Pope Leo XIV Tells Youth "Jesus is alive with us and gives us this hope of living in peace, love, and friendship" FULL TEXT
.jpeg)
Pope Leo XIV travelled to Rome's coastal town of Ostia on Sunday afternoon. The Pontiff arrived at around 3:45 PM for a visit to the parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis, the first of five stops that will mark the Sundays before Easter. Awaiting him at the gate were Cardinal Vicar Baldo Reina and the parish priest, Pallotine Father Giovanni Patané. The parish is named Saint Mary Queen of Peace. He first met with a group of young people; then the elderly; and gave separate messages to each (see below).
Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with the young people of the Parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido
Here, good evening everyone!
You know—I believe—that this is my first visit to a parish in my new diocese. I'm very happy to begin here, in Ostia. Then, in a parish named after Santa Maria Regina della Pace, so important in these times we live in. The parish priest says to offer a word of hope: you are the hope! And you must recognize that in your hearts, in your lives, in your youth, there is hope, for today and tomorrow. Hope begins here, because Jesus walks with us; his mother, Mary, Queen of Peace, always walks with us.
I am very happy to be here with you this evening to meet with you, along with other parish groups, and to celebrate the Eucharist, where we all renew our faith in Christ, who is always present among us; who promised us that, when two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is present. Jesus is alive with us and gives us this hope of living in peace, love, and friendship. Thank you for being here this evening, and we hope that these moments we will share together will truly be a source of peace, joy, and happiness for all of us, for the entire community of Ostia. Thank you so much!
We ask Mary, our Mother, for her intercession: may there be peace in our hearts, may there be peace in our families, may the Lord bless all our families, all the families of this parish, and may peace truly reign among us all.
Let us say together: Hail Mary ...
Blessing
Warm greetings to all of you, to the Vicar, Cardinal Reina, who is accompanying us this afternoon—perhaps he'd like to say a word—and also to Archbishop Renato. The entire Church is here with you this evening. Best wishes!
_________________
The Holy Father's words during the meeting with the sick and elderly of the Parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido.
Thank you, thank you!
So, as I entered, several of you said something beautiful to me, and I want to begin with this: you said, "Welcome!" And I must say, I truly feel welcome among you! Thank you for this welcome! This is one of the many signs of an authentic Christian community, of a true parish, where we all learn to say "Welcome," not just with words, but with a spirit of welcome, of opening the door and welcoming everyone: Catholic, non-Catholic, believer, non-believer... May we always be a welcoming community! And thank you for this example.
Here in front of me and even behind me are all these young people, this presence of sport. And as you know, we are currently experiencing the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina. Sport teaches us so much! So, best wishes to all of you! Sport teaches us to be brothers and sisters, to put aside our differences and say, "We all want to work as a team," "We want to be part of a group that leaves aside our differences and always strives for the goal." So, to all of you: best wishes for your participation, and thank you for coming here!
But with the young people there are also our older brothers and sisters, some with disabilities who experience difficulties and certain forms of suffering. How important your presence is. We also want to offer you a special word, a special blessing, because the Lord accompanies you and through you, your life, your example, you teach us so much! And it is very important that you are here. Thank you, thank you for your presence! Our beloved Pope Francis often said: young people have so much energy and want to run ahead of everyone else. But perhaps the older ones, grandparents, people with disabilities, don't run as fast, but they have wisdom and life experience. Everyone is part of this parish family, and you all have something to say, to give, to share. This is why it is so important that we all come together like this.
Know also that not only my prayers, but the prayers of the entire Church and the entire Christian community accompany you. May you have the courage to say yes to the Lord! Each person's life has great value: whether young or old, whether struggling or not, human life is a gift from God. Thank you for giving us this testimony.
Let us pray that the Lord, during this visit, in these moments we share, as he does every day, may help us with his Spirit, with life, with enthusiasm, with faith, and that we may always be signs of hope in our world.
Let us say together with our Mother Mother: Hail Mary…
The Lord be with you. May Almighty God bless you. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Before I finish this moment... You know that the Pope is the Bishop of Rome, so I am very happy to be here. You know that this parish in Ostia is the first I've visited since my election as Bishop of Rome. Thank you! I'm also very happy because Ostia has Augustinian roots. Your parish is close to the Augustinians, and I too am part of this family. But the Pope cares not only for his own diocese, but for the entire Church, and so we have the blessing, the grace of a Vicar, Cardinal Baldo, who accompanies us. I would like to invite him to say a word, because he represents this closeness the Pope desires to have with all of you and with all the parishes of Rome. Thank you, and I give the floor to Cardinal Baldo. Thank you!
