Pope Leo XIV to contemplative nuns: prayer, work & Eucharistic Adoration

 

Pope Leo XIV meets with the Perpetual Adorers of the Most Blessed Sacrament  (@VATICAN MEDIA)

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Pope: Church needs a Eucharistic spirituality of unity in love

Meeting with contemplative nuns, Pope Leo XIV upholds their role in the Church as weavers of communion with the threads of prayer, work, and Eucharistic adoration.

By Devin Watkins

Pope Leo XIV met on Saturday with several members of the Perpetual Adorers of the Most Blessed Sacrament, also known as the Sacramentine Nuns.

Founded in Rome in 1807 by Blessed Maria Maddalena of the Incarnation, the contemplative nuns devote their lives to the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament Day and night and follow the rule of St. Augustine.

Those who met with the Pope form part of the Federation of the Holy Spirit, a group of around 30 convents, mostly in Mexico, which was founded 50 years ago and includes roughly half of the congregation’s convents spread across the globe.

In his address, Pope Leo called the Sacramentine Nuns’ presence “a radiant testimony to the gratuitousness of God, who sows within the human heart the desire to seek and contemplate His face.”

Their devotion to Eucharistic adoration, he said, offers a response to the profound longing for God written deep in the human heart.

“This constant search for the face of God, which particularly characterizes monastic life, takes on a special dimension in the vocation you have received,” he said. “It is expressed in a life devoted entirely to the continuous and silent adoration of God who has made Himself bread and who invites us to unite ourselves with Him in the sacrifice of the altar, so as to form one body.”

Pope Leo pointed to St. Augustine’s explanation that the bread and wine upon the altar are the “sacrament of the unity of the faithful in Christ.”

“For this reason,” he said, “we need a Eucharistic spirituality, that is, a spirituality of ecclesial unity in love.”

In their daily lives devoted to adoration, the contemplative nuns “radiate throughout the world the beauty of the face of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament.”

“By manifesting within the Church the specific charism you received from your foundress,” he said, “you are called to be weavers of communion with the threads of prayer and work, Eucharistic adoration, and fraternal sharing within the monastery.”

In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV invited the Sacramentine Nuns to live their consecration to God with renewed hope and a desire for holiness.

Remember, he urged, “that fidelity to the ancient and ever-new wisdom of the Gospel is the best path for those who, guided by the Holy Spirit, dedicate themselves to loving God and their neighbor.”

Pope Leo XIV asked for prayers today for the Venezuelan people recovering from earthquakes

 

Aftermath of earthquakes in La Guaira, Venezuela  (Leonardo Fernandez Viloria)

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Pope Leo prays for victims of Venezuela earthquake

Following the recitation of the Angelus prayer, Pope Leo XIV turned his thoughts to Venezuela, which has been tragically struck by two powerful earthquakes that have claimed nearly 3,000 lives. The Pope also remembered the recent beatification of Vietnamese priest Francis Xavier Tru’o’ng Bǚu, who was killed out of hatred for the faith.

By Benedetta Capelli

Following the recitation of the Angelus, Pope Leo XIV addressed the crowds in Spanish to express his care and closeness to Venezuelans who have been mourning the loss of their loved ones since the devastating earthqualkes that struck on June 24 . The death toll continues to rise following the two earthquakes that irreparably devastated La Guaira, the epicenter of the disaster about 40 kilometers from the capital, Caracas.

"I continue to remember in my prayers the victims of the earthquake and all the Venezuelan people. May the Lord sustain them in this time of great hardship."

Read also

28/06/2026

Pope Leo prays for Venezuela as quake death toll rises

The country has now registered nearly 3,000 deaths from the twin earthquakes, one of the most powerful and devastating disasters in Latin America. Many displaced people are still living on the streets or in makeshift shelters under precarious conditions, while international rescue teams are gradually ending their search for survivors trapped beneath the rubble.

 

Support for the Workers of the Gospel

 

The Pope also recalled the beatification, celebrated on July 2nd at the Tac Say Shrine in Vietnam, of Father Francis Xavier Tru’o’ng Bǚu, who was killed in 1946 out of hatred for the faith. The ceremony was presided over by Cardinal Louis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, who described the priest as "a missionary par excellence." Pope Leo XIV presented him as an example of closeness to the people.

Read also

02/07/2026

Cardinal Tagle: A martyr helps a confused world discover Jesus’ truth

"Amid oppression and violence, he defended the rights of the people and did not abandon his parishioners. May his intercession and prayers strengthen all those who proclaim the Gospel in situations of persecution today."

