Pope Leo XIV Quotes St Pope John Paul II "the "role of the Church, which you are called to amplify and spread, is to proclaim the Gospel of charity and peace"

ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO THE COLLEGE OF WRITERS OF "LA CIVILTÀ CATTOLICA"
in the Vatican's Consistory Hall on Thursday, September 25, 2025
____________________________________

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you!
Good morning, and thank you for your patience!
A few months into my pontificate, I am pleased to welcome you, members of the College of Writers and contributors to the magazine "La Civiltà Cattolica." I greet the Superior General, who has kindly accompanied us to this audience.
This meeting is taking place on the 175th anniversary of the founding of "La Civiltà Cattolica." I therefore take this opportunity to thank all of you for the faithful and generous service you have provided to the Apostolic See for so many years. Your work has contributed—and continues to do so—to making the Church present in the world of culture, in harmony with the Pope's teachings and the Holy See's orientation.
Some have called your magazine "a window on the world," appreciating its openness, and one of its hallmarks is its ability to approach current events without fearing to face their challenges and contradictions.

We could identify three significant areas of your work to focus on: educating people to be intelligent and effective in the world, speaking out for the least fortunate, and being heralds of hope.

Regarding the first aspect, what you write can help your readers better understand the complex society we live in, assessing its strengths and weaknesses, in the search for those "signs of the times" to which the Second Vatican Council called us (see Pastoral Constitution Gaudium et Spes , 4). This will enable them to make valuable contributions, including at the political level, on fundamental issues such as social equity, the family, education, new technological challenges, and peace. With your articles, you can offer your readers useful interpretative tools and criteria for action, so that everyone can contribute to building a more just and fraternal world, in truth and freedom. As Saint John Paul II said , the "role of the Church, which you are called to amplify and spread, is to proclaim the Gospel of charity and peace, promoting justice, the spirit of brotherhood and awareness of the common destiny of men, indispensable premises for the construction of authentic peace between peoples" ( Address to the community of the magazine "La Civiltà Cattolica" , 22 April 1999, 4).

This brings us to the second point: speaking out for the poorest and most excluded . Pope Francis wrote that, in the proclamation of the Gospel, "there is one sign that must never be lacking: the option for the least, for those whom society discards" (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium , 24 November 2013, 195). Speaking out for the little ones is therefore a fundamental aspect of the life and mission of every Christian. It requires, first of all, a great and humble ability to listen, to be close to those who suffer, to recognize in their silent cry that of the Crucified One who says: "I thirst" ( Jn 19:28). Only in this way is it possible to be a faithful and prophetic echo of the voice of those in need, breaking every cycle of isolation, loneliness, and deafness.

And we come to the third point: being messengers of hope . It means opposing the indifferentism of those who remain insensitive to others and their legitimate need for a future, as well as overcoming the disappointment of those who no longer believe in the possibility of undertaking new paths, but above all remembering and proclaiming that for us the ultimate hope is Christ, our way (cf. Jn 14:6). In Him and with Him, on our path there are no longer any dead ends, nor realities that, however harsh and complicated, can stop us and prevent us from loving God and our brothers and sisters with trust. As Benedict XVI wrote , beyond successes and failures, I know that "my personal life and history as a whole are safeguarded in the indestructible power of Love" (Encyclical Letter Spe Salvi , 35), and therefore I still and always find the courage to work and to continue (cf. ibid .). This is an important message, especially in a world increasingly turned in on itself.

Dearest ones, in conclusion I would like to recall the words that Pope Francis addressed to you shortly before leaving us, on the occasion of the official beginning of your “foundation jubilee”: “I encourage you,” he wrote, “to continue your work with joy, through good journalism, which adheres to no side other than that of the Gospel, listening to all voices and embodying that docile meekness that is good for the heart” ( Message to the director of “La Civiltà Cattolica” on the 175th anniversary of its publication , 17 March 2025: “L'Osservatore Romano”, 2 April 2025, p. 5).

And on another occasion he said, referring to the name of your periodical: "A magazine is truly 'Catholic' only if it possesses Christ's gaze on the world, and if it transmits and bears witness to it" ( Address to the community of "La Civiltà Cattolica" , February 9, 2017). This is your mission: to grasp Christ's gaze on the world, cultivate it, communicate it, bear witness to it.

Fully sharing the words of my late Predecessor, I thank you again, assure you of my remembrance in prayer, and bless you wholeheartedly. Thank you!