Pope Leo XIV greets French altar servers during an audience on Aug. 25, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 25, 2025 / 16:57 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said during an audience with French altar servers in Rome on Aug. 25, the feast day of St. Louis IX, king of France, that the shortage of priests is “a great misfortune” for the Catholic Church, encouraging them to “persevere faithfully” in their service at the altar.

“I also wish you to be attentive to the call that Jesus might make to you to follow him more closely in the priesthood. I am speaking to your consciences as enthusiastic and generous young people, and I am going to tell you something that you must listen to, even if it worries you a little: the shortage of priests in France is a great misfortune! A misfortune for the Church, a misfortune for your country!” the pontiff said.

Leo XIV began his address by reminding the young people that the jubilee celebrated by the Church every 25 years is “an exceptional occasion” and that, as we pass through the Holy Door, Jesus “helps us to ‘convert,’ that is, to turn toward him, to grow in faith and in his love so that we may become better disciples, and that our lives may be made beautiful and good in his sight, in view of eternal life.”

He therefore invited the altar servers to take advantage of the opportunity to come to Rome, above all by “spending time speaking to Jesus in the depths of your hearts and loving him more and more,” because he desires only “to become your best friend, your most faithful one.”

‘Only Jesus comes to save us, and no one else’

In the face of the world’s challenges, the pontiff asked: “Who will come to our aid?” He explained that “the answer is perfectly clear and has echoed throughout history for 2,000 years: Only Jesus comes to save us, and no one else: because only he has the power — he is almighty God in person — and because he loves us.”

The “sure proof” that this is so, he went on to explain to the young altar servers, is that “Jesus loves us and saves us: He gave his life for us by offering it on the cross.”

“This is the most wonderful thing about our Catholic faith, something no one could have imagined or expected: God, the creator of heaven and earth, wanted to suffer and die for us, who are creatures. God has loved us to the point of death!” he said.

Regarding the Eucharist, Leo XIV emphasized that it is “the treasure of the Church, the treasure of treasures,” which he described as “the most important event in the life of a Christian and in the life of the Church, because it is the encounter in which God gives himself to us out of love, again and again.”

“Christians do not go to Mass out of obligation but because they absolutely need it; the need for the life of God that is given without return,” the Holy Father emphasized.

After expressing his gratitude for the “very great and generous” service that altar servers provide in their parishes, Leo XIV invited them to “persevere faithfully,” keeping in mind as they approach the altar “the greatness and holiness of what is being celebrated.”

Eucharist: A moment of celebration and also of solemnity

In this sense, he added: “The Mass is a moment of celebration and joy. How can we fail to have a joyful heart in the presence of Jesus? But the Mass is, at the same time, a serious, solemn moment, imbued with gravity. May your attitude, your silence, the dignity of your service, the liturgical beauty, the order and majesty of your gestures, draw the faithful into the sacred grandeur of the mystery.”

It was at this point that the pontiff appealed to the conscience of the altar servers, “enthusiastic and generous young people,” inviting them to heed the possible call to the ordained ministry.

“May you,” the pope added, “little by little, from Sunday to Sunday, discover the beauty, the happiness and the necessity of such a vocation. What a wonderful life is that of the priest who, in the heart of each of his days, encounters Jesus in such an exceptional way and gives him to the world!”

Before imparting his blessing, Leo XIV dismissed those present with words of encouragement: “Your number and the faith that animates you are a great consolation, a sign of hope. Persevere with courage and bear witness to those around you of the pride and joy that comes from serving at Mass.”

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

Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez is president of Nicaragua’s bishops’ conference. / Credit: Alonso3215 (CC0 1.0)

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 25, 2025 / 15:09 pm (CNA).

Over the weekend, Pope Leo XIV received the exiled president of the Nicaraguan bishops’ conference, Bishop Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, who was expelled from the Central American country by the Daniel Ortega dictatorship in November 2024.

On Aug. 23, the Vatican press office said that “this morning the Holy Father received in audience His Eminence Carlos Enrique Herrera Gutiérrez, OFM, bishop of Jinotega (Nicaragua)."

