reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach...
Pope to Knights of Columbus: Be prophets of harmony in an age of division
Pope Leo urges the Knights of Columbus to be “prophets of harmony” by fostering unity through dialogue and serving those most in need through works of charity.
By Vatican News
Pope Leo has encouraged the Knights of Columbus to become “prophets of harmony” by building bridges and promoting reconciliation in a world increasingly marked by division.
The Pope made the appeal in a video message addressed to participants in the Order’s 144th Supreme Convention, taking place in Denver, Colorado, on 4 August.
Greeting those attending in person and virtually, Pope Leo reflected on the gathering’s theme “In The One, We Are One,” and on the virtues of unity and charity, two foundational principles of the Knights of Columbus.
Unity must be cultivated
Recalling Jesus’ prayer at the Last Supper that his disciples “might all be one,” the Pope stressed that unity is a gift entrusted to every generation of believers.
“The preservation of unity is often not easy, and it cannot be taken for granted,” he said. “It must be actively cultivated through honest and humble dialogue.”
Pope Leo therefore encouraged the Knights to bear witness to the concord desired by Christ, beginning within their families and parishes and extending to the wider communities in which they live and serve.
“In an age all too often marked by division and pointed rhetoric, there is a great need for prophets of harmony who seek to build bridges and strive to reconcile opposing positions wherever possible,” he said.
Charity strengthens communion
Turning to charity, the Holy Father noted that works carried out on behalf of those in need can themselves become a path towards unity.
“When we reach out to help those in need, there frequently develops a certain concord between those who give and those who receive, as well as among those who work together to assist their brothers and sisters,” he said.
“Thus, charity becomes not only a response to human suffering but also a powerful means of fostering fraternity and strengthening the communion that is at the heart of the Christian life.”
Serving those on the margins
Pope Leo praised the Knights of Columbus for continuing the mission begun by their founder, Blessed Michael McGivney.
For well over a century, he noted, the Order has worked to show Christ’s love “to the unborn, expectant mothers, persecuted Christians, victims of war and human trafficking, the poor and vulnerable, and those who live on the margins of society.”
Through initiatives undertaken by local councils and at national and international levels, he added, “countless people have benefitted” from the Order’s generosity.
“For my part, I express deep gratitude for your Order’s continued generosity to the less fortunate, and trust that your endeavors will continue to bear fruit for many years to come,” the Pope said.
Concluding his message, Pope Leo entrusted the work of the Supreme Convention to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and Blessed Michael McGivney, before imparting his Apostolic Blessing upon all members of the Knights of Columbus and their families.
Pope Leo to visit Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November
The Holy See Press Office announces that Pope Leo will make an Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November 2026.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV will undertake an Apostolic Journey to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru from 6 to 17 November, the Holy See Press Office has announced.
The Holy Father will visit Montevideo, Paysandú and Florida from 6 to 8 November; Buenos Aires, Córdoba and Luján from 8 to 11 November; and Lima, Chiclayo, Cusco and Pucallpa from 11 to 17 November.
Uruguay, where Catholics make up only 36% of the population, is the country with the lowest number of Catholics in all of Latin America. Argentina, meanwhile, was the homeland of Leo's predecessor Pope Francis, although the late Pope, who hailed from Buenos Aires, did not manage to visit during his 12-year pontificate.
Peru, finally, is a country which Pope Leo knows very well - he first arrived as a missionary in the 1980s, later serving as a bishop there and acquiring citizenship.
This journey to Latin America, which will see the Pope visit ten cities over eleven days, will be his sixth international trip. The schedule for the journey will be released in due course.
Pope Leo delivers his fifth catechesis on Sacrosanctum Concilium, the Second Vatican Council’s Constitution on the Liturgy, reflecting on the ecclesial dimension of liturgical prayer and describing the liturgy as “the place of encounter, of God’s initiative in drawing near to humanity in His Son”.
Vatican News
Pope Leo resumed his General Audiences on Wednesday, 5 August, following several weeks of summer rest at Castel Gandolfo. Addressing thousands of faithful gathered in Saint Peter’s Basilica, the Pope continued his reflections on the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, focusing on the importance of liturgical prayer.
