Pope Leo XIV Tells Papal Diplomats "you celebrate the Eucharist, raising prayers...to the Lord. May the light of the Tabernacle dispel...anxieties, illuminating the path" FULL TEXT
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In Rome, Pope Leo XIV met with Vatican diplomatic staff serving worldwide, urging them to be "pilgrims of hope, especially where people lack justice and peace." These staff are part of the Vatican's worldwide network of apostolic nunciatures, or embassies.
ADDRESS OF HIS HOLINESS POPE LEO XIV
TO DIPLOMATIC COLLABORATORS
IN THE PONTIFICAL REPRESENTATIONS
in the Vatican's Clementine Hall on Monday, November 17, 2025
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Peace be with you.
Your Eminence, Your Excellencies,
dear Priests!
I express my gratitude to the Cardinal Secretary of State for his kind words, as well as to the Superiors of the Secretariat of State, in particular to the Secretary for Pontifical Representations and to what is called the Third Section, which has thoughtfully organized these days of fraternity, prayer and dialogue.
Your presence is a source of special joy for me, because for the first time I welcome you all together. The occasion is very significant: the Jubilee of Hope. You too, like so many pilgrims, have come to Rome, to the Tomb of the Apostle Peter, to confirm your faith and renew the resolutions that inspire your ministry. One could truly emphasize that we have done this, you have done it together with all the people of God, and how important it is to recognize that your service is with the people of God, not separate from them. And so, coming on pilgrimage is truly a way to walk together with the entire Church. The Holy Year is a providential opportunity for all of us to rediscover and deepen the beauty of our vocation, that is, our common call to holiness, which commits us every day to be witnesses of Christ, a living hope for the world.
I wish first to thank you because, as the Apostle reminds us (cf. Phil 3:12), you did not hesitate before the voice of the Master, who invites us to follow him, leaving everything to bring the redeeming word of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This call resonates in a truly special way for you, who have been chosen to exercise the priestly ministry in the Pontifical Representations: a gift and commitment to be a presence everywhere for the whole Church and, in particular, for the pastoral solicitude of the Pope, who presides over her in charity.
Certainly, your particular service is arduous and therefore requires a heart ardent for God and open to humanity; it demands study and expertise, self-denial and courage; it grows in trust in Jesus and in docility to the Church, which is expressed in obedience to your Superiors. In the countries where you work, encountering different peoples and languages, do not forget that the first witness you must give is that of priests in love with Christ and dedicated to building up his Body. By serving the ecclesial communities, reflect the affection and closeness the Pope has for each, maintaining a lively sentire cum Ecclesia . I think especially of those of you who find yourself in contexts of difficulty, conflict, and poverty, where moments of despair are not lacking. Precisely in these struggles, remember that the Church supports you in prayer: therefore, strengthen your priestly identity by drawing strength from the Sacraments, from fraternal communion, and from constant docility to the Holy Spirit.
By cultivating those human virtues expressed in daily words and gestures, build relationships with everyone, resisting the temptation to isolate yourselves. Instead, remain rooted in the ecclesial body and the history of peoples: both that from which you come and those to whom you are sent. Each nation offers you its own traditions to be known, loved, and respected, just as a farmer respects the land and, by cultivating it, reaps the good fruits of his labor. Therefore, do not be detached men, but passionate disciples of Christ, immersing yourselves in an evangelical way in the contexts in which you live and work. The great missionaries remind us, in fact, that inculturation is not a folkloristic attitude, because it arises from the desire to dedicate oneself to the land and the people we serve.
The new sense of belonging you experience does not constitute an alternative to the social and ecclesial contexts that gave rise to it. It is therefore necessary to continue to nurture, as much as possible, the bond with your particular Church. When this sense of belonging is lost, demotivation sets in: then we become like trees without roots. If, however, it continues to receive lifeblood, the tree can even be transplanted elsewhere and thus bear new fruit.
In times of difficulty, which we sometimes experience, it is good for us to confirm our motivation with the words, for example, of Saint Augustine: "My pond, my love" ( Confessions XIII, 9). Even the great prophet Elijah, at a certain point, felt that all his work had been in vain. However, the Lord raised him up, showing him a certain goal and a sure path on which to walk (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-18). Dearest ones, you too ascend every day to your inner Horeb, that is, to the place where the Spirit of God speaks to the heart. In every Pontifical Representation there is a chapel, the true center of your home, where daily, together with the Apostolic Nuncio, the religious sisters, and collaborators, you celebrate the Eucharist, raising prayers of praise and supplication to the Lord. May the light of the Tabernacle dispel shadows and anxieties, illuminating the path you are following. Thus the word of the Lord Jesus is fulfilled: you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (cf. Mt 5:13-14). By guarding this miracle of grace, be pilgrims of hope, especially where people lack justice and peace.
