Pope Leo XIV on Aug. 29, 2025, appointed Father Andres Ligot as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of San Jose, California. / Credit: Photo courtesy of the Diocese of San Jose

Vatican City, Aug 29, 2025 / 14:06 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Friday appointed Father Andres Ligot as auxiliary bishop of the Diocese of San Jose, California.

The bishop-elect is currently parish priest of St. Elizabeth of Portugal and vicar general of the San Jose Diocese.

Prior to his 2021 appointment to St. Elizabeth of Portugal, Ligot, 59, served as judicial vicar of the diocese from 2008 to 2021. 

Bishop Oscar Cantú expressed his gratitude for Ligot’s elevation to bishop in an Aug. 29 statement published on the diocesan website.

“His priestly heart, pastoral experience, and steady leadership will bless our parishes, schools, and ministries,” Cantú said. “I invite the faithful to keep him in prayer as he prepares for episcopal ordination.”

Ligot said he was “humbled” by the trust and support he has received from Pope Leo and Cantú and asked people to pray that he will continue to be a “faithful servant” within the diocese. 

“I renew my promise to serve Christ and his people with joy — especially those most in need,” he said in a statement published by his diocese. 

Ordained a priest in 1992 by Pope John Paul II in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome for the Diocese of Laoag City, Philippines, Ligot was incardinated into the Diocese of San Jose on March 30, 2004.

Before his incardination to the California diocese, Ligot served as parish vicar for St. John Vianney Parish, San Jose, from 2003 to 2005. He was also a chaplain at the Veterans Medical Center in San Francisco and a visiting priest at the Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park.

From 2005 to 2009, the bishop-elect was parish priest of St. Lawrence the Martyr Catholic Parish in Santa Clara.

Ligot attended San Pablo College Seminary in Baguio City, Philippines, and later continued his priestly studies at the Bidasoa International Seminary in Navarra, Spain, where he obtained a master’s degree in theology. He later obtained a doctorate in canon law from the University of Navarra in Spain.

Ligot, who is fluent in English, Spanish, Tagalog, and Ilocano, will become the second auxiliary bishop appointed to the Diocese of San Jose and the sixth U.S. prelate from the Philippines.

Pharrell Williams (left) and Andrea Bocelli. / Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images; Jakub Janecki, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Vatican City, Aug 29, 2025 / 11:51 am (CNA).

Italian tenor Andrea Bocelli and American songwriter Pharrell Williams will direct a concert featuring musicians John Legend, Teddy Swims, Jelly Roll, Karol G, BamBam, and Angélique Kidjo in St. Peter’s Square next month.

The Sept. 13 concert, which is free and open to the public, will also include a drone light show and talks on themes including peace, justice, food, freedom, and humanity.

Called “Grace for the World,” the show will close the third edition of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity, organized by the Fratelli Tutti Foundation and St. Peter’s Basilica, and will be preceded by roundtables on social issues in Rome and Vatican City on Sept. 12–13.

Pope Francis established the Fratelli Tutti Foundation at the end of 2021. It is named after his 2020 encyclical on fraternity and social friendship, which expanded on themes in the “Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together,” signed with Sheikh Ahmed el-Tayeb, grand imam of Al-Azhar, in Abu Dhabi in 2019.

The final event of the World Meeting on Human Fraternity 2025 is intended “to communicate to the whole world, with a symbolic embrace, the joy of fraternal love,” Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, president of the Fratelli Tutti Foundation and archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, said at an Aug. 29 press conference at the Vatican.

Gambetti said organizers tried to “broaden our international scope” with the choice of music artists.

In the press conference, the cardinal said Karol G — a Grammy-winning Colombian reggaeton and urban pop artist — was asked to take part because she is Latin American and “because she is involved in important social work” with women and children. “It seemed relevant to the theme we are trying to address,” Gambetti said.

