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Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Today, I would like to share some reflections on the Apostolic Journey I made last week to Spain, visiting Madrid, Barcelona, the Abbey of Montserrat and the Canary Islands.

 After the long Journey in four African countries, this time I found myself immersed in a European country with an ancient and very rich Catholic tradition. And it appeared evident that today in Spain, which has experienced significant social and cultural changes, the Pope was welcomed everywhere with enthusiasm and readiness to listen. For this I give thanks to God and to the entire Spanish people, the King and the civil Authorities, the Bishops and the ecclesial communities.

The people of God gave me great comfort through the joyful expression of their faith and affection. For my part, I confirmed the faithful and, as Bishop of Rome, I encouraged them to overcome every form of division and conflict by always promoting communion, dialogue and unity in diversity. This is the very service of the Successor of Peter, a service which finds a specific expression in Apostolic Journeys, each time adapted to the ecclesial and social situations of the countries visited.

With regard to Spain, I was able to observe with joy that  people of all ages and situations had been looking forward to the Pope’s visit. I found multitudes [of people] everywhere, who welcomed me with great warmth. This was not something that was  taken for granted, and is worthy of reflection. Naturally such participation expresses, first of all, as I said, the faith of the Spanish people. At the same time, I believe it reveals a widespread need to find unity based on a true and deep foundation, one that is neither ideological nor based on partial interests — a foundation which, ultimately, can only be ensured by Christ, and is conveyed in the lives of people by the Gospel, through the necessary “inculturation”.  It can do so because its message fully responds to both these needs: the search for truth and the thirst for justice.

In Madrid and Barcelona, we gathered in the great Cathedral as well as in modern stadiums. We prayed the holy Rosary at the Abbey of Montserrat. We celebrated [Mass] at the Sagrada Família — a majestic symbol, a symphony of stones and light that speaks to everyone of the Christian mystery. This encounter of ancient and modern, Catholic tradition and contemporary culture enabled me to perceive first-hand the very character of Europe, its inestimable wealth, as a living reality, not a thing of the past. It is a heritage to be safeguarded with care, so that it may be invested in today’s global world with its momentous challenges: peace, integral ecology, equitable and sustainable development, and respect for human dignity. They are challenges that the Second Vatican Council had already clearly recognized, and to which the subsequent Magisterium returned, up to my recent Encyclical, Magnifica Humanitas, which aims to safeguard the human person in the time of artificial intelligence.

Through the various meetings, I sensed a need to hear from the Pope’s voice, the Gospel of hope for today’s humanity, which is sorely tried by the negative consequences of a deceptive model of development. I recognized this need, which found expression in the many testimonies I was able to listen to — testimonies that were sometimes moving, sometimes edifying — also and above all in the faces of the little ones and the poor whom I met:  the child who read his letter to me in the parish;  some victims of abuse, who ask to be heard;  the inmates who were waiting for me in the prison;  the young people filled with anxiety and aspirations;  the migrants in the reception centres in the Canary Islands.

It was precisely there, in the Canary Islands — the final stop of the Journey — that I was offered a comprehensive insight. It was offered to me, on the one hand, by the very geographical location of that archipelago; and, on the other, by the reality of a local Church which welcomes a large number of forced migrants,  mainly from Africa. We know that the   migration phenomenon is complex and requires organic and coordinated action plans. But this interpretation opens up a different, broader perspective: it enables us to understand how we are called to reread the Gospel in today’s world, exchanging the gifts of our respective cultures with each other, and in particular, the results produced in them by the fruitfulness of Christ’s message. And one of these fruits is precisely  dialogue between people and between peoples, an encounter in the spirit of fraternity, which enables us to discover and appreciate one another’s values. This journey is not easy. It requires goodwill and God’s help, but it is the path that leads to the civilization of love.

Dear brothers and sisters, the motto of this Apostolic Journey was “Alzad la mirada”, “Lift up your gaze!” (cf. Jn 4:35).  Jesus addressed these words to his first disciples, to teach them to see the desire for life, truth and fullness in people and in the crowds.  The Lord repeats those words to me first, and by his grace I also experienced them during this Journey. Today, I would like to share this invitation with you: let us lift up our gaze! Let us learn from Jesus to look at our neighbour, at people and at the world, “through God’s eyes”, that is, with love, respect and compassion.

Finally, I want to thank all those who prayed for the success of this Apostolic Journey, especially the contemplative nuns, who, thanks be to God, are very numerous in Spain. Continue to pray, so that, by the intercession of the Virgin Mary, the seeds I scattered may bear abundant fruit. Thank you!

I welcome with satisfaction the agreement reached between the Islamic Republic of Iran and the United States of America, which is to be signed on Friday, as an encouraging outcome of patient dialogue and negotiation. I express my gratitude to the countries that have worked to facilitate the meeting between the parties and make this agreement possible. I hope that this agreement may help to strengthen mutual trust, security and stability in the Middle East, by promoting paths of dialogue and cooperation among peoples.

Meanwhile, distressing news continues to emerge regarding the war in Ukraine, which continues to escalate: so many innocent victims, aid workers killed, churches and cultural heritage sites devastated by fire. My thoughts are with those who are mourning their loved ones, with the injured, and with those who, amidst the violence, continue to serve life with courage. I invite everyone to pray for an end to this war. Let us ask the Lord to open pathways to dialogue, to extinguish hatred, and to make a just and lasting peace possible.

II extend a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, especially those coming from England, Cameroon, Taiwan, The Philippines and the United States of America.  As the summer holidays begin for many, may this time be an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord through moments of prayer and to support one another through generous acts of charity.  Upon all of you and your families, I invoke the peace and unity of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God bless you all! 

17.06.26

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Sunday!

Today’s Gospel (Mt 9:36–10:8) brings us a great gift, for it draws all who hear it into Jesus’ gaze: it is a story that bears witness to the attentiveness of this gaze, as well as telling us what the Lord sees. We read, in fact, that Christ “When he saw the crowds, he had compassion for them, because they were harassed and helpless” (v. 36). Having become our brother, the Son of God looks at the people, he looks at humanity: he sees the oppression that burdens and the violence that causes strength to fade. He sees the wounds of war and the emptiness of consumerism. He sees faces reduced to masks, families torn apart by evil, and young people misled by false ideals. Jesus sees and loves. He loves and suffers for and with us: his compassion expresses not only fraternal closeness, but his desire to redeem.

For he knows our hearts and cares for us. Looking upon so many people like “sheep without a shepherd” (v. 36), Christ devotes himself to all as the Good Shepherd and, as Lord of the harvest, sends workers into the field of the world (cf. v. 38). What is their task? They must offer God’s comfort to those who suffer by bringing charity where there is misery, hope where there is affliction, faith where there is distrust.

The Gospel lists the names of the first twelve “workers:” they are disciples made apostles, that is, missionaries and preachers. Among them, the first we find is Simon, called Peter. But we also find Judas Iscariot, named last, to remind us that one can follow Jesus and betray him. Even so, the Gospel remains for all a living and true word. The Good News that spans the centuries is the same, always young, fresh, and liberating: “The Kingdom of Heaven has come near!” (Mt 10:7). Yes, it is near because in Jesus Christ, God draws near to every man and woman, to every people and nation. When this Gospel is proclaimed and lived out, evil crumbles like a disease that passes away (cf. v. 8), like a night giving way to dawn, like death conquered by the risen One.

This is how Jesus’ gaze transforms reality. Filled with love, his initiative gives birth to a new people, the Church, called to continue the mission of the apostles: “You received without payment; give without payment” (v. 8). Yes, Jesus’ gift is entirely gratis, for its value exceeds all measure: it is impossible to merit or “buy” it. This grace is the beautiful name of God’s mercy, which seeks us out wherever we are, to draw us to himself. “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest” (Mt 9:38)!

Dear friends, the task of evangelization springs from God’s gift, which in Christ becomes forgiveness for the world, service to the least and the poor, and a commitment to justice. Let us invoke the help of the Virgin Mary, full of grace, so that we may respond with joy and courage to the mission to which Jesus calls us.

Dear brothers and sisters,

First of all, I express my gratitude to the Lord for the Apostolic Journey he has allowed me to undertake in Spain. I also thank the Spanish people who have welcomed me with great enthusiasm and devotion. I am especially grateful to His Majesty the King; I affectionately thank the Bishops, all the communities I visited and the entire Church in Spain. Que Dios bendiga siempre a España!

I would also like to recall some of the newly beatified: the diocesan priests Václav Drbola and Jan Bula, from Moravia; and Jan Šwierc and eight companions, Polish Salesian priests. All were beatified as martyrs, as victims of the persecution by totalitarian regimes because of their fidelity to Christ. Yesterday in Mato Grosso, Brazil, Nazareno Lanciotti, a Roman missionary priest, was also beatified; he too was a martyr, for he defended the poorest in the name of the Gospel. May the example and intercession of these courageous witnesses sustain the mission of priests and of the entire Church.

I assure the people of the Philippines, struck a few days ago by a powerful earthquake, of my closeness. I pray for the deceased and their families, for the wounded and for all those suffering because of this disaster.

And now I extend my greetings to all of you, Romans and pilgrims from various countries!

I greet the members of the International Commission for Dialogue between the Disciples of Christ and the Catholic Church. May your reflections help us to grow in communion.

I greet the pilgrims from the United States of America, in particular the faithful from New Jersey and the Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart in Miami, Florida. I greet the confirmands from Bergamo, the “Casa di Maria” Community — whom Pope Francis called “the children of the Immaculate”— and the parish groups from Santa Maria delle Grazie and Santa Francesca Cabrini in Rome.

I wish all of you a happy Sunday!

14.06.26

Dear brothers and sisters,

It is a blessing to come together on this day when the Heart of Jesus reveals itself to us as the heart of history.  I am happy to celebrate the Eucharist with you, giving thanks for the abundant witnesses of faith and charity I have experienced on this Apostolic Journey.  This is what makes the archipelago, so well known for its beauty and hospitality, a place where the Risen Lord precedes us and reveals himself to us.  The sea before us evokes the infinite, and so does the sky; but even more boundless is the infinite longing that joins the heart of God to so many human hearts, whose joys and hopes, sorrows and anxieties find an echo in the heart of the Church (cf. Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World Gaudium et Spes, 1).  No human being is an island. The geographical location of this diocese and the pastoral challenges it faces bear witness to the fact that we are born for encounter and that no obstacle, distance, danger or threat can prevent anyone from making the journey.  Whether we spend our whole lives in one place or choose — or are forced — to leave, no one remains unchanged. This is the secret of the heart: the inner call to exodus and to encounter.