“As the Apostle Paul suggests, it is the Holy Spirit who teaches us to pray,” the Pope said. “From the day of Pentecost, the Spirit dwells in the Church, inspiring every one of her activities and, in particular, prayer.” Since then, he noted, the Church “has never failed to come together to celebrate the paschal mystery”.
Rediscovering prayer in its true form
“In our time,” the Pope continued, “in contexts dominated by an efficiency-driven and consumerist mindset, prayer may seem pointless and trivial.”
In a world “where science and technology claim to provide all the answers”, praying may appear to be a form of escapism or just another psychological technique aimed at personal well-being. Prayer, however, the Pope stressed, “is worth rediscovering in its true form”.
A place of encounter with God
The Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium took this need seriously. The conciliar document established that the term “prayer” designates the liturgy as a whole. This perspective is decisive, the Holy Father explained, “for it guided the liturgical reform, making the active participation of the faithful its central pillar”.
The liturgy is presented first and foremost as “the place of encounter, of God’s initiative in drawing near to humanity in His Son”.
Sanctifying daily life
Every week and every day, the Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours are “the breath of the life of the Church, which makes the Holy Spirit circulate through her Body”, the Pope said. In this prayer, Christ “joins the entire community of mankind to Himself, associating it with His own singing of this canticle of divine praise”.
“Bound to the Eucharist, whose light it prolongs, the Liturgy of the Hours sanctifies the time of our daily lives,” Pope Leo said, before describing the different moments of prayer: “in the morning, we begin the day with faith and gratitude; at midday, we ask for the strength to remain faithful amidst our labors; in the evening, once our work is done, Vespers accompany the moment of sunset; at night, we fall asleep entrusting ourselves to God’s peace.”
Pope Leo concluded by emphasizing that “each Hour is an act of hope", and that "During our earthly pilgrimage, we keep watch, awaiting with the whole Church the glorious return of the Lord.”
Optional Memorial of the Dedication of St. Mary Major
We celebrate today the dedication of one of the four most illustrious churches of Rome. While each diocese and parish keeps its own dedication anniversary, the Church universal commemorates the consecration of the four great Roman basilicas, the mother churches, we may call them, of Christendom, viz., St. John Lateran, St. Peter, St. Paul Outside the Walls, and St. Mary Major. By means of these feasts the Church seeks to link all Christians with the Holy See.
This feast commemorates the miracle of the snowfall that occurred during the night of August 4-5 in the year 358 on the site where the basilica now stands. According to tradition, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to two faithful Roman Christians, the patrician John and his wife, as well as to Pope Liberius (352-366), asking that a church be built in her honor on the site where snow would fall on the night of August 4-5. Pope Liberius traced the outlines of the church in the snow and the first basilica was built on that site. It was completed about a century later by Pope Sixtus III (432-440), after the Council of Ephesus in 431 during which Mary was declared to be the Mother of God.
In Rome the Basilica of St. Mary Major will hold its traditional triduum from August 1 to 3 and two days of celebration on August 4 and 5. During the pontifical Mass and the second vespers, the traditional shower of flower petals will descend from the ceiling of the basilica to commemorate the August snowfall in 358.
St. Oswald, king, is mentioned in the Roman Martyrology. St. Bede the Venerable commemorates his deeds. He was sometimes portrayed as a martyr, since he died in battle against the pagan Welsh invaders.
Historically it is also the feast of St. Emygdius who lived in the 3rd and 4th century and was a Christian bishop in Ascoli Piceno in Italy. He converted many people to Christianity with his displays of miracles.
Dedication of the Basilica of Saint Mary Major in Rome St. Mary Major is important to Christendom for three reasons:
(a) It stands as a venerable monument to the Council of Ephesus (431), at which the dogma of Mary's divine Motherhood was solemnly defined; the definition of the Council occasioned a most notable increase in the veneration paid to Mary.