Prominent U.S. artists will also take the stage in front of the Vatican basilica: rapper Jelly Roll and singer-songwriters John Legend, Teddy Swims, and Pharrell Williams.

Thai rapper BamBam, who is also a member of the South Korean boy band Got7, will perform, as well as Angélique Kidjo, a Beninese-French singer, actress, and activist. The concert will also feature the choir of the Diocese of Rome and the Voices of Fire Gospel choir.

Andrea Bocelli, who has performed in St. Peter’s Square on previous occasions, shared in a video message Aug. 29 that his participation in the concert is “a great honor.”

“I sincerely hope that it will truly succeed in spreading, in everyone’s hearts, a sense of brotherhood and great humanity, which is so badly needed,” the world-famous singer added.

The World Meeting on Human Fraternity 2025 will start with a meeting with Pope Leo XIV on Sept. 12. The program will then focus on roundtables on topics including artificial intelligence, education, economics, literature, children, health, and the environment. 

Sept. 13 will include an assembly on the topic of “What It Means to Be a Human Today” and a visit to St. Peter’s Basilica and the Holy Door of the Jubilee of Hope.

“While the world suffers from wars, loneliness, even new poverty, we have decided to stop and ask ourselves what it means to be human today,” Father Francesco Occhetta, SJ, Fratelli Tutti Foundation secretary-general, said Aug. 29.

“It is not an easy question, it even seems a little naive, but it is the only one that can save us if we ask it together,” he added.

Pope Leo XIV accepts the Medal of St. Augustine from Father Robert P. Hagan, OSA, prior provincial of the Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova (right) and Father Joseph Farrell, OSA, vicar general of the Order of St. Augustine (left) in a video released on Aug. 28, 2025. / Credit: Screenshot from the YouTube page of the Augustinian Province of St. Thomas of Villanova

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 29, 2025 / 05:10 am (CNA).

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.

“To be recognized as an Augustinian, it’s an honor held dearly. So much of who I am I owe to the spirit and the teachings of St. Augustine,” he said in a video message shared on St. Augustine’s feast day, Aug. 28.

The Augustinian Province said on Facebook that the Medal of St. Augustine is the highest honor the province can bestow, “given to those who embody the spirit and teachings of St. Augustine, living with deep commitment to truth, unity, and charity.”

The province added: “From his early years in formation to his decades of service in Peru, leadership as prior general, and now as the first Augustinian pope, Pope Leo XIV has witnessed to a life of generosity, faith, and service. In him, we see a true son of Augustine — dedicated to building unity in the Church, teaching with wisdom, and shepherding with a heart rooted in love. We are honored to bestow upon him this award.”

In his video message, recorded from Castel Gandolfo, where he spent a few days of prayer and rest in mid-August, the pope recalled that the life of St. Augustine still inspires the faithful today.

“His life was full of much trial and error, like our own lives. But through God’s grace, through the prayers of his mother, Monica, and the community of good people around him, Augustine was able to find the way to peace for his restless heart,” he said.

Leo emphasized that the example of St. Augustine invites us to put our talents at the service of others: “The life of St. Augustine and his call to servant leadership reminds us that we all have God-given gifts and talents, and our purpose, fulfillment, and joy comes from offering them back in loving service to God and to our neighbor.”

He assured the members of the Augustinian province that they are called to continue the legacy of the first Augustinians in the United States — such as Father Matthew Carr and Father John Rosseter — whose missionary spirit led them to proclaim the Gospel to immigrants in Philadelphia: “Jesus reminds us in the Gospel to love our neighbor, and this challenges us now more than ever to remember to see our neighbors today with the eyes of Christ: that all of us are created in the image and likeness of God through friendship, relationship, dialogue, and respect for one another.”

He also encouraged the U.S. Augustinians to become instruments of reconciliation. “As a community of believers and inspired by the charism of the Augustinians, we are called to go forth to be peacemakers in our families and neighborhoods and truly recognize God’s presence in one another.”

