World Communications Day 2025 “Sharewithgentlenessthe hopethatisinyourhearts”
(CNS) - The Vatican and most dioceses celebrate the World Day of Communications every year on the Sunday before Pentecost, which falls on June 1 this year.
St. Paul VI established the World Communications Day tradition in 1967. Early papal messages were dedicated to television, cinema, video and even audio cassettes.
But no matter how much media has changed, all 59 messages have had the same underlying purpose: to bring attention to the potential
59th World Day of Social Communications
Sunday, June 1st 2025
dangers and damage caused by swift technological changes in communications and to find the best ways the new tools can promote truth, hope, joy and human life and dignity.
A message for the celebration was written and shared by Pope Francis before his death April 21.
And Pope Leo has shown he shares many of the late pope's hopes, concerns and expectations for the field of communications.
Pope Leo XIV's meeting with representatives of the world's media
Pope Leo made extensive remarks about the world of communications just days after his election when he met May 12 with members of the media from around the world who had come to Rome to cover the conclave.
Speaking to thousands of reporters, radio and television correspondents, photographers and camera operators, Pope Leo asked them to be peacemakers by shunning prejudice and anger in their reporting
He also called for the release of journalists imprisoned for their work and reaffirmed the importance of freedom of the press.
Pope Francis' World Communications Day Message
For the 59th World Communications Day June 1, 2025, Pope Francis chose the theme, "Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts." (please turn to p2 )
PopeissuesappealforpeaceinUkraine,Gaza - p2
Situation in Gaza at ‘catastrophic levels’ - p3
Bishop’s Engagements - p3
A Christian Perspective on Social Issues - p4
Sunday Scripture - p5
10realquotesthatPopeLeohasactuallysaid - p6
Tens of thousands of pilgrims expected for Jubilee of Families - p7
Vatican gardeners plant botanical reproduction of pope’s coat of arms - p8
Children’s Page - p9
PopemakessurprisevisittoLaudatoSi’ project - p10
Growing in Grace Week 60 - p10
Pope Leo’s Creole roots raise hopes for Black American sainthood causes - p12
Independence Day Masses - p14
Pope issues appeal for peace in Ukraine, Gaza amid fresh violence
The Jubilee Prayer
Father in heaven, may the faith you have given us in your son, Jesus Christ, our brother, and the flame of charity enkindled in our hearts by the Holy Spirit, reawaken in us the blessed hope for the coming of your Kingdom.
May your grace transform us into tireless cultivators of the seeds of the Gospel.
May those seeds transform from within both humanity and the whole cosmos in the sure expectation of a new heaven and a new earth, when, with the powers of Evil vanquished, your glory will shine eternally.
May the grace of the Jubilee reawaken in us, Pilgrims of Hope, a yearning for the treasures of heaven. May that same grace spread the joy and peace of our Redeemer throughout the earth.
To you our God, eternally blessed, be glory and praise for ever.
Amen
CathNews) - Pope Leo XIV has again appealed for an end to hostilities in both Ukraine and Gaza, asking for dialogue, the cessation of violence, the freedom of Israeli hostages and for humanitarian law to be respected. Source: Crux.
Speaking at the close of his May 28 general audience, the Pope said that his thoughts in recent days “often go to the Ukrainian people, struck by new, serious attacks against civilians
and infrastructure”.
His appeal comes as both Russia and Ukraine have launched a series of drone attacks against one another, despite ongoing peace negotiations and despite claims from Moscow that it was finalising its own peace proposal to end the war that has been raging for three years.
Ukrainian air force officials said on Tuesday that the previous night Russia had deployed some 60 drones across multiple regions, injuring 10 people, with Kyiv air defences saying they intercepted 43 of them.
The strikes came shortly after Ukraine endured one of the heaviest air offensives since the outbreak of the full-scale war in February 2022, with some 355 drone strikes occurring on Sunday alone, according to Ukraine’s air force, marking a record number.
Russia has said its strikes were in response to increased strikes by Ukraine on its own civilians and accused Kyiv of attempting to “disrupt” peace efforts.
“I forcefully renew the appeal to
stop the war and to support every initiative for dialogue and peace,” Pope Leo said, and he asked the world to join him “in praying for peace in Ukraine and wherever there is suffering from war.”
To this end, he also issued an appeal for peace in Gaza, lamenting the impact the conflict has had on children, in particular.
“From the Gaza Strip, the cries of mothers and fathers rise ever more intensely to heaven, as they hold the lifeless bodies of children, and who are continually forced to move in search of a little food and a safer shelter from the bombings,” he said.