But the Heart of Jesus shows us how not to get lost in a futile struggle: “God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him” (1 Jn 4:9).  It is in giving of ourselves that we truly live. Otherwise, we spin in a void.  Indeed, “as the Council recalled, human persons are called to communion with God and ‘can fully discover their true selves only in sincere self-giving.’  Indeed, their deepest vocation is to enter into the Trinitarian dynamic of love received” (Encyclical Letter Magnifica Humanitas, 48).  Pope Francis likewise observed: “Many people today sense a profound imbalance which drives them to frenetic activity and makes them feel busy, in a constant hurry, which in turn leads them to ride rough-shod over everything around them. This too affects how they treat the environment” (Encyclical Letter Laudato Si’, 225).  These words also challenge Tenerife in its vocation to hospitality, speaking both to the hearts of those who choose to spend their vacations here and to those of the people who live and work on the island, welcoming visitors from so many countries around the world.  What does the human heart seek?  How can we respond to its thirst in a way that is not disingenuous?  It is important, especially for those who are guided by the Gospel, not to reduce everything to commerce and profit.  “Those who enjoy more and live better each moment are those who have given up dipping here and there, always on the look-out for what they do not have. They experience what it means to appreciate each person and each thing, learning familiarity with the simplest things and how to enjoy them. So they are able to shed unsatisfied needs, reducing their obsessiveness and weariness” (Ibid., 223).  Understand your vocation to hospitality in this way, dear brothers and sisters.

Today’s Gospel seems to take this challenge to the extreme and reminds us of the wealth of the poor, a paradox that points directly to the life of Jesus, to his truth, to the path upon which he continues to ask us to follow him.  In the passage we have heard, he blesses the Father for this: that God has revealed himself to the little ones — to the least among us, to those whose thoughts and words are ignored. He has enriched them with what is hidden from those who are surrounded by admiration and success.  With the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te, I wished to draw attention to the privileged place of the poor in divine Revelation and in the mission of the Church.

This mystery resonates in a unique way on these islands, at the centre of migratory routes that make them a place of initial welcome for brothers and sisters whose journey is generally exposed to unspeakable dangers and violence.  In the face of those who capitalise on despair, we Christians we can do more than exemplify the Lord who says: “Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).  The greatest grace is to allow ourselves to be evangelized by those we assist and to recognise the mysterious wisdom of God written in their very flesh.  “Growing up in precarious circumstances, learning to survive in the most adverse conditions, trusting in God with the assurance that no one else takes them seriously, and helping one another in the darkest moments, the poor have learned many things that they keep hidden in their hearts. Those of us who have not had similar experiences of living this way certainly have much to gain from the source of wisdom that is the experience of the poor. Only by relating our complaints to their sufferings and privations can we experience a reproof that can challenge us to simplify our lives” (Dilexi Te, 102).  The Lord, who admonishes and corrects those he loves (cf. Rev 3:19), desires to make our lives simple and joyful.

Dear brothers and sisters, thank you for who you are and for what you do, for making this island a place of encounter with the heart of Christ in the friendly and hospitable faces of people and fraternal communities.  “So we have known and believe the love that God has for us” (1 Jn 4:16): may this confession of faith, handed down in the First Letter of John, always shine forth in you and inspire you to prayer and action.  Be attentive to teenagers and young people, to the rich and the poor, to residents and guests: all of them need to be looked upon with a gaze that sees beyond appearances and recognises the depth of their restless hearts, which not infrequently are already oriented, perhaps unconsciously, toward the Kingdom of God and his justice.  May it be evident among you that “God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him” (Ibid.).  This is the heart of the Gospel, the heart of Christ.  Whoever immerses themselves in it no longer lives for themselves.  Open this sea of love to everyone!  This is my wish and my prayer for you and for all those who will come to know you.

I would like to express my gratitude to Your Excellency and to the people of Tenerife as well as their pastors and the civil authorities.

Dear brothers and sisters, this Eucharistic celebration marks the end of my Apostolic Journey in Spain. I give thanks to God and to all who have welcomed me and who, in countless ways, have helped prepare and carry out the various events in Madrid, Barcelona and Montserrat, and here in the Canary Islands.

I return to Rome deeply moved by the great affection I have received and comforted by the testimonies of faith and love for the Church, which are a testament to Spain’s profound Catholic spirit.

From this port, which bears the name of the Holy Cross, my thoughts turn to the whole world and its wounds, which cause entire populations to suffer. To all, I would like to offer the motto of this journey: “Lift up your gaze!”  Yes, let us turn our eyes to Christ Crucified; his Heart is the source of mercy, which alone can save humanity — which is in need of forgiveness and reconciliation — so that it may attain true and lasting peace. Let us lift up our eyes, as did Mary, the Mother of all who suffer, and guided by her, let us continue our journey with hope!

Beloved brothers and sisters, thank you from the bottom of my heart!  Let us remain united in prayer and in communion in Christ and in the Holy Church.

12.06.26

“O Lord, our Lord, how wonderful is your name in all the earth!” (Ps 8:1). With the praise of this psalm, so full of joy and wonder, I greet all of you, dear brothers and sisters. I express my gratitude to their Majesties. I thank Cardinal Juan José Omella, Archbishop of Barcelona, as well as my fellow bishops and all those who join us in prayer: priests, deacons and men and women religious. On this evening of celebration for the entire city of Barcelona, I extend grateful greetings to the public authorities, as well as to the members of other Christian communities and religions who are participating in our act of thanksgiving.

Today, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia welcomes us to this beautiful city, opening its doors as though they were its arms, inviting each of us to this altar, to listen to the Word of God, which makes us a family loved by the Lord, nourished by his own life in the Eucharist. Thus, com la ciutat comtal and all Catalonia gather in this temple, as a sign of unity and harmony, and lift their gaze to encounter the face of God the Father, shining forth in his Son made man, Jesus Christ.

As we give thanks to the Lord for his love toward us, we praise him for his work in our lives. We thank him in particular for this extraordinary basilica, which Pope Benedict XVI consecrated in 2010, recalling that it is a visible sign of the invisible God, for whose glory its towers rise (cf. Homily for the Consecration, 7 November 2010). In continuity with the prayer of my Predecessor, in a few moments I will bless the highest tower, that of Jesus Christ.

This church is a single building made of many stones. A house that grows steadily over the years following a single plan. We are all the living stones of this edifice, which has Christ as its foundation and crowning glory, its beginning and end. Much more than a monument, the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia remains a work in progress today, reminding us that the Christian life is always a journey, because it is a project that God is carrying out.

We do not, therefore, dwell in an unfinished work, but in a temple still under construction. The fact that it is incomplete is not a flaw, for it bears witness to a desire; it does not signify a shortcoming, but rather expresses a promise that we wish to honour with consistency. Our gratitude thus becomes a commitment as we cooperate in God’s plan — that is, in the edification to which he himself calls us. Since we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 6:19), this work consists in our very lives, which God conceives as a masterpiece that we are to create together, and he calls us to collaborate with him (cf. 1 Cor 3:9).

In this regard, we hold dear in our hearts the words the Lord addressed to King David: “Are you the one to build me a house to live in?” (2 Sam 7:5). On the contrary, “the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house” (v. 11). With this passage, Scripture teaches us that it is not we who make a dwelling for God, as if he were simply one thing among others or part of a whole greater than himself. Rather, it is God who makes a place for us, and the place he gives us is his own heart: the place of the Son, for us who were strangers; the place of the Beloved, for us who are sinners.

This desire of his is fulfilled through Jesus; we can then understand the meaning of what we heard in the Gospel, when the Lord says to the Pharisees: “you will die in your sins unless you believe that I am he” (Jn 8:24). These are strong words, which are by no means intended as threats or blackmail. They are an invitation to salvation — that is, a call to freedom extended by Christ, who desires for us the ultimate, eternal good. When faced with the threat of evil, the Lord is always with us, always on our side. “I am:” this is the Most Holy Name that God shared with Moses from the burning bush, revealing his unshakable faithfulness. As God made man, he becomes for us Emmanuel, the source of grace and forgiveness, of salvation and new life. That is why, if we do not believe in Jesus Christ, we remain in sin, and not only do we die, but we bring about the death of our neighbour. Dear brothers and sisters, we cannot believe in Jesus and promote war. We cannot believe in Jesus and kill the innocent even before birth. We cannot believe in Jesus and abandon those who suffer, those who weep, those who flee from misery.

Tonight, then, let us remember that la Creu de Crist, which crowns this Basilica, és la Creu dels últims who become the first, of sinners who become saints, of the dead who will rise again. The three facades of the Sagrada Familia bear witness to this: the First becomes the last for us at the Nativity; through his sacrifice, he redeems us through his Passion; his death gives us eternal life, making us sharers in divine glory. As we admire the tower of Jesus Christ, we lift our gaze toward him, toward the One who alone reveals to us the truth about God and the truth about ourselves. By looking at Christ, we can see the world with renewed eyes: the tower of the cross then becomes a banner of charity, for God loves us in this way, transforming an instrument of death into a sign of hope. In Jesus’ cross, our faith reaches its summit, as professed by the inscription found at the base of the spire: “Tu solus Sanctus, Tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus.” This cross shines by day, reflecting the sunlight, and shines by night, illuminating the city like a lighthouse overlooking the Mediterranean.

Yes, the light of Christ shines in the darkness, even though the darkness has not received it (cf. Jn 1:5, 11). Yet this rejection does not mean that God’s love is lacking: “When you have lifted up the Son of Man,” says the Lord, “then you will realise that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own, but I speak these things as the Father instructed me” (Jn 8:28). It is necessary to pass through the passion of the crucified One to be enlightened by the glory of the risen One, for from the beginning, the Father teaches us to give our lives, and the Son, who receives life from him, gives it to all through the power of the Holy Spirit. This is precisely why the cross is the radiant sign of his love. 