The pope emphasized the importance of listening, following the advice of St. Augustine: “It is within our hearts where God speaks to us.” He added: “The world is full of noise, and our heads and hearts can be flooded with many different kinds of messages. These messages can fuel our restlessness and steal our joy. As a community of faith … may we strive to filter the noise, the divisive voices in our heads and hearts, and open ourselves up to the daily invitations to get to know God and God’s love better.”

The pontiff expressed his confidence that, like Augustine, every believer can find in God the strength to overcome anxiety, darkness, and doubt, and “through God’s grace, we can discover that God’s love is truly healing. Let us strive to build a community where that love is made visible.”

Leo XIV concluded his message by asking for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, and by offering a prayer for the Church: “May God bless you all and bring peace to your restless hearts, and help you continue to build a community of love, one in mind and heart, intent upon on God.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

WASHINGTON – As the use of artificial intelligence (AI) increases in the workplace, we must “advocate for the responsible use of technology, robust protection for those vulnerable to exploitation,” said Archbishop Borys Gudziak in a statement for Labor Day (Sept. 1). Archbishop Gudziak echoed Pope Leo XIV’s encouragement for the Church to turn to its social teaching in response to AI. 

“My brother bishops and I are particularly mindful those among us who are already vulnerable—immigrant workers, farm laborers, low-wage earners, and young people—who often suffer the greatest effects of economic disruptions. Catholics should insist that the benefits of emerging technology are shared equitably.” 

Archbishop Gudziak of the Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia is chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development. 

The full Labor Day statement is available here (Spanish).

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- "So much of who I am I owe to the spirit and the teachings of St. Augustine," Pope Leo XIV told his Augustinian confreres and their benefactors who were celebrating the saint's feast day in Philadelphia.

As Cardinal Robert F. Prevost, the pope had been scheduled to be in Philadelphia for the celebration Aug. 28 and to receive an award. But in May he was elected pope.

So instead, Augustinian Father Robert P. Hagan, prior of the order's Province of St. Thomas of Villanova, based outside Philadelphia, presented the St. Augustine Medal to Pope Leo in July in Castel Gandolfo where the pope was taking a summer break.

The presentation was filmed along with a long video message by Pope Leo, reflecting on St. Augustine and the religious order inspired by him, which the future pope joined in 1977. The video was played in Philadelphia Aug. 28. 

St. Augustine, who lived 354-430, "was one of the great founders of monasticism; a bishop, theologian, preacher, writer and doctor of the church," the pope said. "But this did not happen overnight. His life was full of much trial and error, like our own lives."

"But through God's grace, through the prayers of his mother, Monica, and the community of good people around him, Augustine was able to find the way to peace for his restless heart," he said.

St. Augustine recognized that "we all have God-given gifts and talents," the pope said, "and our purpose, fulfillment and joy comes from offering them back in loving service to God and to our neighbor."

That service, he said, includes ministering to immigrants.

The friars in the United States, he said, "stand on the shoulders of Augustinian friars like Father Matthew Carr and Father John Rossiter whose missionary spirit led them in the late 1700s to go forth (from Ireland) and bring the good news of the Gospel in service to Irish and German immigrants searching for a better life and religious tolerance." 

"Jesus reminds us in the Gospel to love our neighbor, and this challenges us now more than ever to remember to see our neighbors today with the eyes of Christ: that all of us are created in the image and likeness of God," he said.

As Christians and as people inspired by St. Augustine, the pope said, "we are called to go forth to be peacemakers in our families and neighborhoods and truly recognize God's presence in one another."

"Through friendship, relationship, dialogue and respect for one another," Pope Leo said, "we can see past our differences and discover our true identity as sisters and brothers in Christ."

"Peace begins with what we say and do and how we say and do it," the pope said.

And listening is an important part of peacemaking, he said.

"St. Augustine reminds us that before we speak, we first must listen," the pope said, "and as a synodal church, we are encouraged to re-engage in the art of listening through prayer, through silence, discernment and reflection."