(b) The basilica is Rome's "church of the crib," a kind of Bethlehem within the Eternal City; it also is a celebrated station church, serving, for instance, as the center for Rome's liturgy for the first Mass on Christmas. In some measure every picture of Mary with the divine Child is traceable to this church.
(c) St. Mary Major is Christendom's first Marian shrine for pilgrims. It set the precedent for the countless shrines where pilgrims gather to honor our Blessed Mother throughout the world. Here was introduced an authentic expression of popular piety that has been the source of untold blessings and graces for Christianity in the past as in the present.
The beginnings of St. Mary Major date to the Constantinian period. Originally it was called the Sicinini Basilica; it was the palace of a patrician family by that name before its transformation into a church by Pope Liberius. The story of its origin is legendary, dating from the Middle Ages. The Breviary gives this version:
Liberius was on the chair of Peter (352-366) when the Roman patrician John and his wife, who was of like nobility, vowed to bequeath their estate to the most holy Virgin and Mother of God, for they had no children to whom their property could go. The couple gave themselves to assiduous prayer, beseeching Mary to make known to them in some way what pious work they should subsidize in her honor.
Mary answered their petition and confirmed her reply by means of the following miracle. On the fifth of August — a time when it is unbearably hot in the city of Rome — a portion of the Esquiline would be covered with snow during the night. During that same night the Mother of God directed John and his wife in separate dreams to build a church to be dedicated to the Virgin Mary on the site where they would see snow lying. For it was in this manner that she wanted her inheritance to be used.
John immediately reported the whole matter to Pope Liberius, and he declared that a similar dream had come to him. Accompanied by clergy and people, Liberius proceeded on the following morning in solemn procession to the snow-covered hill and there marked off the area on which the church in Mary's honor was to be constructed.
Under Pope Sixtus III (432-440) the basilica was rebuilt, and upon the occasion of the definition of Mary's divine Motherhood by the Council of Ephesus, consecrated to her honor (432). He decorated the apse and walls with mosaics from the lives of Christ and His blessed Mother, which even to this day beautify the church and belong to the oldest we possess. As early as the end of the fourth century a replica of the Bethlehem nativity grotto had been added; on this account the edifice became known as "St. Mary of the Crib." To the Christian at Rome this church is Bethlehem. Other names for the basilica are: Liberian Basilica, because it dates to the time of Pope Liberius; St. Mary Major (being the largest church in Mary's honor in Rome); Our Lady of the Snow, because of the miracle that supposedly occasioned its erection.
We could point out how the divine Motherhood mystery dominates all Marian liturgy; for the Theotokos doctrine has kept Mariology Christo-centric in the Church's worship. Although recent popular devotion to Mary has become to a certain extent soft and sentimental and has, one may say, erected its own sanctuary around Mary as the center, devotion to our Blessed Mother in the liturgy has always remained oriented to Christ. In the liturgy the divine Motherhood has always been the bridge from Mary to Jesus. One need only examine Matins in honor of Mary or the Masses from her Common to be reassured. Everywhere Christ takes the central position, and Mary is the Christbearer. —Excerpted from The Church's Year of Grace, Pius Parsch
Patronage: Italy; diocese of Reno, Nevada; Italy: Arzachena, Atella, Castiglione in Teverina, Conco, Rovereto, San Marco in Lamis, Susa, Torre Annunziata; Buenos Aires, Argentina; Almagro, Spain; Utah
A file photo shows students at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., receiving Communion during a Mass and rally for the opening of the school year. Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter July 31, 2026, to the Catholic bishops of Florida demanding that Catholic schools in the Sunshine State adopt religious exemptions to vaccine requirements or risk their ability to participate in the state's school voucher program. (OSV News photo/Tom Tracy)
(OSV News) — Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier sent a letter to the Catholic bishops of Florida demanding that Catholic schools in the Sunshine State adopt religious exemptions to vaccine requirements or risk their ability to participate in the state’s school voucher program.
But Rick Garnett, a professor of law at the University of Notre Dame in Indiana, told OSV News that the letter “reflects a misunderstanding of Americans’ fundamental right to religious freedom and is a glaring and dangerous government overreach.”