It is faith that shapes the stones and gives meaning to the edifice we inhabit together. In our prayer, therefore, we discover the original bond between all things and God, the Creator of heaven and earth. He is the Artist who has imprinted his splendour upon the cosmos. Created in his image, humanity responds to God’s work with its own ingenuity: this is how the artist transforms talent into praise and creativity into a testimony to the Creator himself. As an architect inspired by faith, the venerable Antoni Gaudí designed this place with the desire to narrate the mysteries of the Lord’s life. In this way, he has proposed to us a spiritual pilgrimage, leading to an encounter with Christ who for our sake was born, died and rose again. Together with Gaudí, as we commemorate the centenary of his death, we remember and give thanks this evening to all the supporters and benefactors, the artists and the workers who cooperated in the construction of an architectural masterpiece, which is also an eloquent catechesis made of stones, colours and light. In her wisdom, the Church thus renews the Biblia pauperum of the ancient cathedrals, which are in themselves rich messages of evangelization. In this age in which image is so prevalent, it becomes even more evident how art and beauty are privileged channels of evangelization.

Dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of this church inspires us to learn ever more from our Master and Lord the art of living according to his Gospel. As we lift our gaze toward him, the crucified and risen One, let us commit ourselves to lifting up those who lie in the dust (cf. 1 Sam 2:8). And let us show in this way that the Sagrada Familia is the tallest church in the world, not so as to stand out in worldly rankings, but rather to guide the steps of the People of God who make their pilgrimage in Spain, with the Cross illuminating their path, like a lamp burning brightly as we await the return of the Bridegroom.

10.06.26

Your Eminences and Your Excellencies,

Dear priests, men, women religious,

Your Majesties,

Dear brothers and sisters,

As I begin my visit to Spain, it is with a heart filled with joy that I preside over this celebration on the Solemnity of Corpus Christi.

We are gathered around the Eucharist, the gift of Christ’s living presence among us. He who wished to offer us his life so that we might enter into communion with the Father and become his children, is here as the living Bread come down from heaven, to nourish us with the very life of God, with a love stronger than death.

This awareness of the Lord’s presence in the Eucharistic Bread is deeply rooted in the faith and the history of your people. Here in Madrid, as in many other parts of Spain, Corpus Christi is more than just another celebration on the liturgical calendar. It is a way of returning to the heart of the faith to renew our love and fidelity to God. The solemn processions held on this day have for centuries shaped the piety, art, music, architecture and life of the Spanish people. Even today, they still express and manifest the spiritual sentiments of this country through the beauty and elegance of the floral carpets, the altars erected in the streets, the carefully crafted monstrances and stands, the hymns and the liturgical vestments. This is not an exhibition, a remnant of folklore or a simple display of beauty. It is a profession of faith in the presence of the risen Lord, who is alive and continues to walk among us, who becomes bread to satiate our hunger for life, and visits the recesses of our hearts and history, even those shrouded in darkness.

Just as Christ gives himself as food in the Eucharistic celebration, the procession shows that he is not confined to the church, but comes out to meet us. Jesus travels the streets, crosses the squares and visits our neighbourhoods, dwelling in the settings of our daily lives. He is a God who is close to us, who walks with his people, the Lord of history. He is comfort to the weak, light for families, hope for the sick and peace for those who suffer.  The Christ who processes through the streets in the monstrance is the same one who identifies with the poor, the downtrodden, those who are alone and forsaken.  It is no coincidence that the Church here in Spain has long combined the Solemnity of Corpus Christi with the Day for Charity.

It is not merely a matter of bringing out the monstrance, but of allowing ourselves to be brought out of our selfishness and indifference, of a comfortable, private faith, so as to respond to his invitation to conversion, to change our perspective, and to welcome his presence which transforms us and makes us builders of a new world.

For this reason, the historical memory of the Corpus Christi processions is not confined to wistful nostalgia. Instead, it stands as an invitation in the present moment, in our daily lives, in our relationships, in society, and in the building of the future. It is in this context that we must understand the invitation to “remember” that we heard in the first reading: “Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness” (Deut 8:3); remember how he fed you with manna when you were hungry. We must “remember” precisely so as not to forget who the Lord is, so as not to fall into the temptation of trusting in other idols and feeding on bread that does not satisfy.

Herein lies the task of Spain today and in the future: to ensure that the religiosity which has shaped and defined this country for centuries is not a museum of the past to be visited, but a school of faith from which to draw even today: A school that teaches us to kneel before God and before our neighbour, because no one can kneel before the Lord and despise their brother; A school that teaches us of the gratitude of love that becomes a gift, so that it may flow among us and break the chains of all selfishness; A school from which we learn that God is a real presence and that we too are called to be present in the realities and challenges of society, not shying away, but personally committing ourselves to the building of the common good.

Brothers and sisters, I wish to recall Saint Manuel González, the bishop of the abandoned tabernacle. His life reminds us that the Eucharist should be honoured not only during great celebrations or on special occasions, but also through the silent fidelity of those who accompany the Lord with a humble and quiet friendship that is nourished day by day. I would also like to bring to mind the poetic verses of Saint John of the Cross: “For I know well the spring that flows and runs, although it is night” (Song of the Soul that Rejoices in Knowing God through Faith). While imprisoned in harsh conditions in the convent prison of Toledo, precisely around the time of Corpus Christi in 1578, he recognized the hidden presence of the Lord in the darkness of his cell, a presence from which emanates a light that never fades and flows a life that never diminishes. The Eucharistic Jesus is “that eternal spring that is hidden” — a spring that flows and quenches thirst, yet without blinding, without imposing itself through outward power, without presenting itself in a spectacular way (cf. ibid.).

Let us return to him with sincere love. Let us open ourselves to the encounter with him, let us allow him to quench the thirst of our hearts, so that we may then go forth into the paths of life and history, bringing to the people this stream of fresh water, a stream of love, peace, justice and joy. Let us drink anew from this Eucharistic spring, which does not enclose us in private devotion, but sends us out to refresh our brothers and sisters, our families, the poor, the suffering, and those who have lost hope. Eucharistic grace transforms us and makes us protagonists of the transformation of history, a sign of hope for those we meet.

May the Lord Jesus, present in the Eucharist, transform you into bread that is broken, given, and offered, so that a life of fullness may spring forth for you, for your families, and for your country.

07.06.26

Dear brothers and sisters,

As we continue our catechesis on the Conciliar Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC), we wish to pause and reflect on some of the fundamental elements of the sacred liturgy, such as the rite, the sign and the symbol.

The Second Vatican Council, building on the valuable work of the Liturgical Movement, has helped us to rediscover a truth that was very much alive in the consciousness of the early Church and in the teaching of the Fathers. The rites of the Christian liturgy are not a mere external covering of the sacramental mystery, a collection of arbitrary ceremonies, but are the ecclesial mediation through which the divine gift reaches us. Precisely for this reason, the Council invites us to understand the Mysterium fidei which is realized in the liturgy through rites and prayers (cf. SC, 48).

The rite gives shape to liturgical action and, through it, to our lives, generating  a spiritual sensibility in us that makes us capable of savouring the presence of God through Jesus Christ. Naturally, this happens if we do not remain strangers or silent spectators (cf. ibid.) with regard to the liturgy, but rather participate in it fully  — body, mind and heart — in obedience to the Lord’s command. Through the sacred rite we are thus formed in listening to the Word of God, in giving thanks and in adoration, in fraternal sharing and in ecclesial communion. We discover that we are an assembly with many faces, united by the same faith.

The rite involves us in a well-defined sequence of gestures and prayers, which can sometimes be at odds with with our individual tendency towards spontaneity. Its logic, however, is not to constrain freedom within rigid frameworks. On the contrary, with the solemn simplicity of its rhythms, the rite interrupts our frenetic activities, leading us back to what is essential. We thus discover another dimension of action that is not guided by calculations of productivity, and another experience of time and space. In the rite, we experience a logic of gratuitousness, we find a pause that regenerates the heart, we recognize that we are preceded by divine grace and we learn to live in a rhythm inhabited by the Holy Spirit.

The grammar of the rite is interwoven with the signs and symbols proper to the liturgy. In it, as the Council states, “the sanctification of the man is signified by signs perceptible to the senses, and is effected in a way which corresponds with each of these signs” (SC, 7). The Catechism of the Catholic Church explores the value of these signs, recalling that “their meaning is rooted in the work of creation and in human culture, specified by the events of the Old Covenant and fully revealed in the person and work of Christ” (no. 1145). The sign of water is emblematic: from the origins of Creation to the Flood, from the crossing of the Red Sea to the Jordan, right up to the water flowing from Christ’s side, which becomes a sacramental sign of immersion in his death and resurrection.

“Sign” and “symbol” are terms that are often used as synonyms. In reality, a sign is symbolic when it is able to refer not only to an idea, but to an entire system of meanings and values. In this way, for example, when we are sprinkled with holy water, our awareness of the gift received at Baptism and our commitment to new life in Christ is rekindled. Secondly, symbols are essentially practical in nature, being first and foremost actions: some simple and common, such as kneeling and exchanging the sign of peace, or more demanding, such as the constitutive acts of each Sacrament. Above all, symbols have a unique performative and transformative dimension, both in relation to the material elements of which they are composed and to those who come into contact with them, engendering a sense of belonging, touching the heart and mind, and giving rise to authentic ecclesial relationships.

In the Apostolic Letter Desiderio desideravi, Pope Francis, echoing a statement by Romano Guardini, identified “the first task of the work of liturgical formation: man must become once again capable of symbols” (no. 44). We need to allow ourselves to be educated by the rites of the liturgy, caring for the beauty of our celebrations with a delicate touch and without arbitrariness, and committing ourselves to an authentic mystagogy. The experience of a living and devout liturgy, accompanied by appropriate mystagogical catechesis, is the best resource for reawakening in everyone that openness to the encounter with God which, in the logic of the Incarnation, can only take place by involving the whole person: spirit, soul and body (cf. 1 Thess 5:23).