"We have the opportunity and responsibility to listen to the Holy Spirit; to listen to each other; to listen to the voices of the poor and those on the margins whose voices need to be heard," Pope Leo said.

St. Augustine taught the faithful "to listen to the inner teacher, the voice that speaks from within all of us. It is within our hearts where God speaks to us," he said.

Learning to hear that inner voice, the pope said, is especially important in a world filled with noise where "our heads and hearts can be flooded with many different kinds of messages," which "can fuel our restlessness and steal our joy."

"As a community of faith, striving to build a relationship with the Lord," Pope Leo encouraged people to "strive to filter the noise, the divisive voices in our heads and hearts, and open ourselves up to the daily invitations to get to know God and God's love better."
 

WASHINGTON – Pope Leo XIV has appointed Reverend Andres (“Andy”) C. Ligot, as Auxiliary Bishop of San José. Father Ligot is a priest of the Diocese of San José and currently serves as vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of San José, and as pastor of St. Elizabeth of Portugal parish in Milpitas, California. The appointment was publicized in Washington, D.C. on August 29, 2025, by Monsignor Većeslav Tumir, chargé d’ affaires, a.i., of the Apostolic Nunciature, in the temporary absence of Cardinal Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States.

The following biographical information for Bishop-elect Ligot was drawn from preliminary materials provided to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops:

Father Ligot was born November 30, 1965, in Laoag City, Philippines. Bishop-elect Ligot studied at San Pablo College Seminary in Baguio City, Philippines, graduating in 1986 with a degree in philosophy. Father Ligot attended seminary at Colegio Eclesiástico Internacional Bidasoa in Pamplona, Spain. He received a master’s degree in philosophy from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines in 1988. Bishop-elect Ligot also studied at the Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain receiving a bachelor’s degree in sacred theology (1992), a master’s degree in theology (1992), a licentiate canon law (1997), and a doctorate in canon law (1999). Father Ligot was ordained to the priesthood on June 14, 1992, for the Diocese of Laoag, Philippines. He was incardinated into the Diocese of San José on March 30, 2004.

Bishop-elect Ligot’s assignments after ordination include: parochial vicar at St. Andrew parish in Bacarra Ilocos Norte, Philippines (1992); and from 1992 to 1995, he served as national coordinator for Evangelization 2000; director of the national office for Catholic School of Evangelization for Asia in Manila, Philippines; parochial vicar at St. William Cathedral in Laoag City, Philippines; and director for the Diocese of Laoag’s Commission on Christian Education. From 1995 to 1999, Father Ligot served as director of the Casa Sacerdotal Padre Baraee and chaplain of the University Medical Center at Universidad de Navarra in Pamplona, Spain. 

In the 1999 Bishop-elect Ligot was given permission by his bishop in Laoag to minister in California, and he served as a chaplain at the Veterans Medical Center in San Francisco, California, and as a visiting priest at Church of the Nativity in Menlo Park. He served in the tribunal for the Diocese of San José as defender of the bond (1999-2000), and judge (2000-2003). He was parochial vicar at St. John Vianney parish in San Jose (2003-2005); pastor at St. Lawrence the Martyr parish in Santa Clara (2005-2009); and judicial vicar for the diocese (2008-2021). Bishop-elect Ligot has been pastor of St. Elizabeth of Portugal parish in Milpitas since 2021, and vicar general and chancellor of the Diocese of San José since 2023. 

Bishop-elect Ligot speaks Tagalog, Ilocano, Spanish, and English. 

The Diocese of San José in California is comprised of 1,300 square miles in the State of California and has a total population of 1,903,198 of which 513,000 are Catholic.

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VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Ravaging the earth and creating environmental injustices are not what God had in mind when he entrusted creation to humanity, Pope Leo XIV said.