The plea was a reference to the approximately 180,000 Palestinians who have been displaced seeking new places of shelter since Israel launched a fresh, intensified military offensive two weeks ago.
With deaths and hunger increasing and no clear solution in sight, Pope Leo asked all those in positions of responsibility to “cease fire, let all the hostages be freed, let humanitarian law be fully respected!”❖
59th World Day of Social Communications
(From Front Page)
He urged communicators to use their platforms to inspire hope by avoiding aggressive language and rejecting rhetoric that dehumanizes others.
But the world's journalists and communicators also got an extra moment to celebrate and reflect during the Jubilee of the World of Communications at the Vatican, which included an audience with Pope Francis Jan. 25, 2025, the day after the feast of St. Francis de Sales, patron saint of journalists.
Jubilee of the World of Communications
The pope, who had been having difficulty reading long speeches, handed his talk to Paolo Ruffini, prefect of the Dicastery for Communications, during the meeting with journalists in the Paul VI hall.
However, he did speak briefly offthe-cuff telling communicators, "Your work is a work that builds: it builds society, it builds the Church, it makes everyone go forward, provided it is true."
One must be true, the pope said, not just with one's words, but also in one's heart and life.❖
Pope Leo XIV talks to visitors during his weekly general audience in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican May 28 (CNS/Lola Gomez)
(OSV News) Food insecurity in the Gaza Strip “has reached catastrophic levels,” a Catholic humanitarian organizationhaswarned.
In his monthly update on the situation in Gaza in late May, Joseph Hazboun, regional director for CNEWA-Pontifical Mission for Palestine and Israel, painted a bleak picture that includes overcrowding at Gaza’s two Christian churches and an “increasingly dire” healthsituation.
Nearly 2 million people, about 90% of Gaza’s population, have been “displaced and living in overcrowded, unsafeconditions,” hesaid.
Health Conditions ‘Rapidly Deteriorating’
“With limited access to basic needs such as clean water, food and sanitation,healthconditionsarerapidlydeteriorating,” he said. “Vulnerable groups, including infants, the elderly and pregnant women, are facing heightened risks of disease, malnutrition and preventabledeaths.”
Israel’s continued military bombardments since October 2023 have left the health care system in shambles, with a shortage of medicine and health care professionals,hesaid.
An estimated 96% of the population is facing extreme levels of food insecurity, and some families are surviving on fewerthantwomealsa day.
Community Kitchens Forced to Close
“As of mid-May, more than 90 community kitchens have been forced to close due to a lack of fuel and supplies, with the remaining kitchens unable to provide sufficient meals to meet the nutritional needs of the population,” Hazboun reported.
The Catholic Near East Welfare Association, or CNEWA, established in 1926 by Pope Pius XI to support the Eastern churches, administers the Pontifical Mission, which was founded as the Pontifical Mission for Palestine by Pope Pius XII in 1949 to care for Palestinian
homesbecauseofovercrowding.
“Despite these challenges, the church remains committed to supporting the community,” he said. “It provides vital psychosocial support to children through structured programs and has set up a small school and kindergarten to ensure some continuity in education during thiscrisis.
”
St. Porphyrios Greek Orthodox Church is sheltering about 150 people and, as with Holy Family Church, some have returned to their partially damaged homesbecauseofovercrowding.
Church Provides ‘Critical Support’
“The church continues to provide critical support to both those sheltering within and to vulnerable families in the surrounding area,” said Hazboun.
“For children, small-scale recreational activities offer a brief respite from the ongoing trauma, although these efforts are constrained by the severe shortage ofresources.”
of state, called for an end to the bombardments of Gaza, for necessary aid to be allowed to reach the people, and for Hamas to immediately release all remaininghostages.
For his part, Archbishop Wester said that Oct. 7, 2023, “was a day of unspeakable darkness and hate” and that “The last 20 months in Gaza have beenmoreofthesame.”
He asked: “How many more innocent people must die, how many children must be orphaned, and how many tears must be shed before the leaders ofHamasandIsraellearnthatlightand love are the only weapons that will bring lasting peace to the land we call holy?Howlong,O Lord?Howlong?”❖
Bishop’s Engagements
Sunday June 1st
refugees. The mandate of the mission, which was subsequently placed under CNEWA’s direction, has been extended by several pontiffs to care for all those affected by war and poverty in the MiddleEast.
In a May 29 statement, Archbishop John C. Wester of Santa Fe, New Mexico, said that since the attack on Israel by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, “the situation has reached tragic levels beyondanyone’sworstfears.”
