Pope Leo XIV says "we who believe in Jesus Christ and who live as united...can be that sign of hope even in a world where these signs are no longer found" on Pastoral Visit
Pastoral Visit of Pope Leo XIV
to the Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish in Ponte Mammolo, Rome. Pope Leo concludes his pastoral visits in the run-up to Easter at the Sacred Heart of Jesus parish in Ponte Mammolo. The families, the elderly, the catechists, the volunteers who work with the homeless, the poor, and foreigners.
Fourth Sunday of Lent, March 15, 2026
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Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with children and young people at the sports field
Good afternoon everyone! And welcome back!
Thank you for this welcome. Good afternoon! There's a very large Peruvian community here. Good, good. And many others. Good afternoon. Thank you.
Interventions for children
Good morning everyone!
You represent the parish whose patron is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. What does the heart represent? Love, charity, the immense expression of the infinite God; and what is infinite about God is his love, his grace, his mercy. And this is something that in this parish, in a very special way, is present to so many people. And I want to thank all of you, all those who are part of this parish: Caritas, for their outreach to immigrants; those who accompany the sick; those who so often suffer because they can't find work, have no home, or know where to go. And you, as a parish, have created a truly welcoming community. And for this I truly thank you, because it is a sign of hope in a world where so often the pain, suffering, and hardship are too great.
A few minutes before leaving home, I heard a woman speaking. She said there were no longer any signs of hope in the world. She was suffering because of the war, and she asked, "Where do I go now?" She had lost everything. But we who believe in Jesus Christ and who live as united brothers and sisters can be that sign of hope even in a world where these signs are no longer found. And why? Because we believe in and know Jesus Christ, his heart, his love that is always with us. And you represent this infinite love.
Thank you for being here and thank you for this gesture, this life of commitment to faith, that is, of commitment to faith, to live God's love in this way.
Now I also want to extend a special greeting. There are many people accompanying us; they couldn't come in here, but they could come from the balconies, from the roofs of the houses... A very heartfelt greeting to everyone, and thank you too! Everyone is invited, everyone is called. And so we too can represent this family that knows no limits, that wants to invite everyone to say: "Come, everyone!" Even if it's not possible to enter due to the number of people, there is a very important sign here, right in this area where we so often see and feel the difficulties, so many problems: there is a vibrant parish, a community of faith, a community that says: "Come, everyone," because in Jesus Christ there is salvation, and we want to experience, receive, and share this great love that the Lord offers us.
Thank you again for being here. It will be a pleasure to celebrate our faith with you, listen to the word of God, celebrate the Eucharist, and give thanks to the Lord.
So let us continue this beautiful encounter, knowing that in these encounters, Jesus Christ draws close to us. Let us live our faith and thus be a sign of hope.
Thank you. Good. Since everyone can't enter the church, we'll also offer a moment of prayer and a blessing to all of you here.
Let us pray together: Our Father…
Blessing.
Best wishes to you all. And let us experience this encounter with joy, because we know Jesus who is here with us. Thank you.
_______________________________________
Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with the elderly and sick
Good evening everyone.
It's a pleasure to meet you, to have this opportunity to spend the afternoon together, filled with the joy of being sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters all, who, during this time of Lent, a time of conversion, a time to draw closer to the Lord, can truly find a home, a family, an experience of community, where doors are open and welcome everyone. It's a beauty that is often hard to find in the world. So, thank you for coming.
I know some of you are suffering, suffering from illness, or experiencing the challenges of old age that sometimes arise... and yet you came. And I thank you. It's a wonderful opportunity for me too. I'm very happy to be here with you. And thank you for this welcome.
Cardinal Baldo Reina was telling me a moment ago that there are a hundred or so parishes in Rome where this welcome is offered, even after school. That is, the opportunity for migrant families to find a place, a place, perhaps starting with the study of Italian, but also with other assistance, to integrate into society. I would like to underline the great value of this gesture, because we know—and not only in Italy, but in many parts of the world today—a new attitude is emerging where they want to close doors, where they want to say: "Enough! Let no one else come!" And yet, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we know that the Gospel calls us to live a different spirit. The Gospel tells us that when Jesus presents himself and says: "I am a stranger. You have welcomed me." And this is a gesture we make to all the people who truly represent Jesus Christ among us.
So, thank you for this wonderful service. I would like to encourage those who come, who certainly face difficulties. There are people who are homeless, but thank God they can find a place here, even for—I don't know—a shower, for something to eat, for a little—let's say—community, people who receive something. This too, so often, is present today: loneliness. Many people suffer, they feel alone, they can't find anyone to talk to, anyone to help, anyone to accompany them on their journey through life.
And so a parish called Sacred Heart is a parish that represents this heart of Jesus, it is truly a place blessed by God, called to be this house of welcome, this house of brotherhood, of charity, of love, where people in need can truly find a family. A family that prays, a family that lives its faith, a family that experiences authentic love in fraternal charity. Thank you all, thank you again for being here. It is truly a pleasure to be able to say goodbye.
I would also like to thank your parish priest; let's give him a round of applause and say: "Thank you, Father Francis, for all you do." The parish priest is not the parish, but without a parish priest, many times there are difficulties. So, we sincerely thank him for all his service, and through him, all the parish priests and priests who serve the community in Rome.