As is customary with these types of audiences, the Vatican did not offer further details about the meeting.

Herrera has been president of the Nicaraguan Bishops’ Conference since 2022. In 2024, under intense persecution by the dictatorship of Ortega and his wife and co-president, Rosario Murillo, Herrera was expelled from the country after criticizing a pro-Ortega mayor who interfered with a Mass by blasting loud music in front of the cathedral.

ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner, confirmed that after the bishop’s expulsion, he was taken in by a Franciscan community in Guatemala.

Nicaragua has nine bishops, four of whom live in exile. In addition to Herrera, those forced to leave the country are Silvio Báez, auxiliary bishop of Managua; Rolando Álvarez, bishop of Matagalpa and apostolic administrator of Estelí; and Isidoro Mora, bishop of Siuna.

Before being deported, Álvarez spent 17 months in detention, first under house arrest and then in prison, and was stripped of his Nicaraguan citizenship.

Among the many attacks on the Church perpetrated by the Ortega-Murillo dictatorship, the then-apostolic nuncio, Archbishop Waldemar Stanislaw Sommertag, was expelled from Nicaragua in March 2022. This led to the severance of diplomatic relations with the Holy See.

In March 2023, Pope Francis harshly criticized Ortega, stating that he must be suffering from some personal “imbalance” and comparing his regime to the “crude dictatorships” of the early 20th century.

“I believe that Pope Leo XIV will be a true lion, a defender and champion of the faith of the Nicaraguan people, with the strength of a lion and the humility of a lamb,” Arturo McFields Yescas, Nicaragua’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States, who is in exile for denouncing the dictatorship’s excesses, told ACI Prensa in May.

Although Pope Leo XIV has not yet spoken publicly about Nicaragua, McFields Yescas commented that currently “there is much hope” because despite the dictatorship’s relentless attacks, “the faith remains free and remains strengthened in the midst of persecution.”

One of the regime’s latest attacks has been the confiscation of the iconic St. Joseph School in Jinotepe, an event described by Martha Molina, a Nicaraguan lawyer and researcher in exile, as “an outrage against religious freedom.”

Molina is the author of the report “Nicaragua: A Persecuted Church,” which in its latest edition reports nearly 1,000 attacks by the dictatorship against the Church.

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

Pope Leo XIV gives his Sunday Angelus address from the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 24, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 24, 2025 / 10:10 am (CNA).

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy marked his country’s Independence Day on Sunday by posting a letter from Pope Leo XIV in which the pope assured him of prayers for Ukrainians suffering in the war and urged that “the clamor of arms may fall silent and give way to dialogue.”

“With a heart wounded by the violence that ravages your land, I address you on this day of your national feast,” the pope wrote in the letter, which Zelenskyy shared on the social media platform X on Aug. 24. The Vatican’s official media outlet, Vatican News, published an article attributing the message to Pope Leo XIV.

“I wish to assure you of my prayer for the people of Ukraine who suffer from war — especially for all those wounded in body, for those bereaved by the death of a loved one, and for those deprived of their homes,” the pope said. “May God himself console them; may he strengthen the injured and grant eternal rest to the departed.”

The pope said he was entrusting Ukraine “to the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace,” and prayed that “the path to peace for the good of all” would be opened.

Zelenskyy, in his X post, thanked the pope: “I am sincerely grateful to His Holiness for his thoughtful words, prayer, and attention to the people of Ukraine amid devastating war. All of our hopes and efforts are for our nation to achieve the long-awaited peace. For good, trust, and justice to prevail. We appreciate @pontifex’s moral leadership and apostolic support.”

The papal message was one of a flurry of Independence Day letters Zelenskyy posted online from world leaders, including U.S. President Donald Trump, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Chinese leader Xi Jinping, King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands, King Charles III of Britain, Swiss President Karin Keller-Sutter, French President Emmanuel Macron, and King Felipe VI of Spain.