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Sweden, Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea, Canada, and the United States of America. I greet in particular the scholars and participants in the conference “Revising the World Medical Association Declaration of Taipei” and the organizing partners of the Global Summit, “Fostering Hope for Children.” As we prepare for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, let us be strengthened by this divine gift and become witnesses of his love to all we encounter. God bless you!

03.06.26

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

The Easter season concluded last week with the Solemnity of Pentecost. Today, we celebrate the Mystery of the Triune God, which offers us the opportunity to reflect on the journey we have made. We begin with God’s life which was given to us in Christ Jesus. This life is a dynamic, inexhaustible and faith communion that draw us in. Indeed, the Spirit who unites the Father and the Son has been poured into our hearts. In this way, the Church becomes a sacrament of communion, a place of encounter, love and life where heaven and earth already touch.

Today’s Gospel (Jn 3:16-18) introduces us to Nicodemus, an important person in Israel who felt a profound attraction to Jesus. Indeed, eager to better understand this mysterious Teacher and to ask him questions, Nicodemus went to find him at night, so as not to be seen. The Lord welcomed him and took his search for answers seriously. Jesus surprised Nicodemus by suggesting that it was even possible for an adult to be reborn and led him to realise that the life of God could transform his own life. When Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit, Nicodemus’ interior darkness was illuminated with the truth –– the same truth that resounds throughout the Church in our celebration of today’s feast: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life” (vs. 16). And again: “God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (vs. 17).

Dear brothers and sisters, in the Mystery of God –– Father, Son and Holy Spirit –– we are at home, just as Nicodemus felt at ease when he was in Jesus’ presence. The life of God is marvellous and captivating; it gives peace to our heart, which is often very restless, and it allows us to encounter our brothers and sisters in the joy of the Spirit. The Trinity helps us to love everyone and everything: we discover that every creature is made for communion, relationship and encounter. On the other hand, we understand why division, polarization and contempt for diversity bring destruction, sadness and barrenness to the world.

Nicodemus was a member of the Sanhedrin, the council of the high priests of Israel. When he heard contemptuous words directed at Jesus in the Sanhedrin, Nicodemus urged everyone to listen first before condemning him. He had received the Spirit of communion from God through Christ himself, which opens the heart to new truths and to true renewal. Whoever does not welcome this Spirit grows old quickly, in sorrow, feeling all alone and without joy in their hearts. Instead, today, dear brothers and sisters, is a day of celebration. God’s feast is also ours. For this reason, Saint Paul wrote to the Corinthians, saying: Rejoice, strive for perfection, encourage one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you (cf. 2 Cor 13:11).

And now, with the prayer of the Angelus, we turn to the Virgin Mary: like her “yes” to the Divine will, may our “yes” to the love of the Most Holy Trinity also bear fruit.

Dear brothers and sisters,

In this month of May, a united chorus of prayers for peace has resounded throughout the Church.  Above all, through the prayer of the Holy Rosary – like an unbroken chain – the peoples ravaged by war have been entrusted to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.  May Divine Wisdom enlighten the consciences of those in authority and guide their decisions toward a sincere search for a just and lasting peace.

Today, Italy celebrates the 25th “National Day of Relief.”  I offer my spiritual closeness to the sick and those who care for them; and I thank and encourage all who promote a culture of solidarity and care.

I warmly greet all of you who have gathered today in Saint Peter’s Square, both Romans and pilgrims!

In particular, I welcome the Bishop and the pilgrims from the Diocese of Kumba, Cameroon; as well as the parish choir from Dunajska Luzna, Slovakia.  I greet the Poles present and the participants in the great pilgrimage to the Shrine of Piekary, where Mary is venerated as the Mother of Social Justice.

I extend my greetings to the Rivoli Alpine Group, the young people from San Zeno Naviglio, and the participants in the “Relay for Inclusion,” whose banners were created by Italian high school students.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday.

31.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

In the Encyclical Mediator Dei, the Venerable Pius XII writes that “the Church is without question a living organism, and as an organism, in respect of the sacred liturgy also, she grows, matures, develops, adapts and accommodates herself to temporal needs and circumstances, provided only that the integrity of her doctrine be safeguarded” (no. 59).

In full accordance with this principle, the Second Vatican Council, in the Introduction to the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC), recognizes “particularly cogent reasons for undertaking the reform and promotion of the liturgy” (no. 1). The Council assembly was gathered, in fact, with the desire to “impart an ever increasing vigour to the Christian life of the faithful; to adapt more suitably to the needs of our own times those institutions which are subject to change; to foster whatever can promote union among all who believe in Christ; to strengthen whatever can help to call the whole of mankind into the household of the Church” (ibid.).

At that moment in history, there was a strong sense of the need for a renewal of the ritual forms through which, for centuries, the Church had glorified God and sanctified the Christian people. Thanks to the Liturgical Movement, the conviction had matured—later expressed by Saint John Paul II—that “a very close and organic bond exists between the renewal of the liturgy and the renewal of the whole life of the Church. The Church not only acts but also expresses herself in the liturgy, lives by the liturgy and draws from the liturgy the strength for her life” (Letter Dominicae Cenae, 13).

To encourage the access of the faithful to the richness of the gifts of grace dispensed by the sacred liturgy, the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium thus indicates, with a very effective phrase, the direction to take: “That sound tradition may be retained, and yet the way remain open to legitimate progress” (SC, 23).

Pope Benedict XVI grasped in this declaration of intent the “reform programme” of the Council Fathers, “a balance between the great liturgical tradition of the past and that of the future”, noting that “tradition and progress are often clumsily opposed”, whereas “actually, the two concepts merge: tradition is a living reality, which therefore includes in itself the principle of development, of progress. It is as if to say that the river of tradition also carries its source in itself and flows towards the outlet” (Address to participants in the Congress promoted by the Pontifical Athenaeum of Saint Anselm on the 50th anniversary of foundation, 6 May 2011).

The Council affirms the legitimacy of this progress, rooted in authentic Tradition, distinguishing within the liturgy “immutable elements, divinely instituted” from “elements subject to change [which] not only may but ought to be changed with the passage of time if they have suffered from the intrusion of anything out of harmony with the inner nature of the liturgy or have become unsuited to it” (SC, 21). Changes of this type have taken place constantly over the centuries in order to enable the faithful to participate fruitfully, through ritual actions, in the Paschal Mystery of Christ, the foundation of the Christian faith. The Church’s worship has thus been “embodied” in the cultural forms of each age and has been able to influence them and even transform them. The liturgy has thus been, for centuries, a driving force for evangelization. Today, this energy must be renewed in continuity with the authentic and living Catholic tradition, that is, in accordance with a dynamic aimed at introducing believers to the fullness of the truth.

It is therefore understandable why the Council Fathers recommended that the revision of the rites, when “the good of the Church genuinely and certainly requires them”, must be carried out taking care that “any new forms adopted should in some way grow organically from forms already existing” (SC, 23). For the good of the entire Church, every reform must always be preceded by careful “theological, historical and pastoral” investigation (ibid.). The Council Magisterium, in this way, thus calls for the avoidance of confusion amongst the faithful, discouraging anyone from adding, removing or altering anything in liturgical matters on their own initiative (cf. SC, 22). The progress evoked in the Conciliar Constitution in no way compromises ecclesial communion: rather, it seeks to confirm and foster it.

I therefore urge all those called to prepare the celebration of the divine mysteries, in particular priests who exercise the ministry of liturgical presidency, to always uphold that respect for the texts and regulations of the liturgy which springs from an inner attitude of openness and trust in God, manifesting humility before His greatness and sincere fidelity to ecclesial communion.

I am following with concern the war in Ukraine, which has intensified significantly in recent days. I wish to express my solidarity with all those suffering as a result of the recent attacks, which have also targeted civilians.

War does not solve problems; it exacerbates them. It does not build security; it multiplies suffering and hatred. Where missiles and drones fall, hopes are crushed, homes and places of worship are destroyed, and innocent lives are cut short.

I entrust all peoples stricken by war to the protection of the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace.

I greet the English speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s audience, in particular the groups from England, Ireland, Cameroon, Kenya, Nigeria, India, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Canada and the United States of America. May the peace of God guard your minds and your hearts that you may know the love of Jesus Christ and joyfully share it with others. God bless you!

27.05.26

ENCYCLICAL LETTER

MAGNIFICA HUMANITAS

 OF HIS HOLINESS

LEO XIV

ON SAFEGUARDING THE HUMAN PERSON

IN THE TIME OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

Excerpt below for the full letter click on the link above

Humanity, created by God in all its grandeur, is today facing a pivotal choice: either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together. Each generation inherits the task of shaping its own era, of guiding history to become a place where the dignity of every person is safeguarded, justice is promoted and fraternity is made possible. Yet every era also runs the risk of creating an inhumane and more unjust world. Whenever humanity is in danger of marring its true identity, we Christians lift our eyes to the Incarnate God, knowing that it is “only in the mystery of the Word made flesh that the mystery of humanity truly becomes clear.”  In Jesus Christ, this humanity in its grandeur becomes the Way, the Truth and the Life, opening the path for each of us to grow toward fullness.

25.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

On this Solemnity of Pentecost, we are called to contemplate the gift of the Holy Spirit, which was poured out in abundance upon the early Church and is bestowed anew upon its members today, granting us light and strength throughout our everyday circumstances.

Let us reflect on an image of the Spirit that today’s liturgy sets before us: the Spirit opens doors. The Gospel, in fact, tells us that “the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews” (Jn 20:19). At the same time, the book of the Acts of the Apostles tells us that the Spirit came like a mighty wind (cf. Acts 2:2), which opened those doors, impelling the disciples to go out and proclaim the Good News of the risen Christ.

We can ask ourselves: what doors does the Holy Spirit open today?

The first door is that of God himself, for the Spirit gives us access to the mystery of God, as revealed in Jesus Christ. Through the gift of his Spirit, God grants us true faith, helps us understand the meaning of Scripture, reveals himself as our neighbour and allows us to share in his very life. The Holy Spirit helps us to have a personal experience of God, to encounter him in Jesus and not merely in the observance of a law, to recognize him within us, and to discover the signs of his presence in daily life.

