Showing posts with label hope. Show all posts

Friday, February 13, 2026

Pope Leo XIV Lenten message: Abstain from harsh words that hurt others; rash judgement; make room for hope & peace

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Pope’s Lenten message: Abstain from harsh words and rash judgement

Ahead of the start of Lent, Pope Leo XIV invites Catholics to open ourselves to listening, fasting, and community, urging us to abstain from words of hatred in order to make space for words of hope and peace.

By Devin Watkins

“I would like to invite you to a very practical and frequently unappreciated form of abstinence: that of refraining from words that offend and hurt our neighbor.”

Pope Leo XIV made that invitation at the heart of his message for Lent 2026, which was released on Friday.

As Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 18, the Pope said this liturgical season offers Christians an opportunity to place the mystery of God back at the center of our lives.

Every journey of conversion, he said, begins by letting God’s word touch our hearts, so that we may renew our commitment to follow Christ in the mystery of His saving passion, death, and resurrection.

Pope Leo focused on the importance of listening to God and to those around us, allowing ourselves to enter into authentic relationships.

“In the midst of the many voices present in our personal lives and in society,” he said, “Sacred Scripture helps us to recognize and respond to the cry of those who are anguished and suffering.”

Christians, said the Pope, can cultivate inner openness to listening, as God does, by growing in awareness that the poor challenge our lives and economic systems, as well as the Church.

Pope Leo XIV then turned to how fasting helps open us to the deep desire for justice, which he said frees us from complacency.

“Precisely because it involves the body, fasting makes it easier to recognize what we ‘hunger’ for and what we deem necessary for our sustenance,” he said. “Moreover, it helps us to identify and order our ‘appetites,’ keeping our hunger and thirst for justice alive”.

Fasting, he added, teaches us to govern our desire by purifying, freeing, and expanding it, in order to direct our desire toward God and good deeds.

However, we must fast in faith, humility, and communion with the Lord, and not in a way that leads to pride, said the Pope, adding that other forms of self-denial also lead to a more sober lifestyle.

Pope Leo then pointed to an under-appreciated form of abstinence, which is refraining from hurtful words.

“Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgement, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves,” he said. “Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities.”

If we do so, we will let words of hatred “give way to words of hope and peace.”

Pope Leo went on to emphasize the communal aspect of listening and fasting, which can be lived out in our parishes, families, and religious communities.

By listening to the cry of the poor and setting our hearts on a path of conversion to Christ, we train our conscience and improve the quality of our lives and relationships, he said.

“It means allowing ourselves to be challenged by reality and recognizing what truly guides our desires—both within our ecclesial communities and as regards humanity’s thirst for justice and reconciliation.”

Pope Leo XIV concluded his 2026 Lenten Message with a call for Christian communities to become places where those who suffer find welcome.

“Let us ask for the strength that comes from the type of fasting that also extends to our use of language,” he said, “so that hurtful words may diminish and give way to a greater space for the voice of others.”

Thursday, September 25, 2025

Pope Leo XIV to address international gathering for climate justice

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Pope to speak at Laudato si’ Movement conference on 1 October

On the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on Care for our Common Home, Pope Leo XIV will participate in the international event “Raising Hope for Climate Justice” with over 400 religious leaders, climate experts, and representatives from civil society and institutions from around the world.

By Vatican News

In Castel Gandolfo, at the "Centro Mariapoli" run by the Focolare Movement, an international conference entitled “Raising Hope for Climate Justice”, promoted by the Laudato si’ Movement in collaboration with various ecclesial and institutional partners, is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, 1 October 1, marking the 10th anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical on care for creation.

According to a press release, the conference, scheduled to run until 3 October, will bring together over 400 religious leaders, climate experts, and representatives from civil society and institutions from around the world, to map the next steps in implementing ecological conversion in light of the Church’s teaching.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pope Leo XIV will preside at a “Celebration of Hope”.

The event will feature various testimonies, including those of Brazil’s Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Marina Silva, and former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has long been involved in initiatives for the protection of creation.

After the Pope’s speech, there will be a symbolic and spiritual moment of shared commitment, followed by a meeting between Pope Leo XIV and a group of conference participants. On the following days, working sessions, roundtables, and spiritual moments are scheduled.

Pope Leo XIV meets with editors and writers of a nearly 200-year-old Catholic publication

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Pope Leo to La Civiltà Cattolica: Transmit that God is our hope

Pope Leo XIV invites the Jesuit review: La Civiltà Cattolica's writers and collaborators to embrace their mission of "perceiving the gaze of Christ upon the world, cultivating it, communicating it, and bearing witness to it."

