Pope Francis Homilies

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Pope Leo Angelus 29.06.26

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Dear brothers and sisters, good afternoon!

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, the Patrons of Rome. This feast recalls the original bond that unites the Church in Rome with all the other Churches throughout the world in a communion of faith and charity.

The witness of these two Apostles is like a seal upon the New Testament. The blood they shed in this city reveals the depth of God’s love that the Lord Jesus has given us. Yes, it is by their word and their martyrdom that the Gospel of Christ has, so to speak, taken root in Rome, revealing right here, in the capital of the empire, its power to renew through a new knowledge of God and of the infinite dignity of every human being, a new understanding of power — not as dominion, but as service to human life.

Even today, the Lord, who died and rose again out of love, makes himself present through his witnesses, reaching the centres and the peripheries, the capitals and the most remote regions, through the voices, faces and courageous choices of those who have responded to his call to “Follow me!” Thus, this day of celebration draws us into the mission of Peter and Paul, that is, into the mission of Jesus himself. God places his trust in us, imperfect but forgiven sinners, so that his grace may shine through our lives, and his power that transforms evil into good may be revealed.

Dear friends, perhaps Peter and Paul could not have been more different from one another. They differed in background, upbringing and character, not only before but also after they were called, for the one Lord did not make them the same. Peter and Paul understood and proclaimed the Gospel, each with his own distinctive voice; and the Holy Spirit, in inspiring the biblical authors, did not want their differences to be hidden. Indeed, these differences are presented to us as good news. Within the College of the Apostles, Peter and Paul were not adversaries. On the contrary, in a sense they became the symbol of the many other diversities that the one Spirit unites into a single whole. In this way, the patron saints of the Church of Rome experienced the challenges of communion; they knew it, served it, and proclaimed it as a sacrament of divine life. Their witness has contributed decisively to ensuring that the Christian presence in history is directed not toward dominion, but toward service, unity and reconciliation.

May the Lord, through the intercession of Saints Peter and Paul, grant us the grace to appreciate ever more deeply the catholicity of the Church, to recognise its value in fostering fraternal encounter among individuals and peoples, to avoid whatever erodes or harms communion, to persevere on the ecumenical path and in attentive and honest dialogue with all.

May Mary, Queen of the Apostles, always protect the People of God, in Rome and throughout the world.

Dear brothers and sisters,

On this day when the Peter’s Pence collection is held, I profoundly thank all those who, through their gifts, support my ministry as the Successor of Saint Peter. Let us continue to walk together in faith and communion.

As we celebrate the feast of our Patron Saints, I extend my good wishes to the people of Rome and to all who live in this city. I offer a special thought, accompanied by prayer, to the sick, the lonely and those in prison. I thank the parish priests and all the priests, as well as the men and women religious working in Rome, for through their presence and daily service they keep the city’s great Christian heart beating.

I greet the volunteers from the Pro Loco associations of Italy who created the flower displays in the Via della Conciliazione and Piazza Pio XII. Thank you and congratulations! I also thank the organizers of the “Girandola di Castel Sant’Angelo,” which this year will be dedicated to Saint Francis and his Canticle of the Creatures. I am also pleased to welcome two confraternities: the Spanish confraternity of Nuestra Señora del Carmen del Camino de Zamora, and the Confraternity of the Agonizzanti of Artena.

I greet the homeless people who are in Saint Peter’s Square today to distribute “L’Osservatore di strada,” a supplement to “L’Osservatore Romano.” Thank you and good wishes to those who keep this newspaper going!

I wish everyone a happy feast day!

29.06.26 a

Pope Leo Angelus 29.06.26

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Pope Leo Holy Mass 29.06.26

Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click on the picture link above

Dear brothers and sisters,

Today, in a single Solemnity, we commemorate Saints Peter and Paul, the patron saints of the city and Diocese of Rome. One was chosen by Jesus as shepherd of his flock, and the other as apostle to the Gentiles. In them, we venerate two pillars of the Church.

Peter, guardian of the People of God, is often portrayed in the New Testament as striving to preserve communion among the brothers. It is he who, after a night of seemingly fruitless labour on the Sea of Galilee, says to the Master, “we caught nothing. But on your word, I will release the net” (Lk 5:5). He then sets sail, taking the others with him. Again, while many are turning away from the Lord after the difficult discourse on the Bread of Life, it is he who says to the Messiah, “To whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life” (Jn 6:68), and remains together with the other eleven. It is he who, at Caesarea, recognizes Jesus as the Son of God and, as we heard in the Gospel (cf. Mt 16:13–19), speaks for all in professing the one faith. Even after the Resurrection, on the shore of the lake, Peter is the first to reach Christ, jumping into the water and swimming ahead of the others to humbly renew his love and receive confirmation of his mission (cf. Jn 21:1-17).

Peter remains faithful to this mission even when, for example, in Jerusalem, the question of admitting uncircumcised Gentiles to Baptism threatens to divide the community. He gathers the brothers together, listens to them and in the end, guided by the Holy Spirit, makes a decision that preserves communion and ushers in a new era for the entire People of God. Indeed, he declares, “We believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will” (Acts 15:11).