The second door is that of the Upper Room, that is, of the Church. Without the fire of the Spirit, the Church remains a prisoner of fear, timid in the face of the world’s challenges, closed in on itself, and thus also incapable of entering into dialogue with changing times. The Spirit opens the doors of the Church so that it can be welcoming and hospitable to all, even to those who have closed their doors on God and neighbour, on hope and the joy of living. As Pope Francis recalled, we are called to be “a Church that blesses and encourages… The doors of the Church are open to everyone” (Homily at the Opening of the Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, October 4, 2023).

Finally, the Holy Spirit opens the door of our heart, helping us to overcome resistance, selfishness, mistrust and prejudice, while enabling us to live as children of God and brothers and sisters to one another. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, fraternity is born among individuals, groups and peoples of the Earth, and all speak the same language of love, which unites and brings harmony despite our differences.

Brothers and sisters, even in our own day, especially on this day of Pentecost, we must invoke the Holy Spirit and ask him to open all the doors that are still closed. We need to rediscover God as the Father who loves us, so that we can form a Church where everyone feels at home, and build a fraternal world where peace reigns among all peoples.

Like the first disciples, we entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Dwelling of the Holy Spirit and Mother of the Church.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today marks the Day of Prayer for the Church in China, which occurs on the feast day of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Help of Christians. She is venerated with great devotion at the Sheshan Shrine in Shanghai. Let us join our prayers with those of Chinese Catholics as a sign of our closeness to them and their communion with the universal Church and with the Successor of Peter. May the intercession of the Queen of Heaven obtain for the community of believers in China the grace of unity and grant them the strength to bear witness to the Gospel in their daily struggles, so that they may be seeds of hope and peace. In particular, I pray for the eternal rest of the victims of the accident that occurred recently in a mine in northern China.

To Mary Most Holy, Help of Christians, we also entrust the Christian communities of the Holy Land, Lebanon and the entire Middle East, who are suffering due to the ongoing conflicts.

And now I extend my greetings to all of you, the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from various countries! In particular, I greet the group of people with disabilities from Poland, as well as the pilgrims who came by bicycle from Kelmis, Belgium – well done!

24.05.26 rc

Dear brothers and sisters,

The Easter season reaches its fulfilment today on the Solemnity of Pentecost. To highlight the continuity of this salvific event, the Gospel takes us back to the “first day of the week” (Jn 20:19), that is, to that new day on which the risen Jesus appeared to the disciples, showing them “his hands and his side” (v. 20). The Lord reveals his glorious body, specifically his wounds, the marks of the crucifixion. These signs of the Passion, more eloquent than words, are now transfigured; he who was dead lives forever.

Upon seeing the Lord, the disciples too are restored back to life. They had shut themselves in the Upper Room, overcome by fear, but Jesus comes and stands among them, even though the doors were closed, and fills them with joy. He passes through our “death,” opening the tomb and throwing it wide open when there was no way out for us. Christ accompanies his actions with the words: “Peace be with you” (v. 19); and immediately afterward, he breathes the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. The risen One is full of life. After having proven that he was restored to life as true man, he bestows the life of God as the beloved Son of the Father who has become, for our sake, our brother and Redeemer. In the same Upper Room where he instituted the new and eternal covenant, Jesus pours out the Spirit. The place of the Last Supper and the betrayal is transformed; the tomb of the Apostles becomes, for the entire Church, the womb of the Resurrection. Pentecost is therefore a Paschal feast and a feast of the body of Christ, which by grace is all of us.

In celebrating this mystery, I would like to focus on three aspects.

First of all, the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of peace. Indeed, through his Paschal Mystery, Christ restores peace between God and humanity, and the Holy Spirit pours this peace into our hearts and spreads it throughout the world. This peace stems from forgiveness and leads us to forgiveness. It begins with the forgiveness given by Jesus himself, whom we betrayed, condemned and crucified. Surprising us with his love, the risen One himself says, “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven” (Jn 20:23). With these words, Jesus involves us in a divine work, for only God can forgive sins (cf. Mk 2:7). This authority is bestowed as a sign of universal reconciliation: the Lord pours out his Spirit of peace from one end of history to the other, for he who has redeemed everyone from death excludes no one. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is Lord and giver of life since the beginning of creation, when he hovered over the waters (cf. Gen 1:2); and now, in renewing creation, he transforms the history of the world. Pentecost truly appears as the feast of the New Covenant, the Covenant between God and all the peoples of the world. While the roaring sound from above, the wind and the tongues of fire in the Upper Room are reminiscent of the ancient signs at Sinai (cf. Acts 2:2–3; Ex 19:16–19), God’s holy law is inscribed in our hearts, engraved by the Spirit with letters of love in the flesh of Christ and in his body the Church.

This law is the rule of peace: It is the twofold commandment of love that the Spirit reminds us of with every heartbeat. With our heart, we can therefore pray “Veni Sancte Spiritus,” for he has already been given to us. We can long for him, for he has already been promised to us. We can welcome him, for he himself is the sweet guest of the soul.

A second point is that the Spirit of the risen One is the Spirit of mission: “As the Father has sent me,” says the Lord, “so I send you” (Jn 20:21). We are consequently drawn into Jesus’ mission, the mission of the one who proceeds from God and returns to God through the power of the Spirit — who in turn proceeds from the Father and the Son, and is worshiped and glorified with them as one God. The Holy Spirit is the living charity of Christ that fills us, spurs us on and sustains us in our mission (cf. 2 Cor 5:14). While bestowing on the Apostles the power to preach (cf. Acts 2:4), the same Spirit teaches humanity the word of salvation. Now that the Apostles have received the breath of the risen One within themselves, this proclamation pours from their lips, borne by the voice of Peter and of those who are with him. On the very day of Pentecost, the Apostles began to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen. In other words, the “mighty works of God” (Acts 2:11) are summed up in redemption, which begins with faith. Indeed, the first work of the Holy Spirit in us is the faith with which we profess: “Jesus is Lord!” (1 Cor 12:3). This faith lives and is expressed in every good deed, in every act of mercy and virtue. The work of God, therefore, is each one of us, who came here today from all parts of the world, invited to the Lord’s table, gathered to listen to his word and called to bear witness to it everywhere.

Dear friends, we are truly co-workers of the Gospel: the whole Church is its protagonist, not merely its guardian. Through the power of the Spirit, our proclamation is filled with joy and hope, for we — yes, we ourselves — are the newness of the world, the light and the salt of the earth (cf. Mt 5:13–14). Certainly not because of our own merit or privilege, but because of the word of the Lord, who sanctifies the sinner, heals the leper and transforms the one who denied him into an apostle. As we can clearly see, there are changes that do not bring new life to the world, but make it grow old through error and violence. Nevertheless, the Holy Spirit enlightens minds and instils new vitality in our hearts. This is how he transfigures history, opening it to salvation, which is the gift that the Lord offers to everyone. The Church’s mission bears witness to this offer, thereby transforming the world’s confusion into communion with God and among ourselves.

This mission begins by proclaiming the truth about God and man, for the Spirit of the risen One is the “Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:17), whom the Lord himself promised us, asking for the unity of his Church — a unity founded on the love of God, the source of our love. The Spirit, who has spoken through the prophets, always promotes unity in truth, for he imbues in us understanding, harmony and coherency of life. As Saint Augustine teaches, “the Holy Spirit willed that this should be the sign of his presence” (Discourse 269, 1): The gift of tongues that are understood within the one faith. The Paraclete protects us from everything that hinders this understanding, including partisanship, hypocrisy and fads that obscure the light of the Gospel. The truth that God gives us thus stands as a liberating word for all peoples, a message that transforms every culture from within.

Indeed, the Spirit of the risen One is not poured out once and for all, but constantly. Just as the Eucharist is the living presence of Christ, who nourishes us unceasingly, so too does the Holy Spirit imprint his character upon us in Baptism, which makes us Christians; in Confirmation, which establishes us as witnesses; and in Holy Orders, which constitutes ministers and shepherds for God’s people. In every sacrament, he is the dator munerum, the source of holiness who multiplies gifts and charisms through prayer, works of mercy and the study of the word of God. As the Apostle teaches: “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (1 Cor 12:7). It is precisely for this reason that we are the Church, the one body that lives in God and serves the world. Thanks to the Spirit, we can bring true peace to all, the truth that saves — the same Christ our Lord.

Dear friends, with fervent hearts, let us pray today that the Spirit of the risen One may save us from the evil of war, which is overcome not by a superpower, but by the omnipotence of love. Let us pray that he free humanity from misery, which is redeemed not by immeasurable wealth, but by an inexhaustible gift. Let us pray that he heal us from the scourge of sin through the salvation proclaimed to all peoples in the name of Jesus. This is the grace that instils courage in the Apostles; may he similarly instil it in us, today and always, through the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church.

24.05.26 m

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Today we are beginning a new series of catecheses on the first Document issued by the Second Vatican Council: the Constitution on the sacred liturgy, Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC).

In drafting this Constitution, the Council Fathers sought not only to undertake a reform of the rites, but to lead the Church to contemplate and deepen that living bond which constitutes and unites her: the mystery of Christ. Indeed, the liturgy touches the very heart of this mystery: it is at once the space, the time and the context in which the Church receives her very life from Christ. For in the liturgy, “the work of our redemption is accomplished” (SC, 2), which makes us a chosen lineage, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people whom God has acquired for Himself (cf. 1 Pet 2:9).

As manifested by the threefold renewal – biblical, patristic and liturgical – that the Church underwent through the course of the twentieth century, the Mystery in question does not designate an obscure reality, but God’s salvific plan, hidden from all eternity and revealed in Christ, according to Saint Paul’s affirmation (cf. Eph 3:2-6). Here, then, is the Christian Mystery: the Paschal event, that is to say, the passion, death, resurrection and glorification of Christ, which is made sacramentally present to us precisely in the liturgy, so that every time we take part in the assembly gathered “in his name” (cf. Mt 18:20) we are immersed in this Mystery.