In the letter, dated July 31, Uthmeier argued that Florida law “requires public and private schools to exempt students from the vaccination requirements” if “a parent has a religious objection,” demanding that Catholic schools “comply with Florida law and grant religious exemptions to school vaccine policies.”
Florida AG identifies himself as a Catholic
Identifying himself as a Catholic, Uthmeier argued that while Florida law permits a religious school “to claim an exemption from the requirement to grant religious exemptions if granting such an exemption would violate the religious tenets of the school,” Catholic schools have no “legitimate religious reason to refuse.”
“Failure to comply could jeopardize eligibility for state educational scholarship programs,” he wrote. “If the Conference nevertheless refuses to comply with Florida law, then please state clearly the religious grounds on which Catholic schools may force persons to take vaccines derived from abortions against their deeply held moral and religious objections.”
But Garnett said, “the attorney general presumes, ‘as a Catholic,’ to second-guess the orthodoxy of the Catholic bishops’ determination regarding policies for Catholic schools and the morality of certain childhood vaccines.”
“However, it is not remotely the role of a government official, even a Catholic one, to tell the bishops what to teach or how to run the Church’s apostolates,” Garnett said. “It is certainly not up to him to decide whether the Catholic bishops’ reasons are ‘legitimate.'”
Garnett said Uthmeier “should withdraw the letter and apologize publicly for creating confusion on such important matters.”
‘Clear violation of First Amendment’
“For a government official to threaten official punishments — and to jeopardize the ability of parents in Florida to choose Catholic schools for their children — on the basis of his own — in this case, mistaken — interpretation of Catholic teaching is a clear violation of the First Amendment and other legal religious-freedom protections,” Garnett said.
“If a parent objects to these vaccines, which the Church teaches are morally permissible and which clearly serve the common good of the community, they may move their children to state-run schools,” Garnett continued. “No one has a ‘right,’ however, to require a Catholic school to conform with his or her own private judgments.”
Uthmeier’s letter to the bishops was addressed to Michael Sheedy, executive director of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops. A spokesperson for FCCB told OSV News that the conference was reviewing Uthmeier’s letter and planned to respond by Aug. 7, the date he requested. Uthmeier referenced a diocesan document that appears to have been taken offline as of Aug. 3, which he said cited the National Catholic Bioethics Center as stating that Catholic schools cannot grant an exception since the Church does not view these vaccines as intrinsically evil.
Documents on NCBC site do not appear to make such a claim
However, documents on the National Catholic Bioethics Center’s website do not appear to make such a claim. But they do state the church’s position that Catholics may undergo vaccination despite a remote connection to cell lines where no alternatives exist. However, they argue Catholics should do so “under protest,” and encourage the development of ethical cell lines.
OSV News asked a spokesperson for the National Catholic Bioethics Center for comment but had not yet received comment as of publication.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021, shortly before vaccines first became available to the general American public, the Holy See’s Congregation (now Dicastery) for the Doctrine of the Faith, Catholic bishops and theologians including NCBC all released statements that the COVID-19 vaccines were morally permissible for Catholics to receive.
Bishops encouraged Catholics to seek some vaccine brands over others
Those statements varied only slightly, as the U.S. bishops encouraged Catholics, where they had such a choice, to seek some brands of vaccines over others due to the varying degrees of remote connection to such cell lines.
Neither the Pfizer nor Moderna COVID-19 vaccines used those cell lines for producing their mRNA vaccines; however, they did involve testing using the HEK-293 cell line, which is believed to have been derived from aborted fetal cells in the 1970s. However, that line has been commonly used in testing a vast array of modern drugs, such as Advil and Tums. Novavax did not use fetal cell lines in either the production or testing of its protein-based COVID-19 vaccine.
With just one year to go before 2027 World Youth Day in Seoul, its official theme song is announced: Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum, or “Take courage! I have overcome the world”.
