General Audiences

Pope at Audience: Confirmation communicates Holy Spirit’s abundant gifts

  Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today we will continue our reflection on the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church through the Sacraments.

The sanctifying action of the Holy Spirit reaches us primarily through two channels: the Word of God and the Sacraments. And among all the Sacraments, there is one that is quintessentially the Sacrament of the Holy Spirit, and it is on this that I would like to focus today… Read more »

Pope at General Audience: Invite Holy Spirit to protect your marriage and children

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Last time we explained what we proclaim about the Holy Spirit in the Creed. The reflection of the Church, however, did not stop at that brief profession of faith. It continued, both in the East and in the West, by the work of the great Fathers and Doctors. Today, in particular, we would like to gather a few crumbs of the doctrine of the Holy Spirit developed in the Latin tradition, to see how it enlightens all of Christian life and the sacrament of marriage in particular… Read more »

Pope at Audience: Faith frees us from thinking everything ends here

  Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

With today’s catechesis, we will move on from what the Holy Spirit revealed to us in the Holy Scripture to how He is present and active in the life of the Church, in our Christian life.

In the first three centuries, the Church did not feel the need to give an explicit formulation of her faith in the Holy Spirit… Read more »

Pope at Audience: The Holy Spirit expands and unites the Church

Pope Francis highlights the Holy Spirit's role in expanding the Church's mission to all peoples while fostering unity from within.

  Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

In our itinerary of catechesis on the Holy Spirit and the Church, today we will refer to the Book of the Acts of the Apostles.

The account of the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost begins with a description of some preparatory signs – the rush of wind and the tongues of fire – but finds its conclusion in the affirmation that “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4)… Read more »

Pope at Audience: I saw living and joyful faith in Asia and Oceania

  Saint Peter's Square

Today I would like to begin with some good news: I would like to present two suicidal people to you: these two are getting married next Saturday! A round of applause for them!

It is beautiful to see when love leads us on to form a new family: this is why I wanted to present these two to you, to give thanks to the Lord… Read more »

Pope at Audience: World must heed cries of migrants dying in deserts and seas

  Saint Peter's Square, the Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today, I will postpone the usual catechesis and I would like to pause with you to think about the people who – even at this moment – are crossing seas and deserts to reach a land where they can live in peace and safety.

Sea and desert: these two words return in many testimonies I receive, both on the part of migrants, and of people who are engaged in coming to their aid… Read more »

Pope at Audience: Sin distances us from Jesus

  Saint Peter's Square, the Vatican

Cycle of Catechesis. The Spirit and the Bride. The Holy Spirit guides the people of God towards Jesus our hope. 6. “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me”. The Holy Spirit in the Baptism of Jesus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today we will reflect on the Holy Spirit who comes upon Jesus in the baptism in the Jordan, and spreads from Him into His body, which is the Church… Read more »

Pope At Audience: The Church cannot move forward without the Holy Spirit

  Saint Peter's Square, the Vatican

Cycle of Catechesis. The Spirit and the Bride. The Holy Spirit guides the people of God towards Jesus our hope. 5. Incarnate by the work of the Holy Spirit, from the Virgin Mary. How to conceive and bear Jesus

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

With today’s catechesis, we enter into the second phase of salvation history. After contemplating the Holy Spirit in the work of Creation, we will contemplate it for a few weeks in the work of Redemption, namely of Jesus Christ… Read more »

Pope at Audience: Moral duty to stop production and trafficking of drugs

  Saint Peter's Square, the Vatican

Catechesis. On the occasion of the International Day. Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning! I can’t hear you!

Today marks International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1987. This year’s theme is The evidence is clear: Invest in preventionRead more »

Pope at Audience: The Psalms, ‘the prayer of Jesus,’ are for all seasons

  Saint Peter's Square, the Vatican

Cycle of Catechesis. The Spirit and the Bride. The Holy Spirit guides the people of God towards Jesus our hope. 4. The Spirit teaches the Bride to pray. The Psalms, symphony of prayer in the Bible

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

In preparation for the next Jubilee, I invited the devotion of the year 2024 “to a great ‘symphony’ of prayer”.  … Read more »