Ukraine’s Independence Day, celebrated annually on Aug. 24, commemorates the country’s 1991 declaration of independence from the Soviet Union.

The pope’s message came two days after he called for a worldwide day of fasting and prayer for peace, coinciding with the Aug. 22 feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

In July, Zelenskyy met Pope Leo at Castel Gandolfo, the pope’s summer residence, in their second encounter since the pope’s inauguration Mass in May. According to the Vatican, they discussed “the urgency of pursuing just and lasting paths of peace,” and Pope Leo reaffirmed his willingness to host representatives of Russia and Ukraine for possible negotiations.

Pope Leo XIV waves to the crowd during his Angelus address on Aug. 24, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 24, 2025 / 08:20 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV said Sunday that Jesus calls Christians to enter through the narrow gate and challenges the presumption of those who assume they are already saved.

Speaking from the window of the Apostolic Palace to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square on Aug. 24, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading in which Jesus says: “Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I tell you, will try to enter and will not be able” (Lk 13:22-30).

Jesus, the pope said, “did not choose the easy path of success or power; instead, in order to save us, he loved us to the point of walking through the ‘narrow gate’ of the cross.”

There are times when following the Lord, he added, will require “making difficult and unpopular decisions, resisting our selfish inclinations, placing ourselves at the service of others, and persevering in doing what is right when the logic of evil seems to prevail.”

In his Angelus address, Pope Leo said that Jesus calls into question what he described as “the security of believers” and added that the Lord’s words about the “narrow gate” are “meant primarily to challenge the presumption of those people who think they are already saved, who perform religious acts and feel that is all that is needed.”

“Our faith is authentic when it embraces our whole life, when it becomes a criterion for our decisions, when it makes us women and men committed to doing what is right and who take risks out of love, even as Jesus did,” he said.

“Jesus is the true measure of our faith; he is the gate through which we must pass in order to be saved (cf. Jn 10:9) by experiencing his love and by working, in our daily lives, to promote justice and peace,” Leo added.

“Let us ask the Virgin Mary to help us find the courage to pass through the ‘narrow gate’ of the Gospel, so that we may open ourselves with joy to the wide embrace of God our loving Father.”

After leading the crowd in the Angelus prayer in Latin, the pope turned his thoughts to Christians suffering violence in Mozambique’s Cabo Delgado province.

“I express my closeness to the people of Cabo Delgado, Mozambique, who have become victims of an unsecure and violent situation that continues to cause death and displacement. In asking you not to forget these brothers and sisters of ours, I invite you to pray for them, and I express my hope that the efforts of the country’s leaders will succeed in restoring security and peace in that territory,” he said.

He also renewed prayers for Ukraine, days after calling for a worldwide day of prayer and fasting for peace. “Today, we join our Ukrainian brothers and sisters who, with the spiritual initiative ‘World Prayer for Ukraine,’ are asking the Lord to grant peace to their tormented country,” he said.

Earlier Sunday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted on X a letter from the pope in which Leo assured him of his prayer for the people suffering in Ukraine and that a path to peace for the good of all will be opened. 

Pope Leo XIV views a gift from an attendee at the International Catholic Legislators Network meeting at the Vatican, Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 23, 2025 / 09:30 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Saturday urged Catholic lawmakers to draw inspiration from St. Augustine’s “City of God” as they navigate shifting global politics, warning against reducing the idea of human flourishing to mere wealth or consumer comfort.

Speaking to the International Catholic Legislators Network in the Clementine Hall of the Apostolic Palace, the pope called on parliamentarians to ensure that “power is tamed by conscience and law is at the service of human dignity.”

“Authentic human flourishing is seen when individuals live virtuously, when they live in healthy communities, enjoying not only what they have, what they possess, but also who they are as children of God,” he told the lawmakers.

“It ensures the freedom to seek truth, to worship God, and to raise families in peace. It also includes a harmony with creation and a sense of solidarity across social classes and nations.”