By Cécile Mérieux
It is a tune that will echo the minds of an entire generation of young Catholics. The official theme song for the next World Youth Day (WYD) has been unveiled, exactly one year ahead of the event. The hymn will set the tone for this upcoming international gathering of Catholic youth, who will gather in Seoul from August 3 to 8, 2027.
An hymn for all nations
The theme song is entitled Confidite, Ego Vici Mundum and takes up the theme chosen for WYD 2027: “Take courage! I have overcome the world,” a verse from John’s Gospel (16:33). An international hymn, the song is performed in several languages, including Korean, English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Italian.
The song opens with this invitation: “Come follow me, sleeping heart, wake up and walk”. Two versions have been recorded, the first (which can be seen at the top of this article) in a more classical style, featuring a choir and orchestra, while the second is a remixed pop version (which you can view at the bottom).
Singing of communion
One aim of this song is to offer a foretaste of the event. Above all, however, it will serve as the permanent soundtrack for participants as they prepare for the gathering. Each edition has its corresponding melody, carrying with it a wealth of memories for the participants.
The hymn is the result of an open contest. The task was to create an original composition that translated the WYD theme, “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33). The initiative was a success, drawing 434 submissions, including 294 from abroad. The selected song was then submitted for approval to the Holy See’s Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life.
A Korean WYD
The theme song was composed by Korean musician Francis Jiyoon Kim, who gave it the flavor of his country and culture. Sung largely in Korean, the vocals blend with local traditional instruments in a contemporary arrangement. The music video showcases the landscapes and iconic sights of Seoul, offering a first glimpse of what awaits participants next summer.
As is tradition, the “Days in the Dioceses” will precede the main gathering in the capital. From July 29 to August 2, 2027, fifteen Korean dioceses will welcome pilgrims into parishes and families, offering them an immersion into the life of the local Church prior to the celebrations in Seoul.
More than thirty years after Manila in 1995, this WYD will be only the second held in Asia. It marks the first time the event has been hosted in a country where Catholics are a minority. In South Korea, Catholics represent roughly 12% of the population, in a society marked by significant religious pluralism.
Next steps
Pilgrim registrations will open in October 2026, offering various packages based on the length of stay and selected events. A mobile app and an integrated logistics system are also being developed.
As in previous editions, hospitality will largely be provided by families and parishes across the Archdiocese of Seoul. Around 230 parishes are already actively recruiting and training host families so that young people can experience the daily life of the Korean Church.
“We will make every effort to ensure that WYD Seoul 2027 is a celebration of hope and a testament to the hospitality and solidarity of Korea and Seoul,” said Archbishop Peter Chung Soon-taick, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Seoul and President of the Local Organizing Committee. Teams have been preparing the event for three years now, and they are now entering the home stretch before welcoming hundreds of thousands of young people from around the world. Nearly 30,000 volunteers are expected to be mobilized, with several hundred already at work.
Pope: Digital communication must serve truth and human dignity
Pope Leo XIV urges Catholic communicators gathered at the SIGNIS World Conference in Kigali to promote digital communication rooted in truth, human dignity, peace and care for creation.
By Vatican News
Pope Leo has called on Catholic communicators to promote digital tools and strategies inspired by the pursuit of truth and respect for human dignity.
His appeal came in a message addressed to participants in the SIGNIS World Conference, currently taking place in Kigali, Rwanda, and signed on his behalf by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
The Pope sent his cordial greetings and assured those gathered of his spiritual closeness, expressing the hope that their discussions would give “new impetus” to efforts to ensure that communication platforms advance the common good of the entire human family.
Shaping culture and conscience
Reflecting on the realities of the digital age, the message notes that much of contemporary life is now driven by digital technology and the internet.
Quoting his Encyclical "Magnifica Humanitas", Pope Leo recalled that online communication is not simply a means of transmitting information. It also creates culture, shaping how people perceive the world and profoundly influencing the collective conscience.
Against this backdrop, the Holy Father encouraged participants to explore practical ways of advancing the conference theme, “Digital Communication for Cultural Harmony and Environmental Wellbeing.”
He expressed the hope that their reflections would lead to communication strategies and tools guided by truth and rooted in respect for the dignity of every person.
