On October 9, 2025, Pope Leo XIV promulgated his first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi te (“I Have Loved You”), a work begun by Pope Francis and now completed under Leo’s own hand. The document is a powerful meditation on the love of Christ for the poor and on the Church’s calling to stand in solidarity with the weakest. In it, the Holy Father invites all believers to see in the face of the poor the face of Christ, and to respond with compassion, justice, and mercy.

Pope Leo underscores that God’s love is not abstract, but is revealed in caring for those who suffer: materially, socially, spiritually. He reminds us that poverty has many dimensions—lack of resources, exclusion, loss of dignity—and challenges us not to ignore these realities. The Church is called to be not just for the poor, but with them, walking alongside them, uplifting them, listening to them, and learning from them.

In the Exhortation, we also find reflections on education, migration, structural injustice, and the need for concrete action. The poor are not merely recipients of charity; as Pope Leo says, they are “teachers of the Gospel.” To serve the poor is to encounter Christ Himself.

I encourage you wholeheartedly to read and reflect on Dilexi te. Let its message awaken in each of us a renewed commitment to love in action—through small daily gestures, advocacy, prayer, and generosity. May it deepen your compassion and inspire you to stand more courageously beside those in need.

You can access the full text here:

• English version: Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te (English) — via the Vatican website (Vatican)
• French version: Exhortation apostolique Dilexi te (Français) — via the Vatican website (Vatican)

Let us pray that our community may become ever more faithful to the call of Christ to love the poor, and that we may become living witnesses of his merciful heart.

Fr. Marius

Pope Leo XIV Impromptu remarks before Holy Mass and the Rite of Canonization

Good morning, everyone! Happy Sunday and welcome! Thank you!

Brothers and sisters, today is a wonderful feast for all of Italy, for the whole Church, for the whole world! Before beginning the solemn celebration of the Canonization, I wanted to greet you all and say a few words, because, while the celebration is very solemn, it is also a day of great joy! I wished especially to greet the many young people who have come for this Holy Mass! It is truly a blessing from the Lord to be here together with all of you who have come from different countries. It is truly a gift of faith that we want to share.

MORE

This Sunday, September 7, 2025, marks a momentous occasion in the life of our Church. In St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV will preside over his very first canonization Mass, elevating Blessed Carlo Acutis and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati to the altars of sainthood—a profound gift especially dear to the hearts of young Catholics .

The new pope’s choice of these two youthful and inspiring figures speaks volumes. Though separated by nearly a century, Acutis and Frassati share a remarkable devotion to Christ and a passionate commitment to living the Gospel in modern life .

Carlo Acutis, a teenager born in 1991 who passed away at age 15 from leukemia, combined typical youthful interests—video games, pets, soccer—with profound devotion. He used his computer skills to curate a website of Eucharistic miracles, earning him the endearing title, “God’s Influencer.” His canonization recognizes two miracles attributed to his intercession and marks him as the Church’s first millennial saint .

Pier Giorgio Frassati, born in 1901 and called the “Man of the Beatitudes”, lived a brief but brilliantly holy life, dying at 24 from polio. Known for his deep spirituality, charitable outreach through the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and adventurous spirit as a mountaineer, Frassati embodied joy, service, and faith .

Though both were originally scheduled for canonization during jubilee events—Acutis in April and Frassati in August—the passing of Pope Francis in April delayed those plans. Pope Leo XIV has now brought these young blessings together in a single, meaningful celebration this Sunday .

In a time when so many feel disconnected from the faith, these new saints stand as luminous models: a tech-savvy teen who found holiness online, and a joyful mountaineer who chased heaven while helping the needy. May their stories inspire us—young and old—to walk more closely with Christ in our own, everyday lives.

MORE

Pope Leo XIV Announces World Youth Day 2027 in Seoul

In a heartfelt message at the closing Mass of the Jubilee of Youth on August 3, 2025, Pope Leo XIV officially announced that World Youth Day 2027 will be held in Seoul, South Korea, from August 3 to August 8, 2027 EWTN VaticanWikipedia.

This will be a truly historic gathering:

• It marks the first World Youth Day held in South Korea, and notably the first in a country where Christians are a minority WikipediaUSCCB.
• It's only the second time the global Catholic youth festival is hosted in Asia, after Manila in 1995 Wikipediacnewsliveenglish.com.
• The theme for the event will be “Take courage! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33) WikipediaCatholic News.

Let us pray for all preparations and for the young pilgrims who will gather to renew their faith in this remarkable celebration of hope and unity.

Pope Leo engaged in a heartfelt dialogue with children taking part in the Vatican's summer camp, who gathered with him yesterday in the Paul VI Hall. Joining them was a group of approximately 300 young students from Ukraine, hosted in Italy by Caritas for the summer.

MORE

MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST 
HOLY MASS, PROCESSION AND EUCHARISTIC BLESSING

HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER LEO XIV

Saint John Lateran Square
Sunday, 22 June 2025

[Multimedia]

________________________________________

Dear brothers and sisters, it is wonderful to be in the presence of Jesus. The Gospel passage we just heard attests to this; it recounts how the crowds spent long hours listening to him speak about the Kingdom of God and seeing him heal the sick (cf. Lk 9:11). Jesus’ compassion for the suffering shows us the loving closeness of God, who comes into our world to save us. Where God reigns, we are set free from all evil. Yet even for those who accept the good news brought by Jesus, the hour of trial comes. In that deserted place, where the crowds were listening to the Master, evening fell and there was nothing to eat (cf. v. 12). The hunger of the people and the setting of the sun speak to us of a limit that looms over the world and every creature: the day ends, as does the life of every human being. At that hour of need and of gathering shadows, Jesus remains present in our midst.

MORE