The International Catholic Legislators Network, founded in 2010 by Austrian Cardinal Christoph Schönborn and British peer David Alton, gathers Catholic parliamentarians annually in Rome to discuss religious liberty, Church-state relations, the protection of life, and the role of Catholic thought in politics.

This year’s four-day meeting in Rome took up the theme “The New World Order: Major Power Politics, Corporate Dominions, and the Future of Human Flourishing.”

In his speech, Pope Leo pointed to St. Augustine of Hippo, who wrote “The City of God” during the collapse of the Roman Empire.

“To find our footing in the present circumstances — especially you as Catholic legislators and political leaders — I suggest that we might look to the past, to that towering figure of St. Augustine of Hippo,” he said.

“As a leading voice of the Church in the late Roman era, he witnessed immense upheavals and social disintegration. In response, he penned ‘The City of God,’ a work that offers a vision of hope, a vision of meaning that can still speak to us today.”

The pope shared how Augustine taught that there are two “cities” intertwined in human history that signify two orientations of the human heart: “The City of Man, built on pride and love of oneself, is marked by the pursuit of power, prestige, and pleasure; the City of God, built on love of God unto selflessness, is characterized by justice, charity, and humility.”

Leo said that lawmakers are called to act as “bridge-builders between the City of God and the City of Man.”

“Augustine encouraged Christians to infuse the earthly society with the values of God’s kingdom, thereby directing history toward its ultimate fulfillment in God, while also allowing for authentic human flourishing in this life,” he said.

“The future of human flourishing depends on which ‘love’ we choose to organize our society around — a selfish love, the love of self, or the love of God and neighbor.”

Pope Leo also challenged prevailing cultural notions of progress and development. “We must clarify the meaning of human flourishing. Today, a flourishing life is often confused with a materially wealthy life or a life of unrestricted individual autonomy and pleasure,” he said.

“The so-called ideal future presented to us is often one of technological convenience and consumer satisfaction. Yet we know that this is not enough. We see this in affluent societies where many people struggle with loneliness, with despair and a sense of meaninglessness.”

Instead, he insisted, true flourishing stems from what the Church calls “integral human development,” or “the full development of a person in all dimensions: physical, social, cultural, moral, and spiritual.”

“This vision for the human person is rooted in natural law, the moral order that God has written on the human heart, whose deeper truths are illuminated by the Gospel of Christ,” he said.

Pope Leo XIV is the first pope from the Order of St. Augustine, also known as the Augustinians, an ancient religious order with thousands of members worldwide. Leo served as the head of the order from 2001 to 2013.

In the first months of his pontificate, Pope Leo has cited his spiritual father, St. Augustine, on multiple occasions, establishing a pastoral approach deeply rooted in the Augustinian tradition.

Before greeting the lawmakers one by one, the pope thanked them for “bringing the Gospel message into the public arena.”

“Be assured of my prayers for you, your loved ones, your families, your friends, and especially today for those whom you serve,” he said. “May the Lord Jesus, the Prince of Peace, bless and guide your efforts for the true flourishing of the human family.”

Pope Leo XIV meets with a U.S. ecumenical group led by Cardinal Joseph Tobin and Greek Orthodox Archbishop Elpidophoros of America on July 17, 2025, at the Vatican, encouraging them to “return to the roots of our faith” in their pilgrimage to Italy and Turkey. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 22, 2025 / 15:07 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has issued an ecumenical appeal to all Christians to be architects of reconciliation and peace throughout the world on the occasion of Ecumenical Week, which is being celebrated in Stockholm Aug. 18–24.

In a message published Aug. 22 by the Vatican press office, the pontiff recalled that this initiative, in which Christians of different denominations participate, coincides with the centenary of the Christian Conference on Life and Work held in Stockholm in 1925 and the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicaea.

Regarding the council held in 325, Leo XIV explained that with the formulation of the Creed, the Council Fathers “articulated the faith that continues to bind Christians together,” making that occasion “a courageous sign of unity amid difference — an early witness to the conviction that our shared confession can overcome division and foster communion.”