Then we also greet His Eminence, the vicar and future bishop, here beside me, Don Marco. A community that represents God's love is truly a great gift. Thank you, thank you all.
Blessing
Thank you, thank you all.
______________________________
Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with children and young people at the sports field
Good afternoon everyone! And welcome back!
Thank you for this welcome. Good afternoon! There's a very large Peruvian community here. Good, good. And many others. Good afternoon. Thank you.
Interventions for children
Good morning everyone!
You represent the parish whose patron is the Sacred Heart of Jesus. What does the heart represent? Love, charity, the immense expression of the infinite God; and what is infinite about God is his love, his grace, his mercy. And this is something that in this parish, in a very special way, is present to so many people. And I want to thank all of you, all those who are part of this parish: Caritas, for their outreach to immigrants; those who accompany the sick; those who so often suffer because they can't find work, have no home, or know where to go. And you, as a parish, have created a truly welcoming community. And for this I truly thank you, because it is a sign of hope in a world where so often the pain, suffering, and hardship are too great.
A few minutes before leaving home, I heard a woman speaking. She said there were no longer any signs of hope in the world. She was suffering because of the war, and she asked, "Where do I go now?" She had lost everything. But we who believe in Jesus Christ and who live as united brothers and sisters can be that sign of hope even in a world where these signs are no longer found. And why? Because we believe in and know Jesus Christ, his heart, his love that is always with us. And you represent this infinite love.
Thank you for being here and thank you for this gesture, this life of commitment to faith, that is, of commitment to faith, to live God's love in this way.
Now I also want to extend a special greeting. There are many people accompanying us; they couldn't come in here, but they could come from the balconies, from the roofs of the houses... A very heartfelt greeting to everyone, and thank you too! Everyone is invited, everyone is called. And so we too can represent this family that knows no limits, that wants to invite everyone to say: "Come, everyone!" Even if it's not possible to enter due to the number of people, there is a very important sign here, right in this area where we so often see and feel the difficulties, so many problems: there is a vibrant parish, a community of faith, a community that says: "Come, everyone," because in Jesus Christ there is salvation, and we want to experience, receive, and share this great love that the Lord offers us.
Thank you again for being here. It will be a pleasure to celebrate our faith with you, listen to the word of God, celebrate the Eucharist, and give thanks to the Lord.
So let us continue this beautiful encounter, knowing that in these encounters, Jesus Christ draws close to us. Let us live our faith and thus be a sign of hope.
Thank you. Good. Since everyone can't enter the church, we'll also offer a moment of prayer and a blessing to all of you here.
Let us pray together: Our Father…
Blessing.
Best wishes to you all. And let us experience this encounter with joy, because we know Jesus who is here with us. Thank you.
_______________________________________
Words of the Holy Father during the meeting with the elderly and sick
Good evening everyone.
It's a pleasure to meet you, to have this opportunity to spend the afternoon together, filled with the joy of being sons and daughters of God, brothers and sisters all, who, during this time of Lent, a time of conversion, a time to draw closer to the Lord, can truly find a home, a family, an experience of community, where doors are open and welcome everyone. It's a beauty that is often hard to find in the world. So, thank you for coming.
I know some of you are suffering, suffering from illness, or experiencing the challenges of old age that sometimes arise... and yet you came. And I thank you. It's a wonderful opportunity for me too. I'm very happy to be here with you. And thank you for this welcome.
Cardinal Baldo Reina was telling me a moment ago that there are a hundred or so parishes in Rome where this welcome is offered, even after school. That is, the opportunity for migrant families to find a place, a place, perhaps starting with the study of Italian, but also with other assistance, to integrate into society. I would like to underline the great value of this gesture, because we know—and not only in Italy, but in many parts of the world today—a new attitude is emerging where they want to close doors, where they want to say: "Enough! Let no one else come!" And yet, as disciples of Jesus Christ, we know that the Gospel calls us to live a different spirit. The Gospel tells us that when Jesus presents himself and says: "I am a stranger. You have welcomed me." And this is a gesture we make to all the people who truly represent Jesus Christ among us.
So, thank you for this wonderful service. I would like to encourage those who come, who certainly face difficulties. There are people who are homeless, but thank God they can find a place here, even for—I don't know—a shower, for something to eat, for a little—let's say—community, people who receive something. This too, so often, is present today: loneliness. Many people suffer, they feel alone, they can't find anyone to talk to, anyone to help, anyone to accompany them on their journey through life.
And so a parish called Sacred Heart is a parish that represents this heart of Jesus, it is truly a place blessed by God, called to be this house of welcome, this house of brotherhood, of charity, of love, where people in need can truly find a family. A family that prays, a family that lives its faith, a family that experiences authentic love in fraternal charity. Thank you all, thank you again for being here. It is truly a pleasure to be able to say goodbye.
I would also like to thank your parish priest; let's give him a round of applause and say: "Thank you, Father Francis, for all you do." The parish priest is not the parish, but without a parish priest, many times there are difficulties. So, we sincerely thank him for all his service, and through him, all the parish priests and priests who serve the community in Rome.
Then we also greet His Eminence, the vicar and future bishop, here beside me, Don Marco. A community that represents God's love is truly a great gift. Thank you, thank you all.
Blessing
Thank you, thank you all.
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