Pope Leo XIV: Embrace 'marvelous adventure' of following Christ more closely
Pope Leo XIV receives participants in General Chapters of several religious institutes at Castel Gandolfo (@Vatican Media)
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Embrace the marvelous adventure of following Christ more closely.
Pope Leo XIV gave this exhortation to religious men and women on Saturday morning in Castel Gandolfo, where he is staying for his summer vacation.
While Popes generally hold few encounters during their stay in the lakeside town southeast of Rome, the Holy Father welcomed participants in the General Chapters of the Pontifical Institute for Foreign Missions (P.I.M.E.); Religious Teachers Filippini; Religious Teachers Venerini; Daughters of the Church; Salesian Oblate Sisters of the Sacred Heart; and Franciscan Sisters of St. Angela (Angeline Franciscans).
The Holy Father began by thanking them for their work and "faithful presence" in so many parts of the world, noting their Founders and Foundresses, "docile to the action of the Holy Spirit, have left you a variety of charisms for the building up of the Body of Christ."
Love of God for humanity
The Pope observed that their respective Institutes "embody complementary aspects of the life and mission of the entire people of God," naming in particular "the offering of self in union with Christ's Sacrifice, the ad gentes mission, love for the Church preserved and handed on, and the education and formation of young people."
These, he said, are different paths all animated by the one eternal reality, namely, "God's love for humanity."
"As is customary," the Pope recognized that each of their Congregations has identified particular perspectives through which to reread the legacy received, in order to renew and make its content relevant for today," and he invited them to do this with deep prayer and mutual listening."
Benedict XVI's reminder
The Holy Spirit, Pope Leo said, quoting Benedict XVI, recalled that it is the Spirit who, "through the contribution of many under the guidance of the Pastors, 'helps the Christian community to walk in charity toward the full truth.'"
In this context, the Pope underscored the importance of renewing an authentic missionary spirit, adopting the sentiments 'that were in Christ Jesus,' rooting their hope in God, keeping alive in their hearts the flame of the Spirit, promoting peace, and fostering pastoral co-responsibility within local Churches.
Marvelous adventure of following Christ more closely
"To place these side by side and recall them together at this moment," Pope Leo marveled, "helps us to appreciate the richness of our being a community—especially as religious—engaged in the same marvelous adventure of 'following Christ more closely.''
"May this renew and strengthen in all of us the awareness and joy of being Church," the Pope said, expressing his hope that this in particular encourage them, in their Chapter discernment, "to think boldly as unique pieces of a design that transcends and involves you beyond your own expectations."
God's plan of salvation
That design, Pope Leo XIV noted, is "the plan of salvation" by which God desires to bring all humanity back to Himself, as one great family.
Like small lights, he urged them to help the light of Christ, "which never fades," spread throughout the earth.
Before imparting his Apostolic Blessing, Pope Leo XIV invited those present to join him "in asking the Lord together to make us docile to the voice of His Spirit, who 'teaches all things,' and without whose help—in our weakness—we do not even know how to pray as we ought.'"--Vatican News
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Herald Malaysia
12 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
New short documentary highlights the life of Servant of God Julia Greeley
A new, short documentary tells the story of Servant of God Julia Greeley, also known as Denver's Angel of Charity, who was born into slavery near Hannibal, Missouri. Jul 21, 2025 An image of Servant of God Julia Greeley in a parish. | Credit: Screenshot/Colorado Capuchin Franciscans By Francesca Pollio Fenton A new, short documentary tells the story of Servant of God Julia Greeley, also known as Denver's Angel of Charity, who was born into slavery near Hannibal, Missouri. 'Julia Greeley: Servant of the Sacred Heart' features interviews with Father Blaine Burkey, OFM Cap, who wrote a book on Greeley's life; Mary Leisring, president of the Julia Greeley Guild; Father Eric Zegeer, pastor of Sacred Heart Parish in Denver, Greeley's parish; and Jean Torkelson, executive director of the Julia Greeley Home, a Denver nonprofit that serves women in need. In the 13-minute documentary, interviewees discuss Greeley's deep faith, her acts of charity, and her courageous response to the challenges presented throughout her life. When she was a child, while her master was beating her mother, his whip caught Greeley's right eye and destroyed it. After she was freed in 1865, she spent her time serving poor families, mostly in Denver. In 1880, Greeley entered the Catholic Church at Sacred Heart Parish in Denver. She attended daily Mass and had a deep devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, the Sacred Heart of Jesus, and the Blessed Virgin Mary. She joined the Secular Franciscan Order in 1901 and was known for her dedication to the people in her community, bringing them things they needed. Despite having arthritis, she walked countless miles to collect and distribute alms and to spread devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. Greely died on June 7, 1918, and her cause for canonization was opened by the Archdiocese of Denver in 2016. Burkey is a retired priest in the Archdiocese of Denver. A scholar and expert on the life of Greeley, in an interview with CNA he described her as 'a very zealous person.' 'Despite all the problems people gave her, she turned it around and didn't spend time worrying about that,' he said. The priest also highlighted that among Greeley's many charitable deeds, 'every time she had money leftover to take care of herself, she [instead] took care of the poor,' and 'she didn't spend her life trying to get even or [seek] vengeance or anything like that.' He said he hopes the faithful are 'encouraged by that message that you shouldn't be concerned with vengeance but with mercy.'--CNA
Herald Malaysia
12 hours ago
- Herald Malaysia
Pope at Mass: Take summer to savor moments of reflection