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Addressing the editorial staff of the historic Jesuit review La Civiltà Cattolica on the occasion of its 175th anniversary, Pope Leo XIV urged those before him to transmit hope through our Lord.

La Civiltà Cattolica is one of the oldest magazines still in existence, founded on 6 April 1850 at the behest of Blessed Pope Pius IX. Since then, it has become an instrument for reading and interpreting history, politics, culture, science and art in the light of the Christian faith, in line with the positions of the Pope and the Holy See.

The Pope reminded them that as they report current events, which often challenge our hope, they must transmit to faithful that Christians are to keep faith.

In this context, Pope Leo quoted his late predecessor Pope Benedict XVI, who in his 2007 encyclical Spe salvi underscored, “My life and the history of the world are not left to chance. Providence does not cease. It is as if I had a certainty: beyond all failures, I know that my life is held firm by the power of God’s love. And thus, hope remains, even in the midst of shipwrecks.”

Gratitude to La Civiltà Cattolica

The Holy Father recognized the significance of the journal’s milestone anniversary, acknowledging its enduring contribution to the Church, saying he thanked them for their centuries-long faithful and generous service to the Holy See.

"Your work," he expressed, "has contributed—and continues to contribute—to making the Church present in the world of culture, in harmony with the teachings of the Pope and the orientations of the Holy See.”

Describing the journal as “a window on the world,” the Pope also marveled at “one of its distinguishing features," namely its ability "to engage with contemporary events without fear of confronting their challenges and contradictions.”

Responsibility to educate a better society and world

In his address, Pope Leo proposed three key areas of reflection for the community: educating people to intelligent and active engagement in the world, giving voice to the least and the excluded, and being heralds of hope.

On the first point of educating, Pope Leo emphasized, “What you write can help your readers better understand the complex society in which we live, evaluating its strengths and weaknesses.”

By doing so, he said, the review enables its readers to make meaningful contributions to society, including in the political sphere, on matters such as social equity, family, education, technological change, and peace.

Fundamental aspect of the life and mission of every Christian

The Pope then turned to the second point of being a voice for the voiceless, and, moreover, "becoming a voice of the poor and the excluded.”

He called this task “a fundamental aspect of the life and mission of every Christian,” and quoted Pope Francis who called on society to remember those who are so often discarded.

To live this mission authentically, Pope Leo XIV said, requires humble listening and being close to those who suffer.

“Only in this way," he suggested, "is it possible to become a faithful and prophetic echo of the voice of those in need, breaking every circle of isolation, loneliness, and deafness.”

'Our ultimate hope in Christ'

Finally, Pope Leo called La Civiltà Cattolica to be heralds of hope.

“This means," he reaffirmed, "standing against the indifference of those who remain insensitive to others and to their legitimate need for a future" and "overcoming the discouragement of those who no longer believe in the possibility of taking new paths.”

For us, he pointed out, "the ultimate hope is Christ, our way: ‘I am the way, and the truth, and the life’ (Jn 14:6).”

“In Him and with Him," he reflected, "there are no longer dead ends along our journey, nor are there realities—no matter how difficult or complex—that can stop us or prevent us from loving God and our brothers and sisters with trust.”

Christ's gaze on the world

Pope Leo went on to remember two memorable reflections the late Pope Francis offered to La Civiltà Cattolica.

Pope Francis, Pope Leo XIV recalled, had reminded the community to continue their work "with joy, through good journalism, which adheres to no other allegiance than that of the Gospel," and had underscored that a "a journal is truly ‘Catholic’ only if it has Christ’s gaze on the world, and if it transmits and bears witness to that gaze.”

With this sentiment, Pope Leo affirmed, “These words summarize your mission: to perceive the gaze of Christ upon the world, to cultivate it, to communicate it, and to bear witness to it.”

Thursday, August 28, 2025

Archbishop Hebda asking for prayers and action after the Annunciation School shooting

Archbishop Hebda after Catholic school shooting: We ask for your prayers and action, rooted in hope

written by Maria Wiering

Families and loved reunite following a shooting at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis Aug. 27, 2025. A shooter opened fire with a rifle through the windows of a the school's church and struck children celebrating Mass during the first week of school, killing two and wounding 17 people in an act of violence the police chief called “absolutely incomprehensible.” (OSV News photo/Dave Hrbacek, The Catholic Spirit)

ST. PAUL, Minn. (OSV News) — Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda told media Aug. 27 that prayers offered from around the United States and world, including from Pope Leo XIV, have been “a source of hope” following that morning’s school shooting during Mass at Annunciation Catholic School in Minneapolis that left two children dead and 17 other victims injured.