__________________
Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with the Parish Pastoral Council of the Parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido
Well.
Thank you, Your Eminence, thank you for the introduction.
For a few years now, when I was bishop of a diocese in Peru, when I visited parishes, one of the things I always considered very important was the meeting—even if brief—with the parish Pastoral Council. And, if I understand correctly, at least part of the parish Finance Council is also involved here. That, too, is very important. But as Cardinal Baldo said, it's not so much what we do—although, yes, what we do is important—but who we are in the parish and for the parish. And in this sense, I'd like to begin with a simple word: prayer or experience of faith .
Being members of a parish council... Work, there's so much to do, we worry, the Pope comes: "How do we organize ourselves?", or there's Ash Wednesday, there's one activity or another, there's the parish feast... Great. However, if we aren't a community of faith that lives and bears witness to what it means to be disciples of Jesus, men and women of faith, then all the activities ultimately remain a bit empty, lacking the true meaning of being Catholic, Christian, friends of Jesus. And so first of all I'd like to thank you for your availability. It would be much easier to say: "No, I have another meeting, a gathering, a council meeting, I have so much to do at home, here and there..." But you truly make a significant sacrifice by giving your time for the life of the parish and the Church.
And then there's the witness, even with the priorities already mentioned, which is so important in a part of the city that faces its own challenges. So, there too, the parish must be a place where people can come and find a listening ear. We just blessed this new hall, which will be a kind of place, a place in the entire prefecture that can serve young people. Having the church open, having activities with young people, giving, making so much effort for youth ministry. All these things are truly precious and very important, but because they are activities built on an experience of faith.
This is what the Church wants to be. We've talked a lot about synodality in recent years, about walking together. You know this very well. This is what you are doing. And this is what it means to be, to be part of this Pastoral Council, to be this witness, this model of Christian life yourselves.
So I thank you. I'm truly happy to see people like you, who have committed themselves to helping not only the parish priest, but the parish, the community of the faithful. I also encourage you to go out and seek others. Don't stay inside the church and say, "Okay, what comes is enough." It's never enough. Invite, welcome, accompany. And in this sense, I truly wish you the Lord's blessing. May this experience also be a treasure for you and an experience of faith, of communion, in the Church, in the Diocese of Rome. Thank you very much.
Afterwards we go to Mass. For now we can say a prayer together and ask the Lord's blessing upon you, your families, and all your work.
Our Father…
Blessing
Many thanks to you. Best wishes.
Here, good evening everyone!
You know—I believe—that this is my first visit to a parish in my new diocese. I'm very happy to begin here, in Ostia. Then, in a parish named after Santa Maria Regina della Pace, so important in these times we live in. The parish priest says to offer a word of hope: you are the hope! And you must recognize that in your hearts, in your lives, in your youth, there is hope, for today and tomorrow. Hope begins here, because Jesus walks with us; his mother, Mary, Queen of Peace, always walks with us.
I am very happy to be here with you this evening to meet with you, along with other parish groups, and to celebrate the Eucharist, where we all renew our faith in Christ, who is always present among us; who promised us that, when two or three are gathered in his name, Jesus is present. Jesus is alive with us and gives us this hope of living in peace, love, and friendship. Thank you for being here this evening, and we hope that these moments we will share together will truly be a source of peace, joy, and happiness for all of us, for the entire community of Ostia. Thank you so much!
We ask Mary, our Mother, for her intercession: may there be peace in our hearts, may there be peace in our families, may the Lord bless all our families, all the families of this parish, and may peace truly reign among us all.
Let us say together: Hail Mary ...
Blessing
Warm greetings to all of you, to the Vicar, Cardinal Reina, who is accompanying us this afternoon—perhaps he'd like to say a word—and also to Archbishop Renato. The entire Church is here with you this evening. Best wishes!
_________________
The Holy Father's words during the meeting with the sick and elderly of the Parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido.
Thank you, thank you!
So, as I entered, several of you said something beautiful to me, and I want to begin with this: you said, "Welcome!" And I must say, I truly feel welcome among you! Thank you for this welcome! This is one of the many signs of an authentic Christian community, of a true parish, where we all learn to say "Welcome," not just with words, but with a spirit of welcome, of opening the door and welcoming everyone: Catholic, non-Catholic, believer, non-believer... May we always be a welcoming community! And thank you for this example.