Christ Himself is the inner source of the mystery of the Church, the holy people of God, born from His side pierced on the cross. In the holy liturgy, through the power of His Spirit, He continues to act. He sanctifies and unites the Church, His bride, to His offering to the Father. He exercises His utterly unique priesthood, He who is present in the proclaimed Word, in the sacraments, in the ministers who celebrate, in the gathered community and, in the highest degree, in the Eucharist (cf. SC, 7). Thus, according to Saint Augustine (cf. Sermon, 277), in celebrating the Eucharist the Church “receives the Body of the Lord and becomes what she receives”: she becomes the Body of Christ, “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:22). This is the “work of our redemption”, which conforms us to Christ and builds us up in communion.

In the holy liturgy, this communion is achieved through “rites and prayers” (SC, 48). The rituality of the Church expresses her faith – in accordance with the familiar saying lex orandi, lex credendi – and at the same time shapes ecclesial identity: the proclaimed Word, the celebration of the Sacrament, the gestures, the silences, the space – all this represents and gives form to the people gathered by the Father, the Body of Christ, the Temple of the Holy Spirit. Every celebration thus becomes a true epiphany of the Church in prayer, as Saint John Paul II recalled (Apostolic Letter Vicesimus quintus annus, 9).

If the liturgy is at the service of the mystery of Christ, one understands why it has been defined as “the summit toward which the activity of the Church is directed … the font from which all her power flows” (SC, 10). It is true that the action of the Church is not limited to the liturgy alone; however, all her activity (preaching, service to the poor, the accompaniment of human realities) converges towards this “summit”). Conversely, the liturgy sustains the faithful by immersing them ever and anew in the Pasch of the Lord and, thus, through the proclamation of the Word, the celebration of the sacraments and communal prayer, they are refreshed, encouraged and renewed in their commitment to faith and in their mission. In other words, the participation of the faithful in the liturgical action is at once “internal” and “external”.

This also means that it is called to unfold in a tangible way throughout daily life, in an ethical and spiritual dynamic, so that the liturgy celebrated is translated into life and demands a faithful existence, capable of making concrete what has been experienced in the celebration: it is in this way that our life becomes a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God”, fulfilling our “spiritual worship” (Rom 12:1).

In this way, “the liturgy daily builds up those who are within into a holy temple of the Lord” (SC, 2), and forms an open community, welcoming to all. Indeed, it is inhabited by the Holy Spirit, it introduces us into the life of Christ, it makes us His Body and, in all its dimensions, it represents a sign of the unity of the entire human race in Christ. As Pope Francis said, “the world still does not know it, but everyone is invited to the supper of the wedding of the Lamb (Rev 19:9)” (Apostolic Letter Desiderio desideravi, 5).

Dear friends, let us allow ourselves to be shaped inwardly by the rites, symbols, gestures and above all the living presence of Christ in the liturgy, which we will have the opportunity to explore in the coming Catecheses.

I greet this morning all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from England, Ireland, Tanzania, India, Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America, as well as the Patrons of the Arts in the Vatican Museums from Canada. Upon all of you, and upon your families, I invoke the joy and peace of the risen Jesus! God bless you!

20.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In many countries throughout the world, the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord is celebrated today.

The image of Jesus –– lifted up from the earth and ascending toward heaven, as the Bible states (cf. Acts 1:1-11) –– may cause us to think about this Mystery as a distant event from long ago. Yet this is not so, for we are united to Jesus as the members of one body united to the head. By ascending into heaven, then, he draws us with him toward full communion with the Father. In this regard, Saint Augustine said, “the head’s advance is the hope of the members” (Sermon 265, 1.2).

Indeed, Christ’s entire life is a movement of ascent. Through his humanity, he embraces and involves the whole world, elevating and redeeming human beings from their sinful condition. He thus brings light, forgiveness and hope where previously there was darkness, injustice and desperation, in order that men and women may attain the definitive Easter victory, in which the Son of God, by dying “has destroyed our death, and by rising, restored our life” (Preface I of Easter).

The Ascension, therefore, does not speak to us of a distant promise, but of a living bond, which draws us also toward heavenly glory, already elevating and expanding our horizon in this life and directing our way of thinking, feeling and acting more closely to the measure of God’s heart.

Moreover, in this path of ascent, we recognize the way (cf. Jn 14:1-6). Indeed, we find it in Jesus –– in the gift of his life, his example and his teachings. We also see it marked out for us by the Blessed Virgin Mary and the saints: those whom the Church offers as universal role models. Pope Francis also liked to speak of the saints “next door” (cf. Apostolic Exhortation Guadete et Exsultate, 7), with whom we live in our daily lives: fathers, mothers, grandparents, people of every age and condition, who, with joy and commitment, make the effort to live sincerely according to the Gospel.

With them, with their support and thanks to their prayer, we too can learn to ascend day by day toward heaven. As Saint Paul says, we must focus on whatever is true, just and loveable (cf. Phil 4:8), and put into practice, with God’s help, all that we have “heard and seen” (v. 9). In this way, the divine life, which we received in Baptism and which constantly draws us to the heights, toward the Father, can grow in and around us and spread the precious fruits of communion and peace in the world.

May Mary, the Queen of Heaven, who illuminates and guides us in every moment, support us on our path.

Dear brothers and sisters,

In many countries, World Communications Day is being marked today, whose theme this year I have chosen as “Preserving Human Voices and Faces.” In this era of artificial intelligence, I encourage everyone to commit themselves to promoting forms of communication that always respect the truth of the human person, on which every technological innovation should be focused.

From today until next Sunday, Laudato Si’ Week is taking place, dedicated to the care of creation and inspired by Pope Francis’ Encyclical. In this jubilee year of Saint Francis of Assisi, we recall his message of peace with God, with our brothers and sisters, and with all creatures. Sadly, in recent years, due to wars, progress in this direction has been greatly impeded. Therefore, I encourage the members of the Laudato Si’ Movement and all who promote an integral ecology to renew their commitment. Indeed, caring for peace is caring for life!

I greet all of you, dear faithful of Rome and pilgrims from various countries. In particular, I welcome several marching bands from Germany, the “Sant’Antonu di u Monti” Confraternity from Ajaccio, and the group of students from the University of Montana in the United States of America.

I greet the young people from Oppido Mamertina, the youth leaders from Lorenzaga in the Diocese of Concordia-Pordenone, and the Confirmation candidates from the Archdiocese of Genoa.

I wish all of you a happy Sunday.

17.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

The Second Vatican Council chose to dedicate the last chapter of the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church to the Virgin Mary (cf. Lumen gentium, 52-69). She “is hailed as a pre-eminent and singular member of the Church, and as its type and excellent example in faith and charity” (LG, 53). These words invite us to understand how in Mary, who under the action of the Holy Spirit welcomed and brought forth the Son of God made flesh, we can recognise both the model and the pre-eminent member and mother of the entire ecclesial community.

By allowing Herself to be shaped by the work of Grace, which came to fulfilment in Her, and by welcoming the gift of the Most High with Her faith and Her virginal love, Mary is the perfect model of what the whole Church is called to be: a creature of the Word of the Lord and mother of the children of God, begotten in docility to the action of the Holy Spirit. Furthermore, as She is the believer par excellence, in whom we are offered the perfect form of unconditional openness to the divine mystery within the communion of God’s holy people, Mary is an excellent member of the ecclesial community. Finally, inasmuch as She brings forth children in the Son, loved in the eternal Beloved who came among us, Mary is the mother of the whole Church, which can turn to her with filial confidence, in the certainty of being heard, protected and loved.

On might express the sum of these characteristics of the Virgin Mary by referring to Her as a woman who is the icon of the Mystery. The word woman highlights the historical reality of this young daughter of Israel, to whom it was granted to live the extraordinary experience of becoming the mother of the Messiah. The expression icon emphasizes that, in Her, the twofold movement of descent and ascent is fulfilled: in Her, both God’s gratuitous election and Her free consent of faith in Him shine forth. Mary is therefore the woman who is the icon of the Mystery, that is, of the divine plan of salvation, once hidden and now revealed in its fullness in Jesus Christ.

The Council has left us clear teaching on the unique place reserved to the Virgin Mary in the work of Redemption (cf. Lumen gentium, 60-62). It recalls that the sole Mediator of salvation is Jesus Christ (cf. 1 Tm 2:5-6), and that his Mother Most Holy “in no way impedes, but rather fosters the immediate union of the faithful with Christ (cf. LG, 60). At the same time, “predestined from eternity by that decree of divine providence which determined the incarnation of the Word to be the Mother of God, the Blessed Virgin … in this singular way … cooperated by Her obedience, faith, hope and burning charity in the work of the Saviour in giving back supernatural life to souls. Wherefore She is our mother in the order of grace” (ibid., 61).

The mystery of the Church is also reflected in the Virgin Mary: in Her, the people of God find the representation of their origin, their model and their homeland. In the Mother of the Lord, the Church contemplates her own mystery, not only because she finds in Her the model of virginal faith, maternal charity and the spousal covenant to which she is called, but also and above all because in Her she recognizes her own archetype, the ideal figure of what she is called to be.

As we can see, the reflections on the Virgin Mother collected in Lumen gentium teach us to love the Church and to serve within her the fulfilment of the Kingdom of God, which is coming and which will be fully realized in glory.

Let us then allow ourselves to be questioned by the sublime model given to us by Mary, Virgin and Mother, and let us ask Her to help us, through Her intercession, to respond to what is asked of us through Her example: do I live my participation of the Church with humble and active faith? Do I recognize in her the community of the covenant that God has given me to respond to His infinite love? Do I feel that I am a living part of the Church, in obedience to the pastors given by God? Do I look to Mary as a model, an outstanding member and Mother of the Church, and ask Her to help me be a faithful disciple of her Son?

Sisters and brothers, may the Holy Spirit, who descended upon Mary and is invoked by us humbly and trustfully, grant us the grace to live these wonderful realities to the full. And, having reflected deeply on the Constitution Lumen gentium, let us ask the Virgin to obtain this gift for us: that love for the Holy Mother Church may grow in all of us. So be it!