This magnanimity does not mean that Peter is perfect. During the Passion, he denies the Master, only later to shed sincere tears of repentance (cf. Lk 22:54–62); and Paul himself, in different circumstances, rebukes him for the inconsistency of some of his actions (cf. Gal 2:11–14). Yet Peter knows how to acknowledge his mistakes and repent, without becoming discouraged and without failing in his mission to proclaim the Gospel and gather Christ’s flock, even unto martyrdom — a fate which he suffered here in Rome, not far from where we are gathered.

This faithful and patient concern for unity is well expressed by the symbol of the keys, with which we often identify Peter (cf. Mt 16:19). A key does not break down doors; rather, it opens and closes them by finding the proper levers within and guiding their movements, so that locks may release, bolts withdraw, and doors turn freely on their hinges, thereby joining rooms together and transforming many isolated spaces into one welcoming home. In the same way, communion within the Church is not built by clinging rigidly to one’s own position, but by seeking, in all hearts, points of encounter in the Truth, in whose light alone each person becomes a means of growth for another.

In this light, we can interpret the mission entrusted by the Lord to Peter and his Successors for the benefit of the entire holy People of God. It is a mission to listen, with his help, to the voice of each person; to discern inspirations; to guide the way; to correct errors; to instruct, encourage, exhort and accompany our brothers and sisters so that, docile to the action of the same Spirit (cf. 1 Cor 12:1–11), they may cooperate in the salvation of one another and of all humanity. Moreover, Peter’s example is an invitation to every Christian to become a builder of unity, placing God at the centre of one’s life and drawing close to one’s brothers and sisters, attentive to their circumstances and needs (cf. Francis, Catechesis, 9 October 2024). In this way, we learn to live with one another in charity, so that the message might be fully proclaimed (cf. 2 Tim 4:17).

This is also the teaching of Paul, the other great apostle we celebrate today and the tireless herald of the Good News. He, too, has distinctive symbols: the book and the sword, which are closely linked to one another. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews explains this well when he writes that, “the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword,” capable of penetrating “until it divides soul from spirit” and of discerning “the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Heb 4:12).

This is what God accomplished in the heart of the young Saul, winning him over (cf. Phil 3:12), bringing him first to conversion to the Gospel and giving him a new name, and then sending him to proclaim it throughout the world. Finally, like Peter, he was to bear witness to the Gospel even to the point of giving his life in this very city. The apostle to the Gentiles allowed himself to be transformed by the power of God’s word, which rescued him from the way of violence and led him onto the path of love.

29.06.26 m

FAMINE

Pope Francis

Hunger

Hunger is an injustice that destroys men and women because they have nothing to eat, even if there is a lot food available in the world. Human exploitation; different forms of slavery; recently I saw a film shot inside a prison where migrants are locked up and tortured to turn them into slaves. This is still happening 70 years after the Declaration of Human Rights. Cultural colonization. This is exactly what the Devil wants, to destroy human dignity – and that is why the Devil is behind all forms of persecution.

01.06.18

Pope Leo Angelus 28.06.26

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click on the picture link above

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

In today’s Gospel reading (Mt 10:37–42), we hear some of Jesus’ exhortations on how to follow him and be witnesses to his kingdom. This is not just a matter of outward acts, but of committing ourselves entirely to a loving relationship with him. In order to bear fruit, love requires at least three things: detachment, loss and hospitality.

First, detachment. Jesus says, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (v. 37). When the Lord begins to send his apostles on mission, he wants them to be free from any ties. However, this applies to everyone, as even the most significant relationships find their fullness through the love that Christ gives us. Consider married life: it can only be lived fully by “leaving” one’s parents’ home (cf. Mt 19:6) in order to commit to the life of marriage. We can also consider the upbringing of children. We help them to fulfill themselves and be happy by teaching them to “stand on their own two feet” and make their own choices. Saint Augustine says, “It is painful to part from what you love. Yet even the farmer temporarily loses what he sows” (Sermon 330: 2). Only by “losing” that seed sown in the ground, can we see it blossom.

In this sense, love is also loss. We find it difficult to understand this, especially in a world where losing is seen as weakness and we are obsessed with having and possessing. However, love only bears fruit in self-giving: when we are willing to lose a little of ourselves to make room for another; to lose a little time to listen to a friend; to lose a little comfort to share in a time of hardship. According to the Gospel, those who hold on to their lives merely for themselves actually lose them (cf. v. 39), for they do not open themselves to the joy of love and thus become barren. This is why Jesus invites us to embrace the cross. He offered himself, lost himself, and in this very way we were enabled to receive his life in abundance. In the same way, if we live by the logic of the gift of self, we too will be capable of bringing forth new life in our relationships.

Finally, hospitality. Love is expressed through concrete choices and actions; by a commitment made up of small daily gestures, such as offering a glass of water to someone who is thirsty (cf. v. 42). Jesus sent his disciples ahead of him without provisions, so that, by being dependent on the help of others, they would inspire hospitality in those they met. By welcoming those who come in Jesus’ name, we welcome him and the heavenly Father who sent him. Indeed, love for the Lord always involves welcoming our brothers and sisters.