Here in front of me and even behind me are all these young people, this presence of sport. And as you know, we are currently experiencing the Olympic Games in Milan and Cortina. Sport teaches us so much! So, best wishes to all of you! Sport teaches us to be brothers and sisters, to put aside our differences and say, "We all want to work as a team," "We want to be part of a group that leaves aside our differences and always strives for the goal." So, to all of you: best wishes for your participation, and thank you for coming here!
But with the young people there are also our older brothers and sisters, some with disabilities who experience difficulties and certain forms of suffering. How important your presence is. We also want to offer you a special word, a special blessing, because the Lord accompanies you and through you, your life, your example, you teach us so much! And it is very important that you are here. Thank you, thank you for your presence! Our beloved Pope Francis often said: young people have so much energy and want to run ahead of everyone else. But perhaps the older ones, grandparents, people with disabilities, don't run as fast, but they have wisdom and life experience. Everyone is part of this parish family, and you all have something to say, to give, to share. This is why it is so important that we all come together like this.
Know also that not only my prayers, but the prayers of the entire Church and the entire Christian community accompany you. May you have the courage to say yes to the Lord! Each person's life has great value: whether young or old, whether struggling or not, human life is a gift from God. Thank you for giving us this testimony.
Let us pray that the Lord, during this visit, in these moments we share, as he does every day, may help us with his Spirit, with life, with enthusiasm, with faith, and that we may always be signs of hope in our world.
Let us say together with our Mother Mother: Hail Mary…
The Lord be with you. May Almighty God bless you. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
Before I finish this moment... You know that the Pope is the Bishop of Rome, so I am very happy to be here. You know that this parish in Ostia is the first I've visited since my election as Bishop of Rome. Thank you! I'm also very happy because Ostia has Augustinian roots. Your parish is close to the Augustinians, and I too am part of this family. But the Pope cares not only for his own diocese, but for the entire Church, and so we have the blessing, the grace of a Vicar, Cardinal Baldo, who accompanies us. I would like to invite him to say a word, because he represents this closeness the Pope desires to have with all of you and with all the parishes of Rome. Thank you, and I give the floor to Cardinal Baldo. Thank you!
__________________
Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with the Parish Pastoral Council of the Parish of Santa Maria Regina Pacis in Ostia Lido
Well.
Thank you, Your Eminence, thank you for the introduction.
For a few years now, when I was bishop of a diocese in Peru, when I visited parishes, one of the things I always considered very important was the meeting—even if brief—with the parish Pastoral Council. And, if I understand correctly, at least part of the parish Finance Council is also involved here. That, too, is very important. But as Cardinal Baldo said, it's not so much what we do—although, yes, what we do is important—but who we are in the parish and for the parish. And in this sense, I'd like to begin with a simple word: prayer or experience of faith .
Being members of a parish council... Work, there's so much to do, we worry, the Pope comes: "How do we organize ourselves?", or there's Ash Wednesday, there's one activity or another, there's the parish feast... Great. However, if we aren't a community of faith that lives and bears witness to what it means to be disciples of Jesus, men and women of faith, then all the activities ultimately remain a bit empty, lacking the true meaning of being Catholic, Christian, friends of Jesus. And so first of all I'd like to thank you for your availability. It would be much easier to say: "No, I have another meeting, a gathering, a council meeting, I have so much to do at home, here and there..." But you truly make a significant sacrifice by giving your time for the life of the parish and the Church.
And then there's the witness, even with the priorities already mentioned, which is so important in a part of the city that faces its own challenges. So, there too, the parish must be a place where people can come and find a listening ear. We just blessed this new hall, which will be a kind of place, a place in the entire prefecture that can serve young people. Having the church open, having activities with young people, giving, making so much effort for youth ministry. All these things are truly precious and very important, but because they are activities built on an experience of faith.
This is what the Church wants to be. We've talked a lot about synodality in recent years, about walking together. You know this very well. This is what you are doing. And this is what it means to be, to be part of this Pastoral Council, to be this witness, this model of Christian life yourselves.
So I thank you. I'm truly happy to see people like you, who have committed themselves to helping not only the parish priest, but the parish, the community of the faithful. I also encourage you to go out and seek others. Don't stay inside the church and say, "Okay, what comes is enough." It's never enough. Invite, welcome, accompany. And in this sense, I truly wish you the Lord's blessing. May this experience also be a treasure for you and an experience of faith, of communion, in the Church, in the Diocese of Rome. Thank you very much.
Afterwards we go to Mass. For now we can say a prayer together and ask the Lord's blessing upon you, your families, and all your work.
Our Father…
Blessing
Many thanks to you. Best wishes.
Comments