I greet the English speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s audience, in particular the groups from England, Ireland, Tanzania, India, Indonesia, Canada and the United States of America. Today we remember the memorial of Our Lady of Fatima. On this day, forty-five years ago, an attempt was made on the life of Pope John Paul II, and for these reasons, I dedicated my catechesis today to the Blessed Virgin Mary. At the same time, we will soon celebrate the Lord’s Ascension, which marks the entrance of his humanity into heaven. As we await Jesus’ second coming in glory, may we, like the Apostles, entrust ourselves to the Blessed Virgin. Upon you and your families, I willingly invoke the joy and peace of Christ the Lord. God bless you!

13.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In today’s Gospel, we hear some of the words Jesus addressed to his disciples during the Last Supper.  As he turns the bread and wine into a living expression of his love, Christ says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15).  This statement frees us from the misconception that we are loved because we keep the commandments, as if our righteousness were a prerequisite for God’s love.  On the contrary, God’s love is the basis for our righteousness.  We truly keep the commandments according to God’s will when we recognize his love for us, just as Christ revealed it to the world.  Jesus’ words are therefore an invitation to enter into a relationship, not a blackmail or a suspicious ultimatum.

This is why the Lord commands us to love one another as he has loved us (cf. Jn 13:34): it is Jesus’ love that begets love within us.  Christ himself is the standard, the measure of true love: the love that is faithful forever, pure and unconditional.  The love that knows no “buts” or “maybes;” the love that gives of itself without seeking to possess; the love that gives life without taking anything in return.  Because God loved us first, we too can love, and when we truly love God, we truly love one another.  It is like life itself: just as only those who have received life can live, so too, only those who have been loved can love.  The Lord’s commandments are therefore a way of life that heal us from false loves.  They are a spiritual lifestyle that is a path towards salvation.

It is precisely because he loves us that the Lord does not leave us alone in life’s trials; he promises us the Paraclete, that is, the Advocate, the “Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:17).  This gift is one that “the world cannot receive” (ibid.), as long as it persists in evil, oppressing the poor, excluding the weak and killing the innocent.  Those who respond to Jesus’ love for all, on the other hand, will find in the Holy Spirit an ally who will never fail: “You know him,” says Jesus, “for he dwells with you, and will be in you” (ibid.).  We can therefore bear witness to God, who is love, always and everywhere.  Love is not an idea of the human mind, but the reality of divine life, through which all things were created out of nothing and redeemed from death.

By offering us true and eternal love, Jesus shares with us his identity as the beloved Son: “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (v. 20).  This all-encompassing communion of life refutes the Accuser — the Paraclete’s adversary, the spirit opposed to our defender.  In fact, while the Holy Spirit is the power of truth, the Accuser is the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44), who seeks to set humanity against God and people against one another: the very opposite of what Jesus does by saving us from evil and uniting us as a people of brothers and sisters in the Church.

Dear friends, filled with gratitude for this gift, let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Love.

Dear brothers and sisters,

I have learned with deep concern of the reports regarding the growing violence in the Sahel region, particularly in Chad and Mali, which have recently suffered terrorist attacks. I offer the assurance of my heartfelt prayers for the victims and my spiritual closeness to all those who are suffering as a result of the tragic events. I fervently hope that every form of violence may cease, and I encourage all efforts aimed at fostering peace and development in that beloved land.

Each year, on 10 May, we celebrate the “Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship”. I extend my fraternal greetings to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and assure the entire beloved Coptic Church of my remembrance in prayer. It is my hope that our journey of friendship will lead us to perfect unity in Christ, who has called us “friends” (cf. Jn 15:15).

And now, I cordially welcome all of you, the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from various countries!

In a particular way, I greet the group “Guardie d’Onore al Sacro Cuore di Gesù,” from various cities throughout Italy as well as the “Volontari per l’evangelizzazione” connected with the Radio Maria family.  I also warmly greet the volunteers of the association “Komen Italia,” whom I thank for their commitment to breast cancer prevention.

I would like to thank the people of the Canary Islands who, with the hospitality characteristic of them, welcomed the cruise ship Hondius and the passengers infected with the Hantavirus. I look forward to seeing all of you next month during my visit to the Islands.

Today, we especially remember all mothers. Through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our own Mother, let us pray with love and gratitude for every mother, particularly those living in very difficult circumstances. Thank you! May God bless you!

I wish everyone a blessed Sunday.

10.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters!

“My soul magnifies the Lord.” These words, with which we responded to the First Reading, spring from the heart of the Virgin Mary as she presents to Elizabeth the fruit of her womb, Jesus, the Saviour. After her, Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, and the elderly Simeon will sing in praise of Christ. These three canticles mark the Church’s daily praise in the Liturgy of the Hours. They are the gaze of ancient Israel, which sees its promises fulfilled; they are the gaze of the Church, the Bride, reaching out to her divine Bridegroom; they are, implicitly, the gaze of all humanity, which finds an answer to its longing for salvation.

One hundred and fifty years ago, by laying the foundation stone of this Shrine, on the site where the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD had buried the signs of a great civilization under ash, preserving them for centuries, Saint Bartolo Longo, together with his wife Countess Marianna Farnararo De Fusco, laid the foundations not only of a temple, but of an entire Marian city. Thus he expressed his awareness of God’s plan, which Saint John Paul II, speaking in this place of grace on 7 October 2003, at the conclusion of the Year of the Rosary, relaunched for the Third Millennium, in the context of the new evangelization: “Today”, he said, “as in the times of ancient Pompeii, it is vital to proclaim Christ to a society that is drifting away from Christian values and even forgetting about them”.

Exactly one year ago, when I was entrusted with the ministry of the Successor of Peter, it was precisely the day of the Supplication to the Virgin, this beautiful day of the Supplication to Our Lady of the Rosary of Pompeii! So, I had to come here, to place my service under the protection of the Holy Virgin. My choice of the name Leo places me in the footsteps of Leo XIII, who, among his other merits, also developed an extensive Magisterium on the Holy Rosary. Added to all this is the recent canonization of Saint Bartolo Longo, apostle of the Rosary. This context provides us with a key to reflecting on the Word of God we have just heard.

The Gospel of the Annunciation introduces us to the moment at which the Word of God is incarnated in Mary’s womb. From this womb radiates the Light that gives full meaning to history and to the world. The greeting that the angel Gabriel addresses to the Virgin is an invitation to rejoice: “Hail, full of grace” (Lk 1:28; cf. Zeph 3:14). Yes, the Hail Mary is an invitation to joy: it tells Mary, and through her all of us, that upon the ruins of our humanity, tested by sin and therefore ever prone to oppression, abuse and war, the caress of God has come, the caress of mercy, which takes on a human face in Jesus. Mary thus becomes the Mother of Mercy. A disciple of the Word and an instrument of His Incarnation, she truly reveals herself to be “full of grace”. Everything in her is grace! By offering her own flesh to the Word, she too becomes, as the Second Vatican Council teaches, following Saint Augustine, “the mother of the members of Christ … having cooperated by charity that faithful might be born into the Church, who are members of that Head” (Dogmatic Constitution Lumen gentium, 53; cf. Saint Augustine, De S. Virginitate, 6). In Mary’s “Let it be to me”, not only Jesus is born, but also the Church, and Mary becomes both the Mother of God – Theotòkos – and Mother of the Church.

What a great mystery! Everything happens in the power of the Holy Spirit, who overshadows Mary and makes her virginal womb fruitful. This moment in history possesses a tenderness and a power that draw the heart and lift it to that contemplative height where the prayer of the Holy Rosary takes root. A prayer which, having arisen and developed progressively during the second millennium, has its roots in the history of salvation, and finds its prelude precisely in the Angel’s greeting to the Virgin. “Hail Mary”! The repetition of this prayer in the Rosary is like an echo of Gabriel’s greeting, an echo that spans the centuries and guides the believer’s gaze to Jesus, seen through the eyes and heart of His Mother. Jesus adored, contemplated, and assimilated in each of His mysteries, so that with Saint Paul we may say: “It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me” (Gal 2:19).

Preceded by the proclamation of the Word of God, nestled between the Our Father and the Glory Be, the Hail Mary repeated in the Holy Rosary is an act of love. Is it not characteristic of love to repeat, without tiring: “I love you”? An act of love which, through the beads of the rosary, as is clearly seen in the Marian painting in this Shrine, leads us back to Jesus and brings us to the Eucharist, “the fount and apex of the whole Christian life” (Lumen gentium, 11). Saint Bartolo Longo was convinced of this when he wrote: “The Eucharist is the living Rosary, and all the mysteries are found in the Holy Sacrament in an active and vital form” (The Rosary and New Pompeii, 1914, p. 86). He was right. In the Eucharist, the mysteries of Christ’s life are all found, so to speak, concentrated in the memorial of His sacrifice and in His real presence. The Rosary has a Marian character, but a Christological and Eucharistic heart (cf. Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae, 1). If the Liturgy of the Hours marks the rhythm of the Church’s praise, the Rosary marks the rhythm of our life, continually bringing it back to Jesus and the Eucharist.

Generations of believers have been shaped and sustained by this prayer, which is simple and popular, yet at the same time capable of reaching mystical heights and serving as a treasure-trove of the most essential Christian theology. For what could be more essential than the mysteries of Christ, than His holy Name, spoken with the tenderness of the Virgin Mary? It is in this Name, and in no other, that we can be saved (cf. Acts 4:12). By repeating it in every Hail Mary, we in some way experience the home of Nazareth, almost hearing once more the voices of Mary and Joseph during the long years when Jesus lived with them. We also experience the Upper Room, where the Apostles, together with Mary, awaited the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is what the first reading pointed out to us. How can we fail to imagine that, in that time between the Ascension and Pentecost, Mary and the Apostles vied with one another in recalling the various moments of Jesus’ life? Not a single detail was to be overlooked! Everything was to be remembered, assimilated, imitated. Thus was born the Church’s contemplative journey, of which, in the likeness of the Liturgical Year, the Rosary offers a synthesis in the daily meditation on the holy Mysteries. The Rosary has rightly been considered a compendium of the Gospel, which Saint John Paul II wished to integrate with the Luminous Mysteries. This dimension was also very much alive in Saint Bartolo Longo, who offered pilgrims profound meditations to save the Holy Rosary from the temptation of mechanical recitation and to ensure it retained the biblical, Christological and contemplative spirit that must characterize it.

