Message by Pope Leo XIV
Dear children, dear friends,
I am very happy to visit this orphanage, which has become your home. Here, above all, it is our Heavenly Father who welcomes you with love as his children. He wants to show you his tenderness and to draw you close to his heart. In his name, I too wish to do the same. Indeed, you form a true family here, with brothers and sisters who all share a similar history marked by suffering. In this family, your eldest brother is Jesus! It is living as brothers and sisters gathered around him that makes you strong, helps you to carry life’s burdens together and allows you to experience true joy.
In a world often marked by indifference and selfishness, this home reminds us that we are the ones who need to look after our brothers and sisters, and that, in God’s great family, no one is ever a stranger or forgotten, no matter how small he or she may be.
Dear children, I know that many of you have endured difficult trials. Some of you have known the pain of loss through the death of parents or loved ones. Others have experienced fear, rejection, abandonment, deprivation and uncertainty. Yet, you are called to a future that is greater than your wounds. You are bearers of a promise. For wherever there is misery, suffering or injustice, God is present; and he knows each of your faces and is very close to you. The Gospel reminds us that Jesus cares especially for children like you, and he would often place them at the center of a gathering. Know that he looks upon each one of you today with that same affection.
I would also like to greet with gratitude all those who take care of these children: the directors, educators, staff, volunteers and, of course, the Sisters. Your faithful dedication is a beautiful testimony of love. By caring for these children, you are getting a foretaste of the joy that the Lord has promised to those who serve the little ones (cf. Mt 25:40). Your patience reflects the face of divine mercy. Through your patience and dedication, you offer much more than mere material support: you offer these children a presence, a listening ear, a family and a future. Through you, God’s tenderness is made manifest — a faithful tenderness that does not falter in times of trial and never disappoints. I thank you for all that you do, and I encourage you to persevere courageously in this beautiful work that you have undertaken.
As I impart my heartfelt blessing, I entrust each of you to the protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, our Mother. May she always watch over you, console you in moments of sadness and help you to grow as true friends of her son, Jesus.
Source: vatican.va