‘Unimaginable Loss of Life’
“The horrific massacre of innocent Israelis and the subsequent response from Israel has resulted in unimaginable loss of life and human suffering,” said the archbishop, who has been a vocaladvocateforpeace.
Regarding the Israeli-Hamas war, Archbishop Wester has signed on to joint letters calling for an end to the war, including a letter in January 2024 that he and Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, now archbishop of Washington, issued a statement calling for an “immediateand total” ceasefire.
On Oct. 7, 2023, the Palestinian militant group Hamas, which governs the Gaza Strip, launched an attack on southern Israel. Nearly 1,200 people were killed, including more than 700 Israeli civilians, and Hamas took 251 hostages into Gaza. In retaliation, Israel launched an attack on Gaza that has killed at least 53,655 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza healthministry.
Leaving Gaza Is Difficult
Many Christians have fled or tried to flee Gaza since the war began, Hazboun said, but leaving has been difficult.
Approximately 400 people have sought shelter at thecompound of HolyFamily Church, the only Catholic church in Gaza. Hazboun said limited humanitarian aid is only distributed twice a month, and more than 100 people have chosen to return to their damaged
The United Nations reports more than 1 million children in Gaza require immediate psychosocial support. In addition, nearly 85% of Gaza’s schools havebeendamagedordestroyed.
“Thousands of students have been unable to sit for their matriculation exams, further compounding the impactontheirfuture,” Hazbounsaid.
Partner organizations in Gaza have requested assistance from CNEWAPontifical Mission for food for displaced families and for basic health care and psychosocial programs for adultsandchildren.
Providing Urgent Medical Services
Working with the Near East Council of Churches, CNEWA-Pontifical Mission distributesfreshvegetableswhenavailable at the two churches as well as to people living on their own. Pontifical Mission has long supported Anglicanrun al-Ahli Arab Hospital and, since January, has partnered with the hospitaltoprovideurgentmedicalservices.
“TheseservicesarevitalasGaza faces an alarming rise in injuries, trauma cases, burn victims and widespread infectious diseases due to unsanitary conditions and unsafe water.
The hospital, now operating 24/7, is overburdened, using every available space for patientcare,” Hazboun said.
At the end of his general audience at the Vatican May 28, Pope Leo XIV pleaded for peace inGaza.
“In the Gaza Strip, the cry of mothers, of fathers who clutch the lifeless bodies of children and who are continually forced to move in search of a little food and safer shelter from bombing, rises ever more intensely to the sky,” the pope said.
Bombardments of Gaza
In an interview with Vatican News a day earlier, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican secretary
07:30hrs – Mass at the Cathedral of theImmaculateConception,Brickdam 09:30hrs – Meet Confirmation Candidates of the Cathedral of the ImmaculateConception.
11:15hrs – Attend Catholic Men’s Retreat, Life Centre, 28 Brickdam, Stabroek
Saturday June 7th
15:00hrs – Rehearsal for Confirmation Candidates of the Cathedral of the ImmaculateConception
Sunday June 8th
07:30hrs–Mass&Confirmationatthe CathedraloftheImmaculateConception
A Palestinian girl displaced by the Israeli military offensive reacts while waiting with other young people May 21, 2025, to receive food cooked by a charity kitchen in Gaza City, Gaza Strip. (OSV News photo/Mahmoud Issa, Reuters)
Francis Alleyne OSB
A Christian Perspective on Social Issues
By GHK Lall
Rising and ascending (Part 1)
“So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God.
But they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word through accompanying signs.” (MK 16: 19-20) Jesus rose, strengthened, comforted, and inspired his disciples. For forty days those were part of his manifestation. As St Mark wrote above, Jesus, “after he spoke to them, was taken up to heaven…” Jesus is gone, but still guides. He helps us to grow in the ways of truth and life. Has this been so for us in this country? In the Roman Catholic, and wider Christian, community? Have I made, am I trying to make, the national community better? Jesus first rose, then ascended above the clouds. Have I risen and ascended above the swamps that can drown, the tides that can overwhelm? If I say, Yes! Then how? If the answer is No! then why not?
These are the questions that should stir within each one of us on this Asension Sunday. Then stir us to action. There is a Church that doesn’t
shine with as much as the light as it should. This means that there are some pockets of darkness within its walls, its heart. What has been allowed to come before the Sacred Heart of Jesus that bled so much for a self-destructive humanity? The darkness that has seeped into the Church, many often wonder, if it is more of formidable pillars and less of a pocket or two. When Jesus rose from the darkness of Hades, he lifted each one of us to the light. Lifting is one thing, the beginning, staying there is quite another. Growing from there adds a new dimension to individual presence, personal relationship with God and the worship that is offered.
