Pope Leo XIV says "God's heart is torn by wars, violence, injustice" but Seeing the Sister's Nursing Home he Exclaimed "there is hope!"

Pope Leo XIV visits the "Ma Maison" shelter, run by the Little Sisters of the Poor, who have dedicated themselves for years to caring for the most vulnerable, including Muslims. Among the guests was Archbishop Emeritus of Algiers, Desfarges. "Seeing a home like this," the Pontiff stated, "makes one think: so there is hope! Because God's heart is broken by war, violence, and injustice." (See full text below the video)
Nine nuns host and care for—with the support of paid staff and volunteers—about forty people from Annaba. Men and women who, due to age or illness, are relegated to the margins of society, in dire need and without family or support networks. Among them, several Muslims.

"God lives where there is love"

The Pope is visiting the House, alive and active thanks in part to the charity of the people of Annaba, as the second stop on his second day in Algeria, Tuesday, April 14. A day—also marked by a violent storm of rain and wind—spent entirely in what was once known as Hippo, whose bishop was Saint Augustine.

The Pope was greeted by the singing and applause of the nuns and staff of Ma Maison , as well as by the z agharit , the cry of exultation typical of Arab and African women.

It was the Mother Superior, Sister Philomena Peter, who gave the " marhaban ," or "welcome," to the Bishop of Rome: "We are deeply moved and grateful to God for granting us this privilege of being together," she said, calling the entire trip to Africa "a sign of peace and unity." The nun describes the community present at the Shelter Home as a "family": "We love" the elderly residents and "they share our lives," she explained. "Their lives are rich in wisdom, experience, and gratitude, but also in pain, loneliness, trials, and suffering," she assured. "His decision underscores the fundamental importance of loving and caring for the elderly throughout the world."
The testimony of the Archbishop Emeritus

Some testimonies follow, including that of Archbishop Desfarges, who recalls welcoming the then-Father Robert Prevost as bishop at the inauguration of the "splendidly restored" Basilica of Saint Augustine. Now he welcomes the Pope "as a resident of this House, living among my resident brothers and sisters, with all the staff so attentive to everyone and to our dear Little Sisters." For the prelate, this is "a joy" because "here everyone becomes a servant, a servant of the elderly, attentive to the most fragile, the most vulnerable."

The Archbishop Emeritus said he witnessed the Little Sisters' "tenderness" toward the elderly, whom they accompany "until the end of their lives on this earth," as well as the "small miracle of the smile and the warm handshake" that nourish the spirit of love "toward and for one another." "Your visit, Holy Father," Desfarges concluded, "confirms the Home in its beautiful mission of bearing witness to God's gratuitous love for all his children, and especially for the poorest."

FULL TEXT GREETING FROM THE HOLY FATHER - POPE LEO XIV
at the Ma Maison Nursing Home (Annaba)
Tuesday, April 14, 2026
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Excellencies, dear Sisters,
dear brothers and sisters, good morning! As-salamu alaykom!

Thank you for welcoming me into this home! I'm happy because God lives here, because where there is love and service, there God is.

I thank the Little Sisters of the Poor and the staff of the Home. Thank you, Mother Filomena, for your welcome.

Thank you, dear Monsignor Desfarges, for your words, your touching words! Listening to you and seeing your presence here among our elderly brothers and sisters, it comes naturally to praise God and thank him. As Jesus did that day, when he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said: "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned and revealed them to little ones. Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will" ( Lk 10:21).

I thank Mr. Salah Bouchemel for his testimony, so beautiful and consoling. I think that the Lord, from Heaven, seeing a home like this, where people strive to live together in fraternity, might think: so there is hope! Yes, because God's heart is torn by wars, violence, injustice, and lies. But our Father's heart is not with the wicked, the arrogant, the proud: God's heart is with the little ones, with the humble, and with them he advances his Kingdom of love and peace, day by day. As you strive to do here in your daily service, in your friendship, in living together.

Thank you, dear sisters and brothers, for this meeting! I keep you in my prayers and I leave you my heartfelt blessing.

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In single file, the nuns and several elderly people bring the Pope various gifts, including paintings and handicrafts. He reciprocates with rosary beads for each of them. An elderly man slips it into his shirt pocket after kissing it. A group photo concludes the meeting, the first of a Pontiff in this small, hidden oasis, sending a message that bucks the trend of the world's ugliness: "So there is hope!"