Finally, the Pope greeted those gathered in Saint Peter's Square. Speaking in Portuguese, he welcomed pilgrims from Brazil and the Choir of the University of Mérida in Venezuela. He also greeted several Polish groups, as well as groups of Italian faithful from Bellagio on Lake Como and from Sicily.

For Father's Day; a special prayer & blessing

 Blessing for Father's Day

God our Father, in your wisdom and love you have created us and called us your own.  Bless these Fathers, that they may be strengthened as Christian fathers.  Let the example of their faith and love shine forth.

In moments of joy, rejoice with them.

In times of struggle, give them your courage and perseverance.

Grant that we, their sons & daughters, may honor and appreciate them always with a spirit of profound respect.

May the example of St. Joseph inspire them to live their vocation with courage.

Grant this through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

We pray for all our fathers, that we show them reverence and love and that God bless them abundantly.  Amen.

For those who desire to be a father, that they will know God's care.  Amen.

For our fathers who have died, that God bring them into the joy of his kingdom.  Amen.

For those fathers who have lost a child through death, that their faith give them hope and peace, and family & friends support and console them.  Amen.

At today's General Audience Pope Leo XIV asks for prayers for his Apostolic Visit to Turkey & Lebanon

 

Pope Leo at the General Audience  (@Vatican Media)

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Pope asks for prayers ahead of visit to Türkiye and Lebanon

At the General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflects on his upcoming Apostolic Visit to Türkiye and Lebanon, calling them two countries “rich in history and spirituality.”

By Joseph Tulloch

Wednesday’s General Audience was one of Pope Leo’s last official appointments in Rome before his Apostolic Journey to Türkiye and Lebanon, which begins on Thursday.

The Pope spoke of the visit, which will be his first foreign journey, at the end of the audience, describing the countries he would be travelling to as “rich in history and spirituality.”

His journey, he said, would also be an opportunity to “commemorate the 1,700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council,” which was held in Nicaea, modern-day İznik in Türkiye, and to “meet with the Catholic community, our Christian brothers and sisters, and those of other religions.”

The Pope brought his reflection to a close by asking his listeners "to accompany me with your prayers."

Read also

27/10/2025

From Nicea to the Port of Beirut: Pope Leo's schedule for Türkiye and Lebanon

First Apostolic Visit

Pope Leo will arrive in Türkiye around midday on Thursday, and will meet privately with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, before addressing Turkish authorities.

On Friday, in Nicaea, modern-day İznik, the Pope will participate in an ecumenical prayer service marking the 1,700th anniversary of the first Ecumenical Council.

On Saturday, he will celebrate Mass in Istanbul’s Volkswagen Arena before travelling on Sunday to Lebanon. There, he will meet with groups including the local authorities, Church leaders, representatives of other religions, and young people.

On Tuesday, he will celebrate public Mass at the Beirut Waterfront before heading back to Rome, where he is scheduled to arrive at about 4:00 PM.

Read also

26/11/2025

Cardinal Parolin: Pope a 'messenger of harmony, dialogue, peace in Middle East'

'Keep going, have courage'

Speaking to Vatican News ahead of the Pope’s journey, Holy See Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, said that Türkiye “was a cradle of Christianity, where the first communities arose.”

“The Council of Nicaea”, the Cardinal stressed, “laid the foundations of our faith: belief in Jesus Christ as fully divine and fully human.”

Cardinal Parolin also emphasized the importance of the Pope’s visit to Lebanon, which, he said, “has made some progress in resolving the crisis that has affected it in recent years.”

The country now has “a president, a government, and there are reforms underway,” Cardinal Parolin said. “But many difficulties, delays, and obstacles remain, which could slow or frustrate the population’s expectations.”

In this context, the Cardinal suggested, the Pope’s message would be one of “encouragement,” an invitation to "keep going, have courage, continue on the path you have begun.” 

Pope Leo XIV prays at the tomb of Pope Francis in St. Mary Major

 

Pope Leo stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray at the tomb of his predecessor 

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Pope Leo visits Basilica of St. Mary Major; prays at Pope Francis' tomb

On his way to Castel Gandolfo, the Pope stopped at the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray at the tomb of his predecessor and in front of the image of Salus Populi Romani.

Salvatore Cernuzio

Before heading to Castel Gandolfo for his customary weekly day of rest, Pope Leo XIV stopped at around 8:05 p.m. this evening at the Basilica of St. Mary Major to pray before the tomb of Pope Francis.

