires, Maia Canosa, a journalism student at the Catholic University of Argentina (UCA), tells Vatican News about her experience as a volunteer organizing the event with Pope Leo XIV.

Maia Canosa (L), a student at UCA in Buenos Aires, sits with Fr. Paul Samasumo 

Maia Canosa, 22, is in her fourth and final year studying journalism at the Catholic University of Argentina (UCA). She served as a student volunteer organizing Pope Leo XIV’s prayer vigil with young people on Tuesday, November 10.

Speaking to Vatican News at the event, Maia spoke about the papal visit with a mix of emotions ranging from joy to disbelief, especially as someone who helped as a volunteer.

She said the Pope’s visit was a blessing and wished many young people would take time to re-listen to some of his messages.

A Pope for peace and love

“I think we are all very happy,” Maia said. “We are all very happy—I am kind of speechless, you know, because it is all so amazing.”

Maia believes other young Argentinians share her excitement.

“Even though we are all very young, we all want to hear a message about peace and love around the world, because a lot is going on, you know, between wars and everything.”

For Maia, the Pope’s messages of peace were reassuring. She hoped people would take the Pope’s words to heart.

“I think we really need words of peace and love—to spread love and spread peace, and to get together, you know, to get stronger together.”

Hold on to something good

On her role as a volunteer for the papal visit, Maia said it was a privilege to serve during such a historic visit.

When asked what she would say to fellow young Argentinians who have grown disillusioned or disaffected with today’s world, she offered a simple plea.

“I think it doesn’t matter what you believe, but you have to believe in something good.”

Such belief, she added, can help everyone, especially young people, to keep going and cultivate a sense of resilience in the face of endless wars, unemployment, rising cost of living, climate anxiety and other challenges that young people face.

Communication: Interact and be around people

And after her graduation in a year, Maia said she had not settled on exactly what her career path would look like, but she knows the kind of journalism she would want to engage in.

“I would like to be on the part of communication, like truth communication,” she emphasised, adding, “I want to communicate the clearest things and truth that I could and be as transparent as I can.”

For Maia, journalism is not only about delivering information to people. It is also about meeting people and making the effort to interact, understand, and communicate across differences.

“Be around people, coming here, going there, walking, talking with strangers. I love to talk with people,” she explained.

Even when language is a challenge, Maia – who is fluent in English said and concluded: “I like to do my best and communicate from the heart.”

Paul Samasumo – Buenos Aires
Source: vaticannews.va/en