I hope that these days spent in fraternity and prayer may reinvigorate your spiritual life and help you fervently continue the mission the Church has entrusted to you. Convey my greetings to the Mission Leaders with whom you cooperate, whom I met last June, and also to your families. I entrust you all to the care of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church , and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing. Thank you.
Source: Vatican.va Bulletin Translated from the Italian
Your Eminence, Your Excellencies,
dear Priests!
I express my gratitude to the Cardinal Secretary of State for his kind words, as well as to the Superiors of the Secretariat of State, in particular to the Secretary for Pontifical Representations and to what is called the Third Section, which has thoughtfully organized these days of fraternity, prayer and dialogue.
Your presence is a source of special joy for me, because for the first time I welcome you all together. The occasion is very significant: the Jubilee of Hope. You too, like so many pilgrims, have come to Rome, to the Tomb of the Apostle Peter, to confirm your faith and renew the resolutions that inspire your ministry. One could truly emphasize that we have done this, you have done it together with all the people of God, and how important it is to recognize that your service is with the people of God, not separate from them. And so, coming on pilgrimage is truly a way to walk together with the entire Church. The Holy Year is a providential opportunity for all of us to rediscover and deepen the beauty of our vocation, that is, our common call to holiness, which commits us every day to be witnesses of Christ, a living hope for the world.
I wish first to thank you because, as the Apostle reminds us (cf. Phil 3:12), you did not hesitate before the voice of the Master, who invites us to follow him, leaving everything to bring the redeeming word of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This call resonates in a truly special way for you, who have been chosen to exercise the priestly ministry in the Pontifical Representations: a gift and commitment to be a presence everywhere for the whole Church and, in particular, for the pastoral solicitude of the Pope, who presides over her in charity.
Certainly, your particular service is arduous and therefore requires a heart ardent for God and open to humanity; it demands study and expertise, self-denial and courage; it grows in trust in Jesus and in docility to the Church, which is expressed in obedience to your Superiors. In the countries where you work, encountering different peoples and languages, do not forget that the first witness you must give is that of priests in love with Christ and dedicated to building up his Body. By serving the ecclesial communities, reflect the affection and closeness the Pope has for each, maintaining a lively sentire cum Ecclesia . I think especially of those of you who find yourself in contexts of difficulty, conflict, and poverty, where moments of despair are not lacking. Precisely in these struggles, remember that the Church supports you in prayer: therefore, strengthen your priestly identity by drawing strength from the Sacraments, from fraternal communion, and from constant docility to the Holy Spirit.
By cultivating those human virtues expressed in daily words and gestures, build relationships with everyone, resisting the temptation to isolate yourselves. Instead, remain rooted in the ecclesial body and the history of peoples: both that from which you come and those to whom you are sent. Each nation offers you its own traditions to be known, loved, and respected, just as a farmer respects the land and, by cultivating it, reaps the good fruits of his labor. Therefore, do not be detached men, but passionate disciples of Christ, immersing yourselves in an evangelical way in the contexts in which you live and work. The great missionaries remind us, in fact, that inculturation is not a folkloristic attitude, because it arises from the desire to dedicate oneself to the land and the people we serve.
The new sense of belonging you experience does not constitute an alternative to the social and ecclesial contexts that gave rise to it. It is therefore necessary to continue to nurture, as much as possible, the bond with your particular Church. When this sense of belonging is lost, demotivation sets in: then we become like trees without roots. If, however, it continues to receive lifeblood, the tree can even be transplanted elsewhere and thus bear new fruit.
In times of difficulty, which we sometimes experience, it is good for us to confirm our motivation with the words, for example, of Saint Augustine: "My pond, my love" ( Confessions XIII, 9). Even the great prophet Elijah, at a certain point, felt that all his work had been in vain. However, the Lord raised him up, showing him a certain goal and a sure path on which to walk (cf. 1 Kings 19:1-18). Dearest ones, you too ascend every day to your inner Horeb, that is, to the place where the Spirit of God speaks to the heart. In every Pontifical Representation there is a chapel, the true center of your home, where daily, together with the Apostolic Nuncio, the religious sisters, and collaborators, you celebrate the Eucharist, raising prayers of praise and supplication to the Lord. May the light of the Tabernacle dispel shadows and anxieties, illuminating the path you are following. Thus the word of the Lord Jesus is fulfilled: you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world (cf. Mt 5:13-14). By guarding this miracle of grace, be pilgrims of hope, especially where people lack justice and peace.
I hope that these days spent in fraternity and prayer may reinvigorate your spiritual life and help you fervently continue the mission the Church has entrusted to you. Convey my greetings to the Mission Leaders with whom you cooperate, whom I met last June, and also to your families. I entrust you all to the care of the Holy Apostles Peter and Paul, through the intercession of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church , and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing. Thank you.
Source: Vatican.va Bulletin Translated from the Italian
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