Dear friends, let us pray to the Virgin Mary, who loved her Son, knowing that she would also lose him. May she help us to be humble and joyful witnesses to the love of Christ.

Dear brothers and sisters,

I wish to express my solidarity with our Venezuelan brothers and sisters affected by the recent earthquakes, which have caused numerous deaths and injuries, as well as extensive damage to property. Praying to the Lord for the eternal rest of the deceased, I renew my spiritual solidarity with their families, the injured, and all who have been shaken by this tragedy. I also wish to express my gratitude and encouragement to those generously working on search and rescue efforts and providing assistance.

Now I welcome all of you, Romans and pilgrims. Thank you for coming out in this heat!

I greet the faithful from the Diocese of Kumba in Cameroon, and those from various other countries.

I greet the young Camillian religious; the parish groups from Priolo Gargallo, Avola, Regalbuto and Bari; the Scouts from Rovereto; and the young people from Mestrino, in the Diocese of Padua, who have received their First Holy Communion and Confirmation.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday!

28.06.26

Pope Leo General Audience 24.06.26

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click on the picture link above

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

We will continue our catechesis on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, particularly the Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium (SC) on the Liturgy.

When Saint Augustine wanted to explain the mystery of the Body of Christ to those who were newly baptised, he took up the passage from Saint Paul that we have just heard: “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it.” (1 Cor 12:27). He adds: “It is your own mystery that you receive. To what you are, you respond: Amen, and your response is like your signature. You are told, ‘The Body of Christ,’ and you reply, ‘Amen.’ Be therefore members of the Body of Christ, so that your Amen may be true. [...] Be what you see, and receive what you are” (Sermon 272: PL 38, 1247).

Immediately after recalling Jesus’ Last Supper, the Constitution on the Liturgy speaks of the Eucharist in these Augustinian terms. For Christians, taking part at the Lord’s table means being “instructed by God's word and … nourished … [giving] thanks to God” (cf. SC, 48). It is by receiving Him in His Word and in the Eucharist that we become what we receive. We become the Body whose Head is the risen Christ, seated at the right hand of the Father (cf. Col 1:18), who prepares a place for us in heaven (cf. Jn 14:3). Thus, the Eucharist is the sacrament of the Kingdom that is to come. It is the Bread for the journey that leads us to our heavenly homeland, until that blessed day when “God will be all in all” (1 Cor 15:28).

The liturgical assembly offers the Sacrifice “not only through the hands of the priest, but also with him” (SC, 48). From this perspective, the Eucharist is the form of the spiritual sacrifice of Christians (cf. Heb 13:16; Rom 12:1), as the path to union with God and with one another. By participating in it, they learn “to offer themselves; through Christ the Mediator, they should be drawn day by day into ever more perfect union with God and with each other” (ibid.). Thus, by incorporating us into Christ, the Eucharist teaches us to adopt the very style of life of the Lord Jesus, which was marked by the free gift of Himself. This gift draws us into the dynamic of unity, offering a powerful antidote to the forces of division that undermine our world, our communities, our families, and our hearts (cf. SC, 47).

Dear brothers and sisters, when we participate in the Eucharist, we are invited to listen to the Word of God and to be nourished at the Lord’s table, where He offers Himself to the Father. These two parts of the Mass, the Liturgy of the Word and the Liturgy of the Eucharist, “are so closely connected with each other that they form but one single act of worship” (SC, 56).

With regard to the Word of God, it is important to remember that it is not merely a matter of acquiring intellectual knowledge of the Scriptures, but of receiving the Word that is “living and effective” (Heb 4:12), spoken by God to everyone and at the same time to each individual. This Word nourishes and sustains us together with the Eucharistic Bread and leads us from the decay of sin to new life in Christ. “The Eucharist opens us to an understanding of Scripture, just as Scripture for its part illumines and explains the mystery of the Eucharist.” (Benedict XVI, Verbum Domini, 55).

The Second Vatican Council called for the treasures of the Bible to be opened more abundantly, so that a richer fare from the table of God’s Word might be provided for the faithful (cf. SC, 51). The liturgical reform translated this request into the treasure that is the Lectionary, the book that gathers all the biblical readings for liturgical celebrations. This richness has been drawn from the purest source of the living Tradition, which combines fidelity with tradition; with openness to legitimate progress (cf. SC, 23).

24.06.26

The Gospel in your pocket

How do we receive the Word of God? The response is clear: As one receives Jesus Christ. The Church tells us that Jesus is present in the Scripture, in His Word.

Always carry a small Gospel with you in your purse, in your pocket, and read a passage from the Gospel during the day. Not so much to learn something, but mostly to find Jesus, because Jesus actually is in His Word, in His Gospel. Every time I read the Gospel, I find Jesus. - Pope Francis 01.09.14

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Thank you, Francis

Every month, you have invited us to pray with you for the challenges of humanity and the mission of the Church, teaching us to learn compassion for others from the heart of Christ. Thank you, Francis, for your life and your witness.

Your Worldwide Prayer Network.

Pope Francis Easter Message and Urbi et Orbi Blessing 20.04.25

Easter Sunday