On the marble slab—where a white rose is always placed in memory of Saint Thérèse of Lisieux, a constant spiritual presence in the life of the Argentine pontiff—Pope Leo laid a bouquet of white roses. It was a gesture of homage to his predecessor, buried between the Sforza Chapel and the Pauline Chapel. The latter is home to the icon of Salus Populi Romani, so often visited by Pope Francis before and after each international journey or hospital stay.

According to the Holy See Press Office, Pope Leo also paused in prayer in front of the Marian image before leaving the basilica around 8:15 p.m. and continuing his journey to Castel Gandolfo.

Pope Leo at the tomb of his predecessor

Mass in suffrage for Pope Francis

Earlier in the day, Pope Leo had celebrated a Mass at the Altar of the Chair in St. Peter’s Basilica in suffrage for Pope Francis and the cardinals and bishops who had passed away over the past year.

With “great affection,” the Holy Father offered the Mass for his predecessor, who, he recalled in his homily, “died after opening the Holy Door and imparting the Easter Blessing to Rome and the whole world. Thanks to the Jubilee, this celebration—my first—takes on a special meaning: it carries the flavor of Christian hope.”

Pope Leo prays in front of the image of Salus Populi Romani

This hope, Pope Leo added later in his reflection, was one that Pope Francis and the other prelates who have died in recent months “lived, witnessed, and taught.”

Previous visits to the tomb at the Basilica of St. Mary Major

On 10 May, just two days after his election to the See of Peter, Pope Leo visited the Argentine pontiff’s tomb, which is visited daily by numerous faithful and pilgrims. That afternoon, the newly elected Pope laid flowers on the tomb and paused for a few moments in prayer. He did the same again on 22 June, following the procession for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, from St. John Lateran to the Basilica of St. Mary Major.

Pope Leo XIV urges prayers and humanitarian assistance for Sudan

 

FILE PHOTO: Displaced children from Sudan's civil conflict 

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Pope Leo XIV appeals to international community to respond to crisis in Sudan

Pope Leo XIV launches an appeal to the international community to provide humanitarian aid for the suffering people in war-ravaged Sudan and asks for prayers for those affected by devastating mudslides in the country’s Darfur region.

By Linda Bordoni

“Dramatic news is coming out of Sudan, particularly from Darfur. In El Fasher, numerous civilians are trapped in the city, victims of famine and violence,” Pope Leo XIV said during his General Audience on Wednesday.

The Pope called for a humanitarian response for the hundreds of thousands of suffering people there.

His appeal included prayers for victims of a natural disaster, in which a devastating mudslide triggered by floods this week killed over a thousand people in Sudan’s Marra Mountains in the east of the country.

Speaking in Italian and referring to the death and massive displacement caused by a 29-month civil war in Sudan, the Pope said, “I make a heartfelt appeal to those responsible and to the international community to ensure humanitarian corridors and implement a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe.”

Decrying the suffering of hundreds of thousands of people who are trapped by war and famine and a cholera epidemic, he appealed for diplomatic efforts to end the conflict: “It is time to initiate a serious, sincere and inclusive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity and peace to the people of Sudan.” 

Read also

02/09/2025

Pope prays for 1,000 killed in floods in Sudan's Darfur region

His request for prayers for the victims of the landslide was pronounced in English: “In Tarasin, a devastating landslide has caused many deaths, leaving behind pain and despair. And, as if that were not enough, the spread of cholera threatens hundreds of thousands of people who are already exhausted,” he said.

“I am closer than ever to the Sudanese people, especially families, children and displaced persons. I pray for all the victims. I ask all of you to join me in praying for those affected by the recent mudslides in the Marra Mountains of Sudan.”

And invoking the eternal peace of the Lord for those who have died, as well as solace and strength for their loved ones, Pope Leo concluded: “Even in the midst of such tragedies may we never lose hope in God’s love for us.”

The war in Sudan

The war in Sudan erupted in April 2023, triggered by a power struggle between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces as the nation prepared to form a transitional government after the ousting of longtime dictator Omar al-Bashir.

It is estimated that the conflict has killed up to 150,000 people and caused some 12 million to flee their homes. Humanitarian organizations say it has created one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises, with some 30 million people needing assistance.

Homes, hospitals and schools have been destroyed across the country, and basic services have ceased, while malnutrition and food insecurity are on the rise, with some 680,000 in a state of catastrophic food insecurity.

El Fasher, the North Darfur capital, which has been under siege, is also in the grip of a deadly cholera epidemic.

Two other cities – Kadugli in South Kordofan state and El Obeid in North Kordofan – are also under siege, and UN agencies say it is impossible to deliver aid.

Soldiers on both sides of the conflict have been accused of blatant disregard for International Law and war crimes, allegedly perpetrating rape, torture and the killing of civilians.