The social environment can be sticky. It is hard to peel away from, easy to embrace, easier to allow it to command and control. There is too much disturbance, too many dissensions, in the world occupied. Disturbances and dissensions feed divisions. And is this place Guyana, now known the world over, divided! So, how have we, how have I, separated from that, risen above that toxic swamp, ascending and not merely circling around, like some plane waiting to land? It is the question that stares right back from the mirror at me. Me means you, too. I rise when I refuse to empower the petty grudges, the deep prejudices, to own me, control me. Oh, some may frown upon the perspectives made here. The first and last issue is whether I am being honest with myself. Honest before God Almighty. Jesus set the standard. “Love thine enemy.” Revolutionary, indeed; but oftentimes I find myself thinking that the Lord Jesus Christ, Teacher and Master, took things too far, pushed into superhuman territory. After a
long internal struggle, a speck, then a streak, then a whole barn of wisdom comes. It is doable, that one centered around my role model, the one followed? Well, there is the record of how he rose above the fray, and all of its brute forces, its foulness. Not just in words that soothe and inspire. But through the red hazes of pain, in the deeds lived in the climax of his final hours. There was mocking instigation from those in his vicinity: then bring down the wrath of heaven on those who revile and brutalize. Jesus, though in the peaks of his agony, still rose above those incinerating incitements. His peace prevailed. And, so it must be with me, you. This country is hurting, and badly so. The last thing that it needs is another presence, one more voice, to intensify its perversities, its malice. Toward none, let such be. We must rise above that; you must rise above that; and before I exhort others doing so, I must rise above all such behaviors. Behaviors that drain and devastate. How do I rise? How do I ascend above complacency? How to shake off an environment that clings tenaciously, but at the same time not be at such a distance that I cannot make it better. If I fail at making it better, then I have a duty to keep trying to make a difference. This is rising. This is growing from the freshness and fruitfulness of the light. Not my own, but a light bigger than I could ever be. Jesus rose, so I run forward to be right behind him. When there is grasping at the edges of his garment, with hope inside, there is rising. O Lord! Let it be. Let it be.
(To be continued June 13th). ❖
Sr. Tiziana Merletti, the newlyappointed secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
VATICAN CITY
first
Merletti, a canon lawyer, to be secretary of the Dicastery for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life.
Sister Merletti, a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor, succeeds Consolata Missionary Sister Simona Brambilla, whom Pope Francis appointed prefect of the dicastery in January. Sister Brambilla is the first woman to head a Vatican dicastery.
s International Union of Superiors General (UISG, in Italian) thanked Pope Leo and congratulated Sister Merletti on her appointment, which the Vatican announced May 22.
As a member of the union’s canon law council and a member of the Commission for Safeguarding operated jointly by the men s and women’s unions of superiors, “her contributions are a gift to our global network, promoting justice, care and integrity in consecrated life,” the superiors’ group said. “We congratulate Sr. Tiziana on this important mission and assure her of our prayers as she takes on this new responsibility in service to consecrated life around the world.”
The dicastery, according to the apostolic constitution on the Roman Curia,
is called “to promote, encourage and regulate the practice of the evangelical counsels, how they are lived out in the approved forms of consecrated life and all matters concerning the life and activity of Societies of Apostolic Life throughout the Latin Church.”
According to Vatican statistics, there are close to 600,000 professed women religious in the Catholic Church. The number of religious-order priests is about 128,500 and the number of religious brothers is close to 50,000.
Sister Merletti, 65, was born in Pineto, Italy, and earned a civil law degree before making her first vows as a member of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor in 1986. In 1992 she earned her doctorate in canon law from the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome. From 2004 to 2013, she was superior general of the Franciscan Sisters of the Poor. At the time of her appointment, she was teaching canon law at the Pontifical Antonianum University in Rome and serving as a canon law expert with the UISG. ❖
Gracious and loving God, we thank your for the gift of our priests. Through them, we experience your presence in the sacraments.
Help our priests to be strong in their vocation.
Set their souls on fire with love for your people.
Grant them the wisdom, understanding, and strength they need to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Inspire them with the vision of your Kingdom.
Give them the words they need to spread the Gospel.
Allow them to experience joy in their ministry.
Help them to become instruments of your divine grace.