“Brothers and sisters, we have to be men and women of hope,” said the archbishop, who leads the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. “It’s through prayer and that ‘prayer of the feet’ — through action — that we can indeed make a difference.”

Archbishop Hebda joined Annunciation Catholic School Principal Matt DeBoer and other city and state leaders in a media briefing outside Annunciation Catholic School and the adjacent Annunciation Catholic Church. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara were present and also spoke at the afternoon press conference.

Speaking as the church bells tolled, Archbishop Hebda noted that “the bell in a Catholic church is always a call to prayer. … It’s a reminder to be praying.”

He commended DeBoer, Annunciation’s pastor Father Dennis Zehren, and Deacon Kevin Conneely for “how valiant” they and their staff were in responding to the tragic school shooting.

“How sad it is … not only for the families who are directly involved, but indeed for families everywhere who feel the threat that comes from an event, a tragedy like today’s,” he said.

Archbishop Bernard A. Hebda of St. Paul and Minneapolis is pictured in a 2019 file photo. (OSV News photo/Bob Roller)

Archbishop Hebda read in full that day’s message from Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary of state, that expressed Pope Leo’s prayers and “spiritual closeness” to the victims.

“We know that the Holy Father, Pope Leo, did his hospital training right here in Minneapolis, so he knows our community, and he’s been reminding anybody visiting from Minnesota that he spent some time here,” he said. “We’re very grateful for his blessing, but I … ask that you would continue to look for those ways of supporting those who have been impacted today, not only with your prayers, but also with your action.”

A 23-year-old gunman shot from the outside of the church through windows at the Mass attendees with a rifle, shotgun and pistol, killing two children, ages 8 and 10, before committing suicide. Among the 17 injured were 14 children, all expected to survive. Three adults who were shot were parishioners in their 80s.

School shooting could have been worse

Speaking immediately before Archbishop Hebda, DeBoer commended his staff for their actions during the school shooting and told his school community, “I love you.”

“You’re so brave, and I’m so sorry this happened to us today. Within seconds of this situation beginning, our teachers were heroes,” he said. “Children were ducked down. Adults were protecting children. Older children were protecting younger children, and … it could have been significantly worse without their heroic action.

“This is a nightmare,” he continued, “but we call our staff the dream team and we will recover from this. We will rebuild from this. … We as a community have a responsibility to make sure that no child, no parent, no teacher ever has to experience what we’ve experienced today.”

Thursday, August 21, 2025

Pope Leo: Hope does not disappoint

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Pope Leo XIV to Rimini Meeting: Hope does not disappoint

Pope Leo XIV invites participants in the 46th Meeting of Friendship Among Peoples to remember that peace is made up of daily gestures and warns that the digital revolution poses a series of risks and challenges.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Leo XIV encouraged those participating in the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples - commonly referred to as the "Rimini Meeting" - to be peacemakers, full of hope, who work for the common good, in a message released Thursday signed on his behalf by Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Pietro Parolin.

Every year since 1980, the Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples has taken place in the northern Italian sea town of Rimini in late August. This year's theme is "In the vacant places we will build with new bricks."

The Rimini meeting is an annual event, organized by the Communion and Liberation Movement, which draws large numbers of the faithful, who meet with various high-level individuals discussing key issues. It also offers various pavilions and activities for individuals, families, and children.

Hope does not disappoint

In the text, the Holy Father extended his greetings to the organizers, volunteers, and all participants, with his "heartfelt hope" that "they may recognize, with joy, that 'the stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone, chosen and precious, and whoever believes in it will not be put to shame.' For 'hope does not disappoint.'"

While deserts, the Pope observed, are typically places "cast aside" and "deemed unfit for life," the Pope gave a clear reminder. "Precisely where it seems nothing can be born," he recalled, "Sacred Scripture continually recounts the passing of God."

Martyrs of Algeria

The Holy Father commended the organizers for the hallmark exhibition of this year’s Meeting dedicated to the witness of the Martyrs of Algeria.

"In them," the Holy Father said, "shines forth the Church’s vocation to dwell in the desert in profound communion with all humanity—overcoming walls of mistrust that divide religions and cultures—by fully imitating the movement of the Incarnation and self-giving of the Son of God."

Calling for unity, the Pope reiterated his words when addressing Italian Bishops in the Vatican in June to “promote pathways of education in nonviolence, initiatives for mediation in local conflicts, and projects of welcome that transform the fear of the other into opportunities for encounter.”

