Pope Leo XIV on Monday welcomed members of the Opera San Francesco per i Poveri (“St. Francis’ Work for the Poor”) to the Vatican, thanking the society for its witness of charity according to the Franciscan tradition.

“When you see a poor person,” the Holy Father said, recalling the words of St. Francis of Assisi, “you are placed before the mirror of the Lord and his poor Mother.”

“Likewise, in the sick, know how to see the infirmities with which Jesus took on himself,” he added.

Each year, the Opera San Francesco per i Poveri provides a wide variety of services to more than 30,000 people. Their charitable works include managing cafeterias and health clinics as well as providing job counseling and psychological support for those in need.

Thanking the society for nearly 70 years of service, Pope Leo highlighted the spirit of fraternity and faithfulness that continues to guide its members since its foundation.

“Your institution has been committed to ‘ensuring assistance and hospitality to people in need and … promoting the comprehensive human development of the person in accordance with Christian tradition, especially Franciscan tradition, the doctrine of the Church, and its magisterium,” Leo said, quoting the society’s statutes.

Several men and women, wearing white shirts with the society’s logo and the phrase “a helping hand to man every day,” had the opportunity to individually greet the Holy Father in the Vatican’s Clementine Hall following his short address.

Describing the Milan-based society’s founder Venerable Fra Cecilio Maria Cortinovis as a “humble doorman” with a generous heart, Pope Leo said the Lord answered his prayers by placing other generous people alongside him in order to better serve the poor.

“Thus began the beautiful adventure of which all of you are witnesses and protagonists today,” he said.

To celebrate the “story of charity” born from the faith of Cortinovis, Pope Leo told the Franciscan society to be faithful to the three “fundamental aspects of charity” outlined in their statues: to assist, to welcome, and to promote.

“Assisting means being present for the needs of others,” he said. “And in this regard, the quantity and variety of services you’ve managed to organize and offer to those who turn to you over the years is impressive.”

“This is accompanied by welcoming, that is, making room for others in our hearts and lives, offering time, listening, support, and prayer,” he added.

Emphasizing the teaching of Pope John Paul II on the dignity and creativity of each person, Pope Leo advised his listeners to help others to discover God and their own vocation in life.

“And so we come to the third point: promoting,” he said. “Here, the selflessness of giving and respect for the dignity of people come into play, so that we care for those we encounter simply for their good, so that they can grow to their full potential and proceed on their own path, without expecting anything in return and without imposing conditions.”

The Holy Father imparted his blessing at the end of the private Monday audience and assured them of his prayerful accompaniment.

“Thank you for what you do and for the witness you give by your journey together!”

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This article was originally published on Catholic News Agency.