In fact, following Pope Francis' teachings on integral ecology must be accepted as "the right path to follow," the pope said in his message for the 2025 World Day of Prayer for Creation.

"Nature itself is reduced at times to a bargaining chip, a commodity to be bartered for economic or political gain. As a result, God's creation turns into a battleground for the control of vital resources," Pope Leo wrote.

"Agricultural areas and forests peppered with landmines, 'scorched earth' policies, conflicts over water sources, and the unequal distribution of raw materials, which penalizes the poorer nations and undermines social stability itself," are among the many wounds inflicted against creation and "are the effect of sin," he wrote.

"This is surely not what God had in mind when he entrusted the earth to the men and women whom he created in his image," he wrote in his message, which was released by the Vatican July 2. 

The World Day of Prayer for Creation, which will be celebrated Sept. 1, marks the start of the ecumenical Season of Creation. The season concludes Oct. 4, the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi, patron saint of ecology.

The theme for 2025, "Seeds of Peace and Hope," had been chosen by Pope Francis to be in harmony with the Holy Year dedicated to "Pilgrims of Hope." The 2025 message also coincides with the late pope's 2015 encyclical, "Laudato Si', on Care for Our Common Home," from which Pope Leo's message cited extensively.

"In Christ, we too are seeds, and indeed, 'seeds of peace and hope,'" Pope Leo wrote.

Just as the Holy Spirit "can make an arid and parched desert into a garden, a place of rest and serenity," he wrote, "prayer, determination and concrete actions are necessary if this 'caress of God' is to become visible to our world."

In different parts of the world, "our earth is being ravaged," Pope Leo wrote. "On all sides, injustice, violations of international law and the rights of peoples, grave inequalities and the greed that fuels them are spawning deforestation, pollution and the loss of biodiversity."

"Extreme natural phenomena caused by climate changes provoked by human activity are growing in intensity and frequency, to say nothing of the medium and long-term effects of the human and ecological devastation being wrought by armed conflicts," he wrote.

The destruction of nature does not affect everyone in the same way, he wrote. "When justice and peace are trampled underfoot, those who are most hurt are the poor, the marginalized and the excluded. The suffering of Indigenous communities is emblematic in this regard." 

"The Bible provides no justification for us to exercise 'tyranny over creation,'" the pope wrote. On the contrary, the biblical texts imply "a relationship of mutual responsibility between human beings and nature."

Environmental justice, he wrote, "can no longer be regarded as an abstract concept or a distant goal" and it involves "much more than simply protecting the environment."

"It is a matter of justice -- social, economic and human," he wrote. "For believers, it is also a duty born of faith, since the universe reflects the face of Jesus Christ, in whom all things were created and redeemed."

"In a world where the most vulnerable of our brothers and sisters are the first to suffer the devastating effects of climate change, deforestation and pollution, care for creation becomes an expression of our faith and humanity," Pope Leo wrote.

"Now is the time to follow words with deeds," he wrote.

Pope Francis' encyclical, "'Laudato Si',' has now guided the Catholic Church and many people of goodwill for ten years. May it continue to inspire us and may integral ecology be increasingly accepted as the right path to follow," he wrote.

Pope Leo XIV addresses a delegation of political representatives and civic leaders from the Diocese of Créteil, France, on Aug. 28, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 28, 2025 / 12:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Thursday encouraged Catholic politicians to live coherently as Christians and follow the Gospel, even when performing their public duties in a secular polity. 

During an Aug. 28 meeting with a delegation of political representatives and civic leaders from the Diocese of Créteil, France, accompanied by Bishop Dominique Blanchet, the Holy Father stated that “a more just, more human, more fraternal world” can only be “a world more imbued with the Gospel.”

Thus, he added, “in the face of the various deviations present in our Western societies, we can do nothing better, as Christians, than to turn to Christ and ask for his help in carrying out our responsibilities.”

For this reason, the pope highlighted the importance of political and social leaders being committed to acting in coherence with their faith, because “beyond mere personal enrichment, it carries great importance and usefulness for the men and women they serve.” 