Peace is a humble path made of daily gestures

Always in this context, Pope Leo called for letting every community become a ‘house of peace’, "where hostility is defused through dialogue, where justice is practiced, and forgiveness is guarded," adding that, "Peace is not a spiritual utopia; it is a humble path made of daily gestures..."

With this sentiment, the Holy Father encouraged all people "to name and give form to the new," so "that faith, hope, and charity may be translated into a profound cultural conversion."

For the common good and peace

The Holy Father suggested that this requires exploring ways for development that are "alternatives to paths for growth lacking equity and sustainability."

"To serve the living God," the Holy Father underscored, "we must abandon the idolatry of profit, which has gravely compromised justice, the freedom to meet and exchange, the participation of all in the common good—and ultimately, peace itself."

"A faith that distances itself from the desertification of the world, or that indirectly contributes to tolerating it," he warned, "would no longer be true discipleship of Jesus Christ."

Risks of ongoing digital revolution

Reflecting on contemporary society, the Pope observed that rapidly developing technology cannot be forgotten.

"The ongoing digital revolution," he cautioned, "risks amplifying discrimination and conflict; it must therefore be inhabited with the creativity of those who, obeying the Holy Spirit, are no longer slaves, but children. Then the desert becomes a garden, and the “City of God,” foretold by the saints, transfigures our desolate places."

Finally, the Holy Father imparted his blessing and invoked the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Star of the Morning.

Saturday, June 28, 2025

Pope Leo XIV offers prayers, encouragement and support to Ukranian Greek Catholics

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Pope to Ukrainian Greek Catholics: 'Your faith is being put to the test'

Pope Leo XIV acknowledges that the faith of Ukrainian Greek Catholics is being put to a severe test, "amid this senseless war," but stresses that the Lord will have the final word and life will triumph over death.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Even if your faith is being put to the test, trust in God, Pope Leo XIV told Ukrainian Greek Catholics on Saturday in the Vatican.

The Pope began saying he extends a heartfelt greeting to the dear faithful of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church, who have come to the tomb of the Apostle Peter on the occasion of the Jubilee Year, and greeting, in particular, His Beatitude Sviatoslav Shevchuk, Major Archbishop of Kyiv-Halyč, the bishops, priests, consecrated men and women, and lay faithful.

Welcoming the delegation, Pope Leo said, "I wish to express my closeness to the martyred Ukraine—to the children, the youth, the elderly, and especially to the families who mourn their loved ones," adding, "I share in your sorrow for the prisoners and for the victims of this senseless war."

Keep eyes on Christ

The Holy Father also reassured that he entrusts to the Lord their intentions, your daily struggles and tragedies, and above all, their longing for peace and serenity, noting, "I encourage you to walk together—pastors and faithful—keeping your eyes fixed on Jesus, our salvation."

"Your pilgrimage," he said, "is a sign of the desire to renew the faith, to strengthen the bond and communion with the Bishop of Rome, and to bear witness to the hope that does not disappoint, because it is born from the love of Christ poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit," highlighting, "The Jubilee calls us to become pilgrims of that hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment."

Many questions for the Lord

"The faith of your people," Pope Leo recognized, "is now being put to a severe test." "Many of you, since the war began," he acknowledged, "have surely asked yourselves: Lord, why all this? Where are you? What must we do to save our families, our homes, and our homeland?"

Faced with this dramatic scenario, Pope Leo stressed that, "Believing does not mean already having all the answers, but trusting that God is with us and grants us His grace, that He will have the final word, and that life will triumph over death.

Learning from the Virgin Mary

The Pope urged them to draw strength and courage from the Blessed Mother.

"The Virgin Mary, so beloved by the Ukrainian people, who with her humble and courageous 'yes,'” he said, "opened the door to the world’s redemption, assures us that our own “yes,” simple and sincere, can also become an instrument in God’s hands for accomplishing something great."

"Saying “yes” today," he said, "can open new horizons of faith, of hope, and of peace, especially for all those who are suffering."

Hope that the Lord will wipe away every tear

The Pope urged them to share that faith with their loved ones, fellow countrymen and women, and all those the Lord places in your path, reminding that the Jubilee calls all faithful to become pilgrims of hope throughout our lives, despite the adversities of the present moment.

Their journey to Rome, with the passage through the Holy Doors and the stops at the tombs of the Apostles and Martyrs, he also suggested, is a symbol of this daily path, oriented toward eternity, "where the Lord will wipe away every tear, and there will be no more death, nor mourning, nor crying, nor pain."

Pope Leo concluded by praying that the Virgin Mary, Mother of Hope, guide and protect them, and imparting his heartfelt Apostolic Blessing to their families, Church, and people.

