Pope Leo XIV says "Jesus expects much from us. It is a sign of trust, of friendship" and Highlights a Great American Saintly Woman - FULL TEXT

For the Jubilee Audience on Saturday morning, Pope Leo XIV reflected on Servant of God, Dorothy Day, an American Catholic, who dedicated her life to doing good work in the early 20th Century, noting that like her, Christians are to promote peace by actively defending and protecting human dignity.   Dorothy Day (1897–1980), was an American journalist, activist, and convert to Catholicism, co-founded the Catholic Worker movement during the Great Depression and was known for her great works for the poor, migrants, and workers.

FULL TEXT CATECHESIS OF THE HOLY FATHER POPE LEO XIV

St. Peter's Square on Saturday, November 22, 2025
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Catechesis. 9. To hope is to take a stand. Dorothy Day

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

For many of you, being in Rome today is the fulfillment of a great desire. For those of you who are on a pilgrimage and reach your destination, it's important to remember the moment of decision. Something, at the beginning, moved within you, perhaps thanks to someone else's word or invitation. Thus, the Lord himself took you by the hand: a desire, and then a decision. Without this, you wouldn't be here. It's important to remember this.

And what we just heard from the Gospel is also important: "To whom much is given, much will be required; to whom much is entrusted, much more will be asked." Jesus says this to his closest disciples, to those who were closest to him. And we too have received so much from the journey we have made thus far; we have been with Jesus and with the Church, and even though the Church is a community with human limitations, we have received so much. So, Jesus expects much from us. It is a sign of trust, of friendship. He expects much because he knows us and knows we can do it!

Jesus came to bring fire: the fire of God's love on earth and the fire of desire in our hearts. In a certain way, Jesus takes away our peace, if we think of peace as an inert calm. This, however, is not true peace. Sometimes we wish we were "left in peace": that no one disturbs us, that others no longer exist. This is not the peace of God. The peace Jesus brings is like a fire and asks much of us. Above all, it asks us to take a stand . In the face of injustice, inequality, where human dignity is trampled upon, where the vulnerable are deprived of the power to speak: take a stand. To hope is to take a stand. To hope is to understand in our hearts and to demonstrate with our actions that things must not continue as before. This too is the good fire of the Gospel.

I would like to remember a small, great American woman, Dorothy Day, who lived in the last century. She had fire inside her. Dorothy Day took a stand. She saw that her country's development model didn't create equal opportunities for everyone; she understood that for too many, the dream was a nightmare; that as a Christian, she had to engage with workers, migrants, and those rejected by a killing economy. She wrote and served: it's important to unite mind, heart, and hands. This is taking a stand. She wrote as a journalist; that is, she thought and made others think. Writing is important. And so is reading, today more than ever. And then Dorothy served meals, gave clothes, dressed and ate like those she served: she united mind, heart, and hands. In this way, hoping is taking a stand.

Dorothy Day has involved thousands of people. They have opened homes in many cities, in many neighborhoods: not large service centers, but centers of charity and justice where they can call each other by name, get to know each other one by one, and transform indignation into communion and action. This is what peacemakers are like: they take a stand and bear the consequences, but they move forward. To hope is to take a stand, like Jesus, with Jesus. His fire is our fire. May the Jubilee rekindle it in us and in the entire Church!

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Greetings

I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today's Jubilee Audience, especially those coming from England, Indonesia and Thailand. As we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of Christ the King, may his Kingdom of peace and love instill hope in the hearts of all men and women of goodwill. God bless you all!

[ Dear German-speaking brothers and sisters, that we may always be courageous witnesses of hope, let us pray: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love .]

I cordially greet the pilgrims of the Spanish language. Let us go to the Holy Spirit that relives in us and in all the Church the fire of his love. May God bless them. Many thanks!

I extend a cordial greeting to all Portuguese-speaking pilgrims, especially those from Portugal and Brazil. Dear brothers and sisters, let us not allow ourselves to be dragged down by the globalization of indifference, which seems endless in today's world. Nourished by the Word of God, let us unite our minds, hearts, and hands to make a difference in society. I bless you wholeheartedly !

I greet the Polish pilgrims. In the history of your people, there are many people, including martyrs, who have demonstrated that "having hope means taking a stand." I think of the Blessed Ulma Family and the young volunteer, the Servant of God Helena Kmieć. Inflamed by the fire of Jesus and edified by their example, you sow the peace of God wherever you live and work every day. I bless you wholeheartedly .

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I extend a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking faithful. In particular, I greet the pilgrims from the Diocese of Saluzzo and those from the Diocese of Como, the participants in the Jubilee of the Orionine Charismatic Family, the altar servers from the Diocese of Salerno-Campagna-Acerno, and the faithful from Monte San Giovanni Campano.

I affectionately welcome the diocesan and parish choirs participating in the Jubilee of Choirs and Choral Society. Dear brothers and sisters, I thank you for the valuable service you provide in your communities; music and song, linked to the liturgy, are a form of prayer, a sense of the attraction of beauty that elevates us toward God and unites hearts in praise. May Saint Cecilia, patroness of music and song, whose memorial we celebrate today, sustain your commitment and your mission.

Finally, my thoughts turn to the young people, the sick, and newlyweds. I hope that each of them will adhere to the Gospel with renewed generosity and strength and translate it into consistent witness.

My blessing to everyone!

Source: Vatican.va Bulletin Translated from Italian