Pope to youth: Happiness can’t be downloaded like an app

During his homily in St. Peter’s Square, he told a crowd of 100,000 that "happiness has no price."

Pope Francis gives a crucifix as a present to some boy scouts during a mass for the Youth Jubilee in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, on Sunday.

Pope Francis has told teenagers happiness can’t be downloaded like a cellphone app.

The pontiff used the reference to connect to faithful aged 13-16 who are converging on Rome for a Holy Year weekend for teenagers.

During his homily on Sunday in St. Peter’s Square, he told a crowd of 100,000 that “happiness has no price” and is “not an app that you can download on your phones, nor will the latest update bring you freedom and grandeur in love.”

Connecting to the young

A day earlier, in a video message to the teens’ rally in a Rome stadium, Pope Francis likened being out of contact with God through lack of love to being where there’s no cell-phone reception.

After Mass, dozens of white-robed priests surrounded the pontiff, many snapping selfies with him.