Communion, peace and care for creation
Such an approach, the message continued, can help build a culture reflecting the Gospel values of communion and peace, while also encouraging responsible stewardship of the environment.
Pope Leo entrusted all those attending the conference to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, and assured them of his prayers that their work might bear lasting fruit.
Finally, he imparted his Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of “wisdom and strength in the Lord.”
Feastday: August 4 Patron: of all priests, parish priests; Personal Apostolic Administration of Saint John Mary Vianney; Archdiocese of Dubuque, Iowa; confessors; archdiocese of Kansas City, Kansas Birth: 1786 Death: 1859
Jean-Baptiste-Marie Vianney, known as John in English, was born May 8, 1786, in Dardilly, France and was baptized the same day. He was the fourth of six children born to Matthieu and Marie Vianney.
John was raised in a Catholic home, and the family often helped the poor and housed St. Benedict Joseph Labre when he made his pilgrimage to Rome.
In 1790, when the anticlerical Terror phase of the French Revolution forced priests to work in secrecy or face execution, young Vianney believed the priests were heroes.
He continued to believe in the bravery of priests and received his First Communion catechism instructions in private by two nuns who lost their convents to the Revolution.
At 13-years-old, John made his first communion and prepared for his confirmation in secrecy.
When he was 20 years old, John was allowed to leave the family farm to learn at a "presbytery-school" in Écully. There he learned math, history, geography and Latin.
As his education had been disrupted by the French Revolution, he struggled in his studies, particularly with Latin, but worked hard to learn.
In 1802, the Catholic Church was reestablished in France and religious freedom and peace spread throughout the country.
Unfortunately, in 1809, John was drafted into Napoleon Bonaparte's armies. He had been studying as an ecclesiastical student, which was a protected title and would normally have excepted him from military services, but Napoleon had withdrawn the exemption in some dioceses as he required more soldiers.
Two days into his service, John fell ill and required hospitalization. As his troop continued, he stopped in at a church where he prayed. There he met a young man who volunteered to return him to his group but instead led him deep into the mountains where military deserters met.
John lived with them for one year and two months. He used the name Jerome Vincent and opened a school for the nearby village of Les Noes' children.
John remained in Les Noes and hid when gendarmes came in search of deserters until 1810, when deserters were granted amnesty.
Now free, John returned to Écully and resumed his ecclesiastic studies. He attended a minor seminary, Abbe Balley, in 1812 and was eventually ordained a deacon in June 1815.
He joined his heroes as a priest August 12, 1815, in the Couvent des Minimes de Grenoble. His first Mass was celebrated the next day, and he was appointed assistant to Balley in Écully.
Three years later, when Balley passed away, Fr. John Vianney was appointed parish priest of the Ars parish. With help from Catherine Lassagne and Benedicta Lerdet, La Providence, a home for girls, was established in Ars.
When he began his priestly duties, Fr. Vianney realized many were either ignorant or indifferent to religion as a result of the French Revolution. Many danced and drank on Sundays or worked in their fields.
Fr. Vianney spent much time in confession and often delivered homilies against blasphemy and dancing. Finally, if parishioners did not give up dancing, he refused them absolution.
He spent 11 to twelve hours each day working to reconcile people with God. In the summer months, he often worked 16-hour days and refused to retire.
His fame spread until people began to travel to him in 1827. Within thirty years, it is said he received up to 20,000 pilgrims each year.
He was deeply devoted to St. Philomena and erected a chapel and shrine in her honor. When he later became deathly ill but miraculously recovered, he attributed his health to St. Philomena's intercession.
By 1853, Fr. Vianney had attempted to run away from Ars four times, each attempt with the intention of becoming a monk but decided after the final time that it was not to be.
Six years later, he passed away and left behind a legacy of faith and was viewed as the champion of the poor.
On October 3, 1873, Pope Pius IX proclaimed Fr. Vianney as "venerable" and on January 8, 1905, Pope Pius X beatified him. St. John Vianney was canonized on May 31, 1925. His feast day was declared August 9 but it was changed twice before it fell to August 4.
