Pope Francis

Called to sow seeds of hope and to build peace – The Pope

Dear brothers and sisters!

Each year, the World Day of Prayer for Vocations invites us to reflect on the precious gift of the Lord’s call to each of us, as members of his faithful pilgrim people, to participate in his loving plan and to embody the beauty of the Gospel in different states of life. Hearing that divine call, which is far from being an imposed duty – even in the name of a religious ideal – is the surest way for us to fulfil our deepest desire for happiness… Read more »

Pope Francis to meet with 6,000 young people to discuss how to achieve world peace

On 19th April 2024, Pope Francis will welcome 6,000 participants of the Schools of Peace, an initiative of the Community of Sant’Egidio that brings together children, young people and teachers from different parts of Italy.

The goal of the meeting is to build a commitment for peace among the younger generations. At a time when war abounds, the Schools of Peace propose “to look at the future without fear and to transform it.”

This will be the third time that the group will meet with the Pope… Read more »

Pope at Audience – Do not allow a moment’s anger to ruin relationships and friendships

  Saint Peter's Square, The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today I will talk about the fourth and final cardinal virtue: temperance. With the other three, this virtue shares a history that goes far back in time and does not only belong to Christians. For the Greeks, the practice of the virtues had happiness as its objective. The philosopher Aristotle wrote his most important treatise on ethics, addressing it to his son Nicomachus, to instruct him in the art of living… Read more »

Pope at Regina Caeli – It is important to share faith

  Saint Peter's Square, The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno, happy Sunday!

Today the Gospel takes us back to the evening of Passover. The apostles are gathered in the Upper Room, when the two disciples return from Emmaus and tell of their encounter with Jesus. And as they are expressing the joy of their experience, the Risen One appears to all the community. Jesus arrives precisely while they are sharing the story of the encounter with HimRead more »

Pope at Audience – There are internal enemies we must defeat

  Saint Peter's Square, The Vatican

Cycle of Catechesis. Vices and Virtues. 14. Fortitude

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today’s catechesis is dedicated to the third of the cardinal virtues, namely fortitude. Let us begin with the description given in the Catechism of the Catholic Church : “Fortitude is the moral virtue that ensures firmness in difficulties and constancy in the pursuit of the good… Read more »

Pope at Regina Caeli: Ask yourself “do I believe that Jesus is risen?”

  Saint Peter's Square, The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

Today, the second Sunday of Easter, dedicated by Saint John Paul II to Divine Mercy, the Gospel (cf. Jn 20:19-30) tells us that, by believing in Jesus, Son of God, we can have eternal life in His name (v. 31). “To have life”: what does it mean?

We all want to have life, but there are various ways of having it… Read more »

Pope at Audience: Justice is a virtue for good coexistence between people

  Saint Peter's Square, The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Easter, good morning!

Here we are at the second of the cardinal virtues: today will talke about justice. It is the quintessential social virtue. The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines it as “the moral virtue that consists in the constant and firm will to give their due to God and neighbour” (no… Read more »

Pope at Regina Caeli – Let us not give up the joy of Easter!

  Saint Peter's Square, The Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, buongiorno, and happy Easter!

Today, Monday of the Octave of Easter, the Gospel (cf. Mt 28:8.15) shows us the joy of the women at the Resurrection of Jesus: the text says they abandoned the tomb with “great joy”, and “ran to tell His disciples” (v. 8). This joy, which is born precisely from the living encounter with the Risen One, is a powerful emotion, which impels them to spread and to tell what they have seen… Read more »

Pope presides at Solemn Liturgy of Lord’s Passion on Good Friday

As Pope Francis presides at the Liturgy of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday, Cardinal Raniero Cantalamessa, the Preacher of the Pontifical Household, preaches on the passage “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will realize that I Am”.

Pope Francis presided over the liturgy of the Passion and Death of Our Lord Jesus Christ in St. Peter’s Basilica on Good Friday afternoon… Read more »

Pope prays Way of the Cross from Casa Santa Marta

Pope Francis follows the Way of the Cross held at Rome’s Colosseum on Good Friday from his residence at the Casa Santa Marta, while still leading the faithful in reflecting on our Christian journey of prayer.

“We now take this time to be with you. We want to spend it in closeness to you. On the way from Gethsemane to Calvary, you never stopped praying.”

Pope Francis introduced his reflections on the Good Friday Via Crucis with an invitation to reflect on the centrality of prayer in the Christian life, especially during the Year of Prayer leading up to the 2025 Jubilee… Read more »