Pope Leo XIV

Sports fosters a culture of fraternity and a means of building peace – Pope at Angelus

Mass on the Soelemnity of Holy Trinity and Jubilee of Sport and Angelus

  St Peter's Basilica and St Peter's Square, the Vatican

Dear brothers and sisters,

In the first reading we heard these words: “Thus says the wisdom of God: The Lord possessed me, the beginning of his ways, the forerunner of his prodigies of long ago … When the Lord established the heavens I was there … then was I beside him as his craftsman, and I was his delight day by day, playing before him all the while, playing on the surface of his earth; and I found delight in the human race” (Prov 8: 22, 27, 30-31) For Saint Augustine, the Trinity and wisdom are intimately connected… Read more »

Pope Leo on Jubilee of Sport: No one is born a champion or saint

In St. Peter’s Basilica in front of thousands of athletes of all levels, backgrounds and sports, Pope Leo XIV presided over Mass to close the Jubilee of Sport and celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity.

In his homily, the Pope reflected on how “unusual” the connection between the Trinity and sport might seem. However, he pointed out that since every good human activity reflects God’s infinite beauty in some way, “sport is certainly one of these.”

Sports, Pope Leo continued, can help us encounter God because they challenge “us to relate to others and with others, not only outwardly but also, and above all, interiorly.” If not, sport becomes “nothing more than an empty competition of inflated egos.”

Sports require giving

At sporting events the Italian word spectators use to cheer on athletes is “dai”, which literally means “to give”… Read more »

Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati to be canonised together

Pope Leo XIV held the first Ordinary Public Consistory of his pontificate on Friday morning, with Cardinals giving their formal approval for the canonisations of eight Blesseds.

During the ceremony, the Holy Father announced that Bd Pier Giorgio Frassati and Bd Carlo Acutis will be canonised together on 7 September.

The canonisations of the two young saints – one from the early twentieth century, the other the first twenty-first century saint – have been greatly anticipated due to the great devotion among the faithful… Read more »

Pope at Audience: There is no cry God does not hear

  Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City

Dear brothers and sisters,

With this catechesis I would like to bring our attention to another essential aspect of the life of Jesus, namely his healings. For this reason, I invite you to bring before the Heart of Christ your most painful and fragile parts, those places in your life where you feel stuck and blocked. Let us trustfully ask the Lord to listen to our cry, and to heal us! … Read more »

Pope on Pentecost: The Spirit shatters our inner chains and transforms us

Dear brothers and sisters,

“The day has dawned upon us when…, glorified by his ascension into heaven following his resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit” (Saint Augustine, Serm. 271, 1). Today, too, what took place in the Upper Room takes place anew in our midst. Like a mighty wind that overtakes us, like a crash that startles us, like a fire that illuminates us, the gift of the Holy Spirit descends upon us (cf. Acts 2:1-11)… Read more »

Pope at Audience: Looking for meaning in life? Turn to God

  Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City

Dear brothers and sisters,

I would like to look at one of Jesus’ parables again. Also in this case, it is a story that fosters our hope. Indeed, at times we have the impression that we cannot find meaning for our lives: we feel useless, inadequate, just like the labourers who wait in the marketplace, waiting for someone to hire them to work… Read more »

Pope Leo: Families are the cradle of humanity’s future

  Saint Peter's Square, Vatican City

The Gospel we have just heard shows us Jesus, at the Last Supper, praying on our behalf (cf. Jn 17:20). The Word of God, made man, as he nears the end of his earthly life, thinks of us, his brothers and sisters, and becomes a blessing, a prayer of petition and praise to the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit. As we ourselves, full of wonder and trust, enter into Jesus’ prayer, we become, thanks to his love, part of a great plan that concerns all of humanity… Read more »

Pope Leo: Compassion is a matter of humanity, not a religious issue

Dear brothers and sisters,

We will continue to meditate on some parables of the Gospel, which are an opportunity to change perspective and open ourselves up to hope. The lack of hope, at times, is due to the fact that we fixate on a certain rigid and closed way of seeing things, and the parables help us to look at them from another point of view… Read more »

Pope at Regina Caeli: ‘Let us walk in the joy of the faith’

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

I am still at the beginning of my ministry among you. Before all else, I would like to thank you for your demonstration of affection and ask you to keep supporting me with your prayers and closeness.

In whatever the Lord calls us to do, in both our daily lives and our journey of faith, there are times when we feel inadequate… Read more »

Pope appoints Sr Tiziana Merletti as Secretary of Dicastery for Consecrated Life

Sr Tiziana Merletti

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Sister Tiziana Merletti, former Superior General of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, as Secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.

The Dicastery is responsible for orders and religious congregations, as well as secular institutes.

As Secretary, Sr Merletti will serve under Sr Simona Brambilla, who was appointed to lead the Dicastery in January—becoming the first woman ever to lead a Vatican department… Read more »