St. John Vianney would often say: "Private prayer is like straw scattered here and there: If you set it on fire, it makes a lot of little flames. But gather these straws into a bundle and light them, and you get a mighty fire, rising like a column into the sky; public prayer is like that."
Pope Leo during his visit to Assisi in November 2025 (@Vatican Media)
Pope
In Assisi, Pope to encourage young people to dream "great things"
Pope Leo XIV will visit Assisi on 6 August to meet thousands of young Europeans and encourage them, in the spirit of Saint Francis, to dream boldly and embrace a life of faith, purpose and service.
By Daniele Piccini
Pope Leo XIV’s pastoral visit to the Italian town of Assisi on Thursday, 6 August, will bring to an end four days of encounters, workshops and opportunities for sharing. The Pope will answer young people's questions and preside over Mass, inviting them, as he did a year ago during the Jubilee of Youth at Tor Vergata, not to settle for a mediocre life.
Those involved in the pastoral care of young people - such as Friar Luca de Pasquale, one of the organisers of the “GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting”, which will bring thousands of Europeans aged between 18 and 33 to the city of Saint Francis from the 3rd to the 6th of August - note that many of them often lack strong desires and have already stopped dreaming of their future.
The 38-year-old Friar Minor told to Vatican News how important it is to hear from someone like the Pope, who is able to speak to them about the fullness of life. He also spoke of the value of looking to a model of “holy restlessness” such as Saint Francis, who can speak to today’s young people as though he were their contemporary.
Friar Luca, what will the programme of the Pope’s visit to Assisi look like on the morning of 6 August?
The Holy Father will arrive quite early on the morning of 6 August, at 8:30, and everything will take place at Saint Mary of the Angels, in the Basilica that houses the little Porziuncola chapel, which Francis of Assisi restored, where he lived, founded the Order of Friars Minor and died. It is a key place for our family and also for the 800th anniversary of Francis’ “Transitus”, which we are celebrating this year.
The Pope will spend a brief moment in personal prayer inside the Porziuncola. He will then go out into the square, where, before the crowd, which is unable to enter the Basilica because of capacity restrictions, he will listen to three young people from different parts of Europe, who will put three questions to him on three different subjects.
The Pope will then meet privately with the Franciscan families. Afterwards, at around 10 or 10:30, he will preside over Mass. It will also be the Solemnity of the Transfiguration of the Lord.
The forecourt of the Basilica of Saint Mary of the Angels, where the Pope will preside over Mass on 6 August.
A great many young people will be in Assisi: those participating in the “GO! Franciscan Youth Meeting”; those who will have just completed the 44th Franciscan March and arrived for the Pardon of Assisi; and those coming especially for Mass with Pope Leo XIV. It will be like a Franciscan World Youth Day…
We are certain that, during his homily, the Holy Father will be able to offer a word that captures the meaning of everything the young people have experienced over the preceding days. On Thursday, 6 August, after Mass and once the Pope has departed, we will present the young people with a kind of “missionary charter”.
What will that involve?
During the days preceding their encounter with the Pope, they will take part in workshops on various subjects. On the one hand, they will be called to listen; on the other, they themselves will take centre stage and have the opportunity to express their views.
At the end, we will prepare a kind of synthesis of what emerges from the young people’s discussions and use it to draw up a missionary charter, which they will then be able to put into practice within their local communities across Europe and beyond.
The encounter with the Pope will be the culmination of four days devoted to young people. In your opinion, what will be the most important or evocative moments of those four days?
The workshops are at the heart of the entire event. On the first evening, the young people will arrive and begin by listening to an introduction that will provide a key for understanding what we are about to experience, through the words of the Bishop of Assisi, Archbishop Felice Accrocca, and Professor Marco Erba.
They will seek to place in context the experience of the Chapter of Mats of 1221, an episode in the life of Francis and the Franciscan Order that also inspires our gathering today.