Regarding the meeting convened in Stockholm 100 years ago, the pope emphasized that its proponent “the pioneer of the early ecumenical movement, Archbishop Nathan Söderblom, Lutheran archbishop of Uppsala,” held the conviction that “service unites” and proposed joining forces in “‘practical Christianity’ — to serve the world together in the pursuit of peace, justice, and human dignity.”

Leo XIV noted that, although the Catholic Church was not present at that first meeting, “we stand with you today as fellow disciples of Christ, recognizing that what unites us is far greater than what divides us.”

He emphasized that since the Second Vatican Council, “the Catholic Church has wholeheartedly embraced the ecumenical path,” reflected in the decree Unitatis Redintegratio, which called “dialogue in humble and loving fraternity, grounded in our common baptism and our shared mission in the world.”

“We believe that the unity Christ wills for his Church must be visible and that such unity grows through theological dialogue, common worship where possible, and shared witness in the face of humanity’s suffering,” the pontiff said in his message.

Leo XIV also highlighted the theme of this year’s meeting, “Time for God’s Peace,” as a message that “could not be more timely” as we contemplate “the deep scars of conflict, inequality, environmental degradation, and a growing sense of spiritual disconnection.”

Peace, the Holy Father emphasized, “is not merely a human achievement but a sign of the Lord’s presence with us. This is both a promise and a task, for the followers of Christ are summoned to become artisans of reconciliation: to confront division with courage, indifference with compassion, and to bring healing where there has been hurt.”

In reference to the ecumenical work carried out by his predecessors, Leo XIV said he is pleased that during the ecumenical meeting “my delegation is able to be present as a sign of the Catholic Church’s commitment to continuing the journey of praying and working together, wherever we can, for peace, justice, and the good of all.”

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

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

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 21, 2025 / 12:42 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has called for a day of fasting and prayer for peace on Friday, Aug. 22, coinciding with the liturgical feast of the Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

The Holy Father made the announcement Aug. 20 during his greeting to Italian-speaking pilgrims at the conclusion of the catechesis for the general audience, recalling that Our Lady, in addition to being queen, is “also invoked as Queen of Peace.”

“While our earth continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in many other regions of the world, I invite all the faithful to devote the day of Aug. 22 to fasting and prayer, imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice and to dry the tears of those who suffer as a result of the ongoing armed conflicts,” the pontiff said.

“Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path to peace,” he prayed.

On Tuesday evening at Castel Gandolfo, Leo XIV expressed his hope for a solution to the crisis of the war in Ukraine but emphasized the need to continue to “work hard, pray hard” for peace. 

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

Pope Leo XIV greets the faithful at the gates of Castel Gandolfo on Aug. 19, 2025. / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Aug 20, 2025 / 15:00 pm (CNA).

Speaking to reporters at Castel Gandolfo on Aug. 19, Pope Leo XIV expressed hope for an end to the war in Ukraine but noted that hard work and prayer are needed so that the peace negotiations may bear fruit. 

According to Vatican News, before returning to the Vatican after his morning visit to the shrine of Our Lady of Mentorella, Mother of Graces, the pontiff spoke with journalists waiting outside the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo about the conflict in the heart of Europe: “There is hope, but we still need to work hard, pray hard, and truly seek the way forward to find peace.” 

Leo XIV made these comments just after 9 p.m. local time after greeting hundreds of pilgrims gathered in the street, some of whom were able to speak briefly with the pontiff.

First 100 days, ‘a blessing from God’

Asked about his first 100 days as bishop of Rome and successor to St. Peter, the pontiff simply said that they have been “a blessing from God.”

“I receive so much, I believe deeply in the Lord’s grace, and I am very grateful for the welcome I have received. I thank you all,” he said before leaving for the Vatican. 

Before that, Pope Leo XIV did not miss the opportunity to express his gratitude for the opportunity to enjoy Castel Gandolfo, where he hopes to return soon: “Being here is a blessing; I am very happy with the welcome I have received from the people.”