In this regard, he underlined that such determination “is all the more praiseworthy considering that, in France, due to a sometimes-misunderstood secularism, it is not easy for an elected representative to act and decide consistently with their faith.” 

‘Christianity cannot be reduced to a mere private devotion’ 

Because the Christian message embraces every dimension of the human person, Leo XIV stressed that “Christianity cannot be reduced to a mere private devotion, since it entails a way of living in society infused with love for God and neighbor, who in Christ is no longer an enemy but a brother.” 

To face social challenges, the Holy Father said Catholic politicians must rely “on the virtue of charity that dwells within them since baptism,” a gift of God that, as he cited from the Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the Church, constitutes a “force capable of inspiring new paths to address today’s problems and to renew profoundly from within structures, social organizations, and legal norms,” bringing charity from the personal realm into the social and political one because “it makes us love the common good and leads us to effectively seek the good of all.” 

Pope Leo XIV also noted that the Christian politician “is better prepared to face the challenges of today’s world, provided, of course, that he lives and bears witness to his faith in him, to his personal relationship with Christ.” 

In this sense, he warned against the temptation to promote values “however evangelical they may be, but ‘emptied’ of Christ, their author,” since they will be “incapable of changing the world.” 

Responding to Blanchet’s request for advice to Catholic politicians, Leo XIV replied: “The first and only one I will give you is to unite yourselves more and more to Jesus, to live and bear witness to him.” 

Coherence in public life 

“There is no split in the personality of a public figure: There is not, on one side, the politician and, on the other, the Christian. Rather, there is a politician who, under God’s gaze and before his conscience, lives his commitments and responsibilities as a Christian!” he added.

To achieve such coherence of life, the pope recalled the call for Catholic politicians “to strengthen themselves in faith, to deepen their knowledge of doctrine — especially social doctrine — that Jesus taught the world, and to put it into practice in carrying out their duties and in drafting laws.” 

He also affirmed the enduring validity of natural law, a norm “that all can recognize, even non-Christians. Therefore, we should not fear proposing it and defending it with conviction: It is a doctrine of salvation that seeks the good of every human being, the building of peaceful, harmonious, prosperous, and reconciled societies.”

Courage in the face of difficulties 

At the end of his address, the pope acknowledged that “an openly Christian commitment by a public official is not easy, especially in certain Western societies where Christ and his Church are marginalized, often ignored, and at times ridiculed.” 

Such a commitment also means facing political pressures, including that of “ideological colonization,” Leo said, using a term coined by his predecessor Pope Francis to refer to campaigns by wealthy countries and organizations to influence the values of developing nations.  Leo said that Christian public officials “need courage: the courage sometimes to say ‘no, I cannot,’ when the truth is at stake.” 

“Only union with Jesus — Jesus crucified! — will give you that courage to suffer for his name,” the pontiff declared, recalling Christ’s words: “In the world you will have tribulation, but take courage: I have overcome the world.” 

In conclusion, the pope expressed his support for Catholic politicians and encouraged them not to lose hope in a better world: “Remain certain that, united to Christ, your efforts will bear fruit and receive their reward.”

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Christian hope is not about avoiding pain and suffering but about knowing that God gives people the strength to persevere and to love even when things go wrong, Pope Leo XIV said.

When Jesus allowed himself to be arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane, he showed that "Christian hope is not evasion, but decision," the pope told thousands of people gathered in the Vatican audience hall Aug. 27 for his weekly general audience.

"The way that Jesus exercised his freedom in the face of death teaches us not to fear suffering, but to persevere in confident trust in God's providential care," the pope said in his address to English speakers.

"If we surrender to God's will and freely give our lives in love for others, the Father's grace will sustain us in every trial and enable us to bear abundant fruit for the salvation of our brothers and sisters," he said. 