Sisters and brothers, if the Rosary is “prayed” and, I dare say, “celebrated” in this way, it is also, as a natural consequence, a wellspring of charity. Charity towards God, charity towards neighbour: two sides of the same coin, as the second reading reminded us, taken from the First Letter of Saint John, concluding with the exhortation: ‘Let us not love in word or speech, but in deed and in truth’ (1 Jn 3:18). For this reason, Saint Bartolo Longo was an apostle of the Rosary and, at the same time, an apostle of charity. In this Marian city, he took in orphans and the children of prisoners, showing the regenerative strength of love. Here even the smallest and the weakest are welcomed and cared for in the Works of the Sanctuary. The Rosary directs our eyes towards the needs of the world, as the Apostolic Letter Rosarium Virginis Mariae emphasized, proposing in particular two intentions that remain of pressing relevance: the family, which is suffering from the weakening of the marital bond, and peace, threatened by international tensions and by an economy that prioritizes the arms trade over respect for human life.

When Saint John Paull II proclaimed the Year of the Rosary – next year will mark a quarter of a century since then – he wished to place it in a special way under the gaze of Our Lady of Pompeii. Times have not improved since then. The wars still being fought in so many regions of the world call for a renewed commitment, not only economic and political, but also spiritual and religious. Peace is born in the heart. The same Pope, in October 1986, gathered the leaders of the major religions in Assisi, inviting everyone to pray for peace. On several occasions, including recently, both Pope Francis and I have asked the faithful throughout the world to pray for this intention. We cannot resign ourselves to the images of death that the news presents to us every day. From this Shrine, whose façade Saint Bartolo Longo conceived as a monument to peace, we faithfully raise our supplication today. Jesus told us that prayer offered in faith can obtain anything (cf. Mt 21:22). And Saint Bartolo Longo, reflecting on Mary’s faith, describes it as “almighty by grace”. Through her intercession, may the God of peace pour out an overflowing abundance of mercy, touching hearts, soothing grudges and fratricidal hatred, and enlightening those who bear the special responsibilities of governance.

Brothers and sisters, no earthly power will save the world, but only the divine power of love, this divine power of love that Jesus, the Lord, has revealed to us and given us. Let us believe in Him, let us hope in Him, let us follow Him!

08.05.26

Brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

As we focus today on a section of Chapter VII of the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Church, let us reflect on one of its defining characteristics: its eschatological dimension. The Church, in fact, journeys through this earthly history always looking towards her final destination, which is the heavenly homeland. This is an essential dimension which, however, we often overlook or downplay, because we are too focused on what is immediately visible and on the more concrete dynamics of the life of the Christian community.

The Church is God’s people journeying through history, which has the Kingdom of God as the purpose of all her action (cf. LG, 9). Jesus initiated the Church precisely by proclaiming this Kingdom of love, justice and peace (cf. LG, 5). We are therefore called to consider the community and cosmic dimension of salvation in Christ and to turn our eyes to this final horizon, to measure and evaluate everything from this perspective.

The Church lives in history in the service of the coming of the Kingdom of God in the world. She proclaims the words of this promise to all and always; she receives a pledge of it in the celebration of the Sacraments, particularly the Eucharist; she puts its logic into practice and experiences it in relationships of love and service. Furthermore, she knows that she is the place and the means where union with Christ is realized “more closely” (LG, 48), whilst at the same time recognizing that salvation can be bestowed by God in the Holy Spirit even beyond her visible boundaries.

In this regard, the Constitution Lumen gentium makes an important statement: the Church is the “universal sacrament of salvation” (LG, 48), that is, the sign and instrument of that fullness of life and peace promoted by God. This means that she does not identify perfectly with the Kingdom of God, but is its seed and beginning, for its fulfilment will be granted to humanity and the cosmos only at the end. Believers in Christ, therefore, walk through this earthly history, marked by the maturation of good but also by injustices and sufferings, without being either deluded or despairing; they live guided by the promise received from the One who will “make all things new” (Rev 21:5). Therefore, the Church realizes her mission between the “already” of the beginning of the Kingdom of God in Jesus, and the “not yet” of the promised and anticipated fulfilment. As the guardian of a hope that enlightens the path, she is also invested with the mission of speaking clearly to reject everything that mortifies life and prevents its development, and to take a position in favour of the poor, the exploited, the victims of violence and war, and all those who suffer in body and in spirit (cf. Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, no. 159).

As the sign and sacrament of the Kingdom, the Church is the pilgrim people of God on earth who, drawing precisely on the final promise, reads and interprets the dynamics of history through the Gospel, denouncing evil in all its forms and proclaiming, in word and deed, the salvation that Christ wishes to bring about for all humanity and His Kingdom of justice, love and peace. The Church, therefore, does not proclaim herself; on the contrary, everything within her must point to salvation in Christ.

From this perspective, the Church is called to recognize humbly the human fragility and transience of her own institutions who, despite being at the service of the Kingdom of God, bear the fleeting image of this world (cf. LG, 48). No ecclesial institution can be treated as absolute; indeed, since they exist within history and time, they are called to continual conversion, to the renewal of forms and the reform of structures, to the continual regeneration of relationships, so that they may truly fulfil their mission.

Within the horizon of the Kingdom of God, we must also understand the relationship between the Christians who are carrying out their mission today, and those who have already completed their earthly existence and are in a state of purification or beatitude. Lumen gentium, in fact, affirms that all Christians form a single Church, that there is communion and sharing of spiritual goods founded on the union with Christ of all believers, a fraterna sollicitudo between the earthly Church and the heavenly Church: that communion of saints that is experienced in particular in the liturgy (cf. LG, 49-51). By praying for the departed and following in the footsteps of those who have already lived as disciples of Jesus, we too are sustained on our journey and strengthen our worship of God: marked by the one Spirit and united in the one liturgy, together with those who have gone before us in faith, we praise and give glory to the Most Holy Trinity.

Let us be grateful to the Council Fathers for reminding us of this most important and beautiful aspect of being Christian, and may we strive to cultivate it in our lives.

I greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly the groups from Belgium, The Netherlands, Finland, Ghana, Uganda, New Zealand, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Canada and the United States of America. I greet in particular the faculty and students from the University of Florida, Saint Mary’s College and Christendom College and all those participating in the AI Conference at the Gregorian University. Upon all of you, and upon your families, I invoke the joy and peace of the risen Jesus! May God bless you!

06.05.26

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

During the Easter season, like the early Church, we return to the words of Jesus, which reveal their full meaning in the light of his passion, death and resurrection.  What once eluded the disciples or caused them distress now comes back to their minds, warms their hearts and fills them with hope.

The Gospel proclaimed this Sunday presents the Master’s dialogue with his disciples during the Last Supper. In particular, we hear a promise that involves us from this moment onwards in the mystery of his Resurrection. Jesus says: “If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also” (Jn 14:3). The Apostles thus discover that God has a place for everyone. Two of them had already experienced this during their first encounter with Jesus by the river Jordan. Jesus noticed them following him and invited them that afternoon to visit where he was staying (cf. Jn 1:39). Even now, faced with death, Jesus speaks of a home, but this time a very large one. It is the house of his Father and our Father, where there is room for all. The Son describes himself as the servant who prepares the rooms, so that every brother or sister, upon arriving, may find their own room ready and feel as though they have always been longed for and are at last found.

Dear friends, in the old world in which we are still journeying, what attracts attention are exclusive places, experiences accessible only to a few and the privilege of entering where others cannot. In the new world into which the risen One leads us, however, what is most valuable is within everyone’s reach. Yet this does not make it any less attractive. On the contrary, what is open to all now brings joy. Gratitude takes the place of competition; welcome overcomes exclusion; and abundance no longer entails inequality. Above all, no one is mistaken for someone else, and no one is lost. Death threatens to erase one’s name and memory, but in God everyone is fully themselves. Truly, this is what we spend our whole lives searching for, sometimes willing to do anything just to get a little attention and recognition.

“Have faith,” Jesus tells us. That is the secret! “Have faith in God; have faith also in me” (Jn 14:1). It is precisely this faith that frees our hearts from the anxiety of possessing and acquiring, and from the illusion that we must pursue a position of prestige to have worth. Each person already has infinite worth in the mystery of God, which is the true reality. By loving one another as Jesus has loved us, we impart this awareness to one another. This is the new commandment; in this way, we anticipate heaven on earth and reveal to all that fraternity and peace are our calling. Indeed, through love, amidst a multitude of brothers and sisters, each one discovers that they are uniquely made.

Let us pray, then, to Mary Most Holy, Mother of the Church, that every Christian community may be a home open to all and attentive to each person.

Dear brothers and sisters,

The month of May has begun: throughout the Church, the joy of gathering in the name of Mary, our Mother, is renewed, especially by praying the Rosary together.  We relive the experience of those days between Jesus’ Ascension and Pentecost, when the disciples gathered in the upper room to invoke the Holy Spirit.  Mary Most Holy remained in their midst, her heart keeping watch over the fire that animated the prayer of all. I entrust my intentions to you, particularly for communion within the Church and for peace in the world.

Today marks World Press Freedom Day, promoted by UNESCO.  Unfortunately, this right is often violated — sometimes blatantly, sometimes in more subtle ways.  Let us remember the many journalists and reporters who have fallen victim to wars and violence.

I warmly greet all of you — the faithful of Rome and the pilgrims who have come from many countries!

I welcome the teachers — religious and lay — from the schools of the Hermanas Franciscanas de los Sagrados Corazones, as well as the faithful from Madrid, Granada, Minneapolis and Malaysia; and the Peruvians who form the Virgen de Chapi de Arequipa Association in Rome.

I greet the Meter Association, which for thirty years has been committed to defending minors from the scourge of abuse, while engaging both ecclesial and civil communities and promoting education aimed at supporting victims and fostering prevention.  Thank you for your service!

I am pleased to welcome the faithful from Padua, the Gruppo Giovani Valdaso and the Punto Giovani of the Camillian Community of Piossasco, the Catholic Action of the Vicariate of Noale, the young people from Verolanuova and Cadignano, the youth choir of Coredo-Predaia and the students from the Liceo Fardella – Ximenes of Trapani.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday!

03.05.26