Presiding over Mass at the Cathedral of Albano, Pope Leo reflects on hospitality, service, and listening as essential elements to building a relationship with God and others. Jul 21, 2025 Pope Leo XIV presides over Holy Mass at the Cathedral of Albano (@Vatican Media) By Kielce GussieMarking his third Sunday at the papal summer residence in the Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV presided over Mass for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time at the nearby Cathedral of Albano. At the start of his homily, the Pope joked about having to change in plans to visit Albano back in May. "As you know, I was supposed to arrive on May 12, but the Holy Spirit had other plans. Still, I'm truly happy to be here, and with this sense of fraternity and Christian joy, I greet all of you present." Reflecting upon the first reading and the Gospel, he said these passages call us to reflect on hospitality, service, and listening. Good hosts The Pope first looked at the the first reading from Genesis where three men visit Abraham 'in the heat of the day'. Pope Leo pointed out how Abraham's response to these visitors as master of the house was one of hospitality. With this attitude, the atmosphere changed and, as the Pope highlighted, 'the afternoon's stillness is filled with gestures of love' from Abraham, his wife Sarah, and their servants. In that setting, God shares the news the couple had been waiting for: they will have a son. This encounter encourages us to reflect on how God chose the path of hospitality to enter into Abraham and Sarah's lives. Twin dimensions of hospitality Turning to the Gospel, Pope Leo commented on how the passage 'teaches us about God's way of acting.' Jesus came as a guest in the house of Martha and Mary, not as a stranger but as a friend during a celebration. The two sisters react to their guest in very different ways: Martha welcomes him by serving, while Mary sits at his feet to listen to him. Jesus responded to Martha's comments by inviting her to see the value of listening. Yet, the Pope stressed that 'it would be incorrect, however, to see these two attitudes as mutually exclusive, or to compare the merits of the two women.' Service and listening, he said are 'twin dimensions of hospitality.' When striving to live these two aspects in our daily lives, our relationship with God must come first and we need to live out our faith through concrete actions, according to our state in life. But we can only do this after reflecting on the Word of God and listening for the Holy Spirit. In order to do this, the Pope called us to dedicate times of silence and prayer, eliminating distractions, so we can focus on God and give him space to speak to us. He argued 'this is a dimension of the Christian life that we particularly need to recover today, both as a value for individuals and communities, and as a prophetic sign for our times.' The Pope pointed out that summer is a good moment to push for this and experience the beauty of our relationship with God and how it can help us be more open to others. Summer vacation and God As summer often offers more free time to reflect and spend time with others, Pope Leo challenged everyone to 'make good use of this, by leaving behind the whirlwind of commitments and worries in order to savor a few moments of peace and reflection' and to visit others. Summer can be an opportunity to care for others, get to know them, and listen to them. These are all expressions of love, the Pope explained, of which we are all in need. He argued that if we courageously try to live these out, we will be promoting a culture of peace, 'helping those around us to overcome divisions and hostility and to build communion between individuals, peoples and religions.' Recognizing that this demands effort and sacrifices, Pope Leo stressed that it is in these efforts that 'something worthwhile can be built in life.' Listening to and serving others is the only way to create and strengthen genuine relationships with others. Thank you for your service At the end of Mass, Pope Leo presented the Bishiop of Albano, Vincenzo Viva, with a chasuble. "We present this gift to His Excellency, an expression of our closeness to his diocesan Church, with the hope that the Lord's blessing may always accompany you. Thank you for your service and thank you to your poeple."--Vatican News
Borneo Post
2 days ago
- Borneo Post
Healthy church must stand on evangelism, discipleship, says church leader
Lau (front, seventh left) joins the participants in a group photo, taken after the opening ceremony. SIBU (July 20): A healthy church must grow on two pillars, namely evangelism and discipleship, said Methodist Church Sarawak Chinese Annual Conference (SCAC) president Reverend Lau Hui Ming. When speaking at the opening ceremony of the 11th Youth Leadership Conference of the World Federation of Chinese Methodist Churches here on Friday night, he reminded the young participants that discipleship was not solely about attending church events or learning doctrines but also about walking closely with others on their journey to become more like Jesus Christ. 'We often hear about the importance of preaching the Gospel, but the Bible also calls us to discipleship and not the easy kind – it is disciplined, intentional and requires sacrifice,' he said. Lau said only a spiritually mature community shaped by love, sacrifice and a deep relationship with God could build a strong and thriving church. He thus encouraged the young people to reflect deeply on what it meant to be part of a healthy church over the course of the conference. 'Jesus said if anyone wanted to follow Him, they must deny themselves and take up their cross daily – not when it's convenient, not only during big events, but every single day no matter how you feel.' He said that many often mistook discipleship as just attending Bible studies or church programmes. 'Discipleship is more than knowledge, it's about people. It's about relationships. 'You have to know someone to walk alongside them in their faith. 'That's where true discipleship begins. 'There are four Gospels in the Bible: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. 'But many of your non-believing friends, neighbours, and relatives may never read those. Instead, they read you. 'You are the 'Fifth Gospel'. How you live your life, how you know Jesus, how you treat others – that is the Gospel people see every day. If people can see our lives and be inspired to glorify God, then we become a bridge that leads others to Christ.'