A person of faith, the pope said, does not ask God "to spare us from suffering, but rather to give us the strength to persevere in love, aware that life offered freely for love cannot be taken away by anyone."

Jesus lived every day of his life as preparation for the "dramatic and sublime hour" of his arrest, his suffering and his death, the pope said. "For this reason, when it arrives, he has the strength not to seek a way of escape. His heart knows well that to lose life for love is not a failure, but rather possesses a mysterious fruitfulness, like a grain of wheat that, falling to the ground, does not remain alone, but dies and becomes fruitful."

Naturally, Pope Leo said, Jesus "is troubled when faced with a path that seems to lead only to death and to the end. But he is equally persuaded that only a life lost for love, at the end, is ultimately found."

"This is what true hope consists of: not in trying to avoid pain, but in believing that even in the heart of the most unjust suffering, the seed of new life is hidden," he said. 

After spending more than 90 minutes greeting people in the audience hall, including dozens of newlywed couples, Pope Leo went into St. Peter's Basilica, where hundreds of people who did not get a place in the hall had been watching the audience and waiting for their turn to see the pope.

The pope thanked them for their patience, which, he said, "is a sign of the presence of the Spirit of God, who is with us. So often in life, we want to receive a response immediately, an immediate solution, and for some reason God makes us wait."

"But as Jesus himself taught us, we must have that trust that comes from knowing that we are sons and daughters of God and that God always gives us grace," the pope said. "He doesn't always take away our pain or suffering, but he tells us that he is close to us."
 

Pope Leo: Trust in God amid suffering

A look at Pope Leo's general audience Aug. 27.

Pope Leo XIV prays during his Wednesday general audience on Aug. 13, 2025, in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

CNA Staff, Aug 27, 2025 / 15:30 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday said he was offering prayers for the victims of the Minneapolis Catholic school shooting, one he described as an “extremely difficult” and “terrible” tragedy.

Two children were killed in a shooting incident at Annunciation Church in Minneapolis on Aug. 27, with the gunman taking his own life after the deadly attack during the parochial school Mass.

Law enforcement were still working to determine a motive to the shooting on Wednesday afternoon. In his telegram to Saint Paul and Minneapolis Archbishop Bernard Hebda, meanwhile, Leo said he was “profoundly saddened” at the news of the killings.

The pope “sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness” to the victims of the shooting, said the telegram, signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. 

Leo “sends his heartfelt condolences and the assurance of spiritual closeness to all those affected by this terrible tragedy, especially the families now grieving the loss of a child,” the message said. 

“While commending the souls of the deceased children to the love of Almighty God, His Holiness prays for the wounded as well as the first responders, medical personnel, and clergy who are caring for them and their loved ones,” the message continued. 

The pope offered an apostolic blessing to the archdiocese “as a pledge of peace, fortitude, and consolation in the Lord Jesus.”

U.S. bishops: ‘Let us all beg the Lord for protection’

Also on Wednesday, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued a statement lamenting the loss of life in the deadly shooting. 

“Whenever one part of the Body of Christ is wounded, we feel the pain as if it were our very own children,” USCCB Vice President Archbishop William Lori said in the statement. 

“Let us all beg the Lord for the protection and healing of the entire Annunciation family.”

The remarks from the pope and the U.S. bishops come amid an outpouring of grief and support from around the U.S. and the world.

President Donald Trump on Wednesday morning said the White House was monitoring the situation. “Please join me in praying for everyone involved!” he wrote. The president subsequently ordered the U.S. flags at the White House to be lowered to half staff in honor of the victims of the shooting.

Numerous other U.S. bishops responded to the tragedy as well. “Please join me in praying for all those who were injured or lost their lives — along with their families,” Winona-Rochester, Minnesota, Bishop Robert Barron said. “Let us also pray for the students, faculty, and entire parish community.”

The New York State Catholic Conference, meanwhile, wrote that the state’s bishops were “devastated” by the shooting.