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

Pope Leo XIV waves during his Wednesday audience Aug. 20, 2025. In a telegram dated the same day, he called moral theologians meeting in Colombia to “find a balanced synthesis” between “the laws of God” and the “dynamics of man’s conscience and freedom” in the spirit of St. Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 20, 2025 / 12:56 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday invited participants attending the 17th International Congress of Moral Theology in Colombia to reflect on the world’s challenges and conflicts in light of divine revelation revealed through Jesus Christ.

The theme of the two-day congress, held at the San Alfonso University Foundation in the country’s capital, Bogotá, from Aug. 20–21, is “Ethics of the 21st Century: Changes and Conflicts in Society, Gender, AI, and Integral Ecology.”

In an Aug. 20 telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Leo expressed his hope that the international congress will give theologians an opportunity to “find a balanced synthesis” between “the laws of God” and the “dynamics of man’s conscience and freedom” in the spirit of St. Alphonsus Maria de’ Liguori.

According to the Holy Father, the Italian saint and Church doctor was a “visible sign of God’s infinite mercy” who assumed a “charitable, understanding, and patient attitude” toward others. 

At the end of the short telegram, Pope Leo invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary, “Seat of Wisdom,” to protect the men and women from various countries participating in the conference.

The 16th edition of the Redemptorist university’s moral theology congress took place in 2023 and focused on the topic of ethical and bioethical challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Pope Leo XIV greets a young papal admirer in St. Peter’s Basilica during the general audience on Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025, at the Vatican. / Credit: Vatican Media

Vatican City, Aug 20, 2025 / 10:00 am (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday continued his catechesis on “Jesus Christ Our Hope” and invited Catholics around the world to dedicate the Aug. 22 feast of the Queenship of Mary to a day of prayer and fasting for world peace.

After delivering his Aug. 20 catechesis to approximately 6,000 international pilgrims gathered inside the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall, the Holy Father urged his listeners to ask the Mother of God and “Queen of Peace” to intercede for those suffering due to war and violence.

“As our world continues to be wounded by wars in the Holy Land, in Ukraine, and in other parts of the world, I invite all the faithful to live the day of Aug. 22 as a day of prayer and fasting, imploring the Lord to grant us peace and justice, and to wipe away the tears of those who suffer because of ongoing armed conflicts,” he said.

“May Mary, Queen of Peace, intercede so that peoples may find the path of peace,” he prayed.

‘Forgiveness frees those who give it’

In his Wednesday catechesis, the Holy Father emphasized the power of forgiveness shown through the example of Jesus Christ when faced with the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, one of his 12 disciples.

“Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass ... he loved them to the end,” the pope said, citing Chapter 13 of St. John’s Gospel.

“To love until the end: Here is the key to understanding Christ’s heart,” he said. “A love that does not cease in the face of rejection, disappointment, even ingratitude.”

Speaking about the link between love and freedom, the Holy Father said Jesus was not blindsided by Judas’ decision but chose to reach out to him even though “his love must pass through the most painful wound” of betrayal.

“Instead of withdrawing, accusing, defending himself ... he continues to love: He washes the feet, dips the bread and offers it,” the pope said during the catechesis.

“He knows that true forgiveness does not await repentance but offers itself first, as a free gift, even before it is accepted,” he added.

According to Leo, the gift of forgiveness is not a sign of “weakness” or “forgetfulness” but a manifestation of “the true face of hope” and salvation.

“It is the ability to set the other free, while loving him to the end,” he said. “Jesus’ love does not deny the truth of pain, but it does not allow evil to have the last word.” 

“This is the mystery Jesus accomplishes for us, in which we too, at times, are called to participate,” he said.

Pope Leo spent more than one hour greeting groups of pilgrims who came to the Vatican to see him on Wednesday. 

After the catechesis, the Holy Father imparted his apostolic blessing to those gathered inside the Paul VI Audience Hall, then walked to Piazza del Sant’Uffizio and St. Peter’s Basilica to meet with pilgrims and share a condensed version of his catechesis in Italian, Spanish, and English.