We will hold workshops on peace, forgiveness and vocation. This will offer young people an opportunity to listen anew to God’s call in their lives. They will therefore spend 4 August listening, while on 5 August, through more “active” workshops, they will be able to speak and express themselves directly.
There will also be a place that is very dear to us and which we were determined to include: the Burning Bush, a dedicated chapel that the young people can visit between workshops. There will be perpetual Eucharistic adoration throughout the event at Saint Mary of the Angels, as well as an opportunity to visit two exhibitions.
Who organised these exhibitions?
One of them, on Francis, has been organised by us Friars Minor of Umbria and Sardinia. Its purpose is to help people discover him by stripping away many of the images that have been attributed to him and returning to Francis’ own words in his Testament.
Another exhibition has been prepared by a group of students from Lombardy. Beginning with situations of war, they identified people who brought light through the grace of the Gospel.
The event is intended for young people aged between 18 and 33, both believers and non-believers. Could you explain what expectations led you to invite non-believers and what response you hope for?
Seeing how Francis continues to attract people beyond the boundaries of faith prompted us to be a little daring and to make ourselves available to those who may wish to take a step beyond prejudice, reconnect with the important things in life and perhaps encounter the Lord. We do not know whether that will happen—it is what we hope for, but without making any assumptions.
How many young people will attend?
Registration closed on 30 June. Around 2,150 young people will participate in the event, in addition to all those coming for the Pope’s Mass.
The figure of Saint Francis encompasses many issues close to young people’s hearts: care for the environment, a radical relationship with Christ, charity towards the most vulnerable and respect for women. In your experience, what kind of relationship do young people have with this saint?
Francis is fascinating. What attracts people to him is his simplicity, his ability to speak to the lives of young people as though he were one of their peers and, above all, the fact that Francis was always a great dreamer. He was never a young man who simply settled for what life offered, and that is something that fascinates many young people.
Whenever I meet young people here, I enjoy asking them a question. Regardless of their age, I always ask: “What is your dream? What is the greatest desire you carry in your heart?” It is sad to hear that many of them do not know how to answer. It is as though they have already given up. Yet when they listen to the story of Francis’ life, they see how he never gave up, but always dared to go further.
More than ever in recent years, Italy’s bestseller lists have been dominated by books about Saint Francis. How do you explain the fact that interest in the Poor Man of Assisi has moved beyond specialist literature and spread among the wider public?
Francis touches upon subjects that are very contemporary and highly relevant: care for creation, respect within relationships, and seeing and feeling ourselves to be brothers and sisters in a context increasingly marked by individualism. These are all themes that speak profoundly to people today.
The risk we must avoid is making Francis say things that he did not say or attributing to him an identity that is not truly his.
As part of this event, we have included an exhibition that we presented at last year’s Rimini Meeting. It will remain on display here at Saint Mary of the Angels from the beginning of the GO! event until the Feast of Saint Francis itself. While occasionally acting as guides to the exhibition, we saw people come out saying: “We had never really known Francis before!”
Could you give an example of something frequently attributed to Saint Francis that he never actually said or did?
The Canticle of Brother Sun is often interpreted as a hymn to ecology, as though Francis were the environmentalist par excellence and creatures were of fundamental importance, taking precedence over everything else in his life.
The Canticle is misunderstood when read in this way. When Francis wrote it, he had just received the stigmata at La Verna. His friars had also pushed him aside and no longer wanted him as Minister General of the Order, so spiritually he found himself in a state of solitude.
The Canticle, which is superficially attributed to Francis as a hymn to ecology, is actually a song to God. Francis draws upon creatures because they bear God’s imprint, and therefore to see them is to see something of God. This helped Francis avoid turning inwards upon his struggles and suffering.
The event is addressed to the young people of Europe. What can Saint Francis say to the Old Continent today?
Our hope is that he can help respond to the yearning for depth that young people carry within themselves; that Francis can help them pursue the questions they already hold and continue a search that may already have found its goal or destination, but which still needs to be accompanied by a father or a friendly figure.
Francis could be that figure: someone capable of crossing the boundaries of a religious context and truly embracing every possible sphere of life.