The Holy Father also greeted and blessed some mothers of soldiers who had fallen at the front who were participating in the pilgrimage.

Pope Leo XIV blesses mothers of fallen Ukrainian solders. (@Vatican Media)

Tuesday, June 3, 2025

Special commemoration by Pope Leo XIV for the Greek Romanian "prophet of hope"

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Pope Leo XIV honours Blessed Iuliu Hossu as a prophet of hope

Pope Leo XIV pays tribute to Blessed Iuliu Hossu, recalling his heroic defense of Jews during WWII and his unwavering faith under Communist persecution.

By Linda Bordoni

Presiding over a commemoration for Blessed Cardinal Iuliu Hossu, the Greek-Catholic Bishop of Cluj-Gherla and martyr for the faith, Pope Leo XIV upheld the Cardinal’s legacy of interfaith solidarity and forgiveness and encouraged believers to follow his example of hope, courage and mercy.

The ceremony, which took place on Monday afternoon in the Sistine Chapel, was held to mark the 5th anniversary of the late Pope Francis’ visit to Romania and the celebration in Freedom Square, Blaj, of the liturgy for the beatification of seven martyred Greek Catholic Bishops, including Iuliu Hossu. The initiative was agreed upon a year ago with the late Pope at the request of the Federation of Jewish Communities of Romania.

“Today, in a certain sense, he enters this Chapel,” Pope Leo said, referring to Cardinal Hossu, who was created cardinal in pectore by Saint Paul VI in 1969 while still imprisoned under the Communist regime in Romania. The Pope recalled the courage and constancy of the prelate who, even amid severe persecution, remained faithful to the Church of Rome.

Addressing participants, who included representatives of Romania’s Greek-Catholic Church, civil authorities, and the President of the Federation of Jewish Communities in Romania, Hon. Silviu Vexler, the Pope said Cardinal Hossu’s legacy is “a symbol of fraternity transcending all ethnic and religious boundaries.”

Commemoration of the Blessed Hossu (@Vatican Media)

Defender of the oppressed

The Holy Father highlighted the ongoing process to bestow upon Cardinal Hossu the title of “Righteous Among the Nations”, an initiative prompted by his heroic efforts to protect Jews in Northern Transylvania during the Nazi occupation between 1940 and 1944.

“At enormous risk to himself and to the Greek-Catholic Church,” Pope Leo noted, “Blessed Hossu undertook extensive activities on behalf of the Jews aimed at preventing their deportation.”

Quoting from a pastoral letter issued on 2 April 1944, the Pope gave voice to the cardinal’s call to his faithful:

“Our plea is addressed to all of you… to help the Jews not only with your thoughts, but also with your sacrifice, knowing that there is no act more noble to be carried out today than providing Christian and Romanian assistance, born of ardent human charity.”

The testimony of former Chief Rabbi Moshe Carmilly-Weinberger was also recalled, confirming that Cardinal Hossu’s interventions helped save thousands of Jewish lives.

Commemoration of the Blessed Hossu (@Vatican Media)

Faith rooted in forgiveness

The Pope described Cardinal Hossu as a “man of dialogue and a prophet of hope,” whose beatification by Pope Francis in 2019 affirmed his status as a martyr and model of Christian virtue.

Citing the beatified cardinal’s own words, “God has sent us into this darkness of suffering in order to offer forgiveness and to pray for the conversion of all,” Pope Leo highlighted the enduring power of forgiveness as a transformative force in the face of persecution.

“These words embody the spirit of the martyrs,” he said, “an unshakeable faith in God, devoid of hatred and coupled with a spirit of mercy that turns suffering into love for one’s persecutor.”

Witness for today

Pope Leo XIV drew a parallel between Hossu’s example and the teaching of Nostra Aetate, the Second Vatican Council’s declaration on the Church’s relation to non-Christian religions, written by Pope Paul VI, whose 60th anniversary is approaching.

“What he did for the Jews of Romania,” the Pope said, “today makes him a model of freedom, courage and generosity, even to the point of making the supreme sacrifice.”

Calling on the faithful to adopt Hossu’s episcopal motto, “Our Faith is Our Life”, as their own, Pope Leo offered a forceful appeal against all forms of violence, particularly those directed at the most vulnerable:

“Let us say ‘No!’ to violence in all its forms, and even more so when it is perpetrated against those who are defenseless and vulnerable, like children and families.”

The Pope concluded invoking God’s blessing on all present and expressed his hope that Cardinal Hossu’s example might continue to shine “as a beacon for today’s world.”