Pope Leo XIV on Friday said that old age is both a gift and a challenge, and in response the Catholic Church is called to develop missionary pastoral care that involves the elderly as witnesses of hope.
Silvia Toma has a scar on her soul: Four years ago she buried her 34-year-old only son, who had two little daughters. “It was sudden leukemia. He was admitted on May 25, 2021, and died on June 3,” she said, still choked up by the pain.
With a call to trust that Jesus is the one who dries the tears of those who suffer, Pope Leo XIV celebrated the prayer vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation in St. Peter’s Basilica on Monday, Sept. 15.
St. Peter’s Square became the stage for an unprecedented spectacle on Saturday night, as tens of thousands gathered for Grace for the World, a massive concert closing the third World Meeting on Human Fraternity.
Pope Leo XIV on Friday denounced the “business of wars” and condemned indifference toward migrants and the poor while addressing participants of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity at the Vatican.
In a meeting with bishops appointed in the last year, Pope Leo XIV exhorted them to address issues related to inappropriate behavior on the part of the clergy: “They can’t be put away in a drawer.”
On the evening of Sept. 9, when leaving Castel Gandolfo, where he had spent the day, Pope Leo XIV described Israel’s attack earlier Tuesday against leaders of the Hamas terrorist group in Doha, Qatar, as “very serious.”
In his general audience on Wednesday, Pope Leo XIV explained that cries of pain, like those of Jesus in his final moments on the cross, instead of a sign of weakness, can express desire, surrender, and prayer.
The Catholic Church will commemorate the liturgical memorial of St. Carlo Acutis on Oct. 12 and of St. Pier Giorgio Frassati on July 4. The two young men were canonized Sept. 7 by Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican.
Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 6 participated in the Vatican’s Festival of Families, where he highlighted the importance of the witness of families in today’s world.
Pope Leo XIV on Thursday offered his “heartfelt condolences” to the families of those who were killed and injured in an accident involving the Elevador da Glória, an iconic funicular train that crashed at high speed into a building on Sept. 3.
The young faces of Blessed Carlo Acutis (1991–2006) and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1901–1925) will be immortalized in special stamps issued on the occasion of their canonization.
Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday pleaded for international assistance for the North African country of Sudan, which is experiencing violence, famine, natural disasters, and disease.
Pope Leo XIV expressed his condolences for the more than 800 dead left by the earthquake that struck eastern Afghanistan on Sunday night, with a magnitude of 6 on the Richter scale, also causing widespread destruction.
Throughout history, many saints have been remembered not only for their dedication to God and others but also for the special relationship they had with animals.
Pope Leo XIV expressed his gratitude to receive the Medal of St. Augustine, awarded by the United States Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, and affirmed that the spirituality of the doctor of the Church has marked his life and ministry.
Pope Leo XIV recalled what the “life and witness” of St. Augustine means for Christians on the day the Catholic Church celebrates his feast day, Aug. 28.