We ask this through Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns as our Eternal Priest. Amen
of
‘Growth is the only evidence
life.’ Blessed John Henry Newman (1801-1890)
(CNS) In his
appointment of a top-level official of the Roman Curia, Pope Leo XIV named Sister Tiziana
FIRST READING Acts 1:1-11
He was lifted up while they looked on.
In my earlier work, Theophilus, I dealt with everything Jesus had done and taught from the beginning until the day he gave his instructions to the apostles he had chosen through the Holy Spirit, and was taken up to heaven. He had shown himself alive to them after his Passion by many demonstrations: for forty days he had continued to appear to them and tell them about the kingdom of God. When he had been at table with them, he had told them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for what the Father had promised. “It is,” he had said, “what you have heard me speak about: John baptised with water but you, not many days from now, will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”
Now having met together, they asked him, “Lord, has the time come? Are you going to restore the kingdom of Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to the ends of the earth.”
As he said this he was lifted up while they looked on, and a cloud took him from their sight. They were still staring into the sky when suddenly two men in white were standing near them and they said, “Why are you men from Galilee standing here looking into the sky? Jesus who has been taken up from you into heaven, this same Jesus will come back in the same way as you have seen him go there.”
RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 46
Response: God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast.
1. All peoples, clap your hands, cry to God with shouts of joy!
For the Lord, the Most High, we must fear, great king over all the earth. Response
2. God goes up with shouts of joy; the Lord goes up with trumpet blast. Sing praise for God, sing praise, sing praise to our king, sing praise. Response
3. God is king of all the earth. Sing praise with all your skill. God is king over the nations; God reigns on his holy throne. Response
SECOND READING Ephesians 1:17-23
He made him sit at his right hand in heaven.
May the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, give you a spirit of wisdom and perception of what is revealed, to bring you to full knowledge of him. May he enlighten the eyes of your mind so that you can see what hope his call holds for you,
On this Feast of the Ascension, we celebrate Christ’s triumphant return to the Father after perfectly accomplishing His mission on earth. But we also can also view this Feast as a celebration of the “launch day” of our commissioning as Christ’s disciples.
Today’s Gospel draws our attention to the clear instructions that Jesus gave His disciples (and to us) just before ascending to the Father: “Thus it is written that the Christ would suffer
what rich glories he has promised the saints will inherit and how infinitely great is the power that he has exercised for us believers. This you can tell from the strength of his power at work in Christ, when he used it to raise him from the dead and to make him sit at his right hand, in heaven, far above every Sovereignty, Authority, Power, or Domination, or any other name that can be named, not only in this age, but also in the age to come. He has put all things under his feet, and made him, as the ruler of everything, the head of the Church; which is his body, the fullness of him who fills the whole creation.
(Optional Second Reading – Hebrews 9:24-28; 10:19-23)
Gospel acclamation Mt 28: 19 Allelluia, alleluia!
Go, make disciples of all the nations; I am with you always; yes, to the end of time. Alleluia!
GOSPEL
Luke 24:46-53
As he blessed them he was carried up to heaven. Jesus said to his disciples: “You see how it is written that the Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that, in his name, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would be preached to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses to this.
“And now I am sending down on you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city then, until you are clothed with the power from on high.”
Then he took them out as far as the outskirts of Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. Now as he blessed them, he withdrew from them and was carried up to heaven. They worshipped him and then went back to Jerusalem full of joy; and they were continually in the Temple praising God.❖
and rise from the dead on the third day and that repentance, for the forgiveness of sins, would be preached in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things."
Embracing a stewardship way of life, with its emphasis on the use of time, talent and treasure, helps us to live in such a way that our very lives speak as a witness of the Good News of the Gospel. While we take time to reflect and renew our commitments in these
three areas annually as a parish family, it is of great benefit to take some time individually throughout the year to take stock of the commitments we have made looking at both our strengths and our need for continued growth in each area.
On this Feast of our "launch day," take some time to celebrate your victories as Christ’s disciples and renew your commitment to remain faithful to Him and the unique mission He has entrusted to you!❖
[www.catholicsteward.com/blog/]
10 real quotes that Pope Gospel Reflection
Jesus’ Ascension to the Father did not mean the end of his presence and influence in the world. He now lives on in his Church, that is, in each and every Christian community in the world. He lives on in the sacraments he left us, in his Word proclaimed in community or when we individually read and meditate on Scripture. He is found in his ministers and in the assembly when we come together in an act of worship at Mass or Service. We are a community of believers nourished by his Word and his Eucharist which move us to be good witnesses out there in the wider world. We must help to make our community reflect the living, active and life-changing presence of Jesus rather than of a Jesus who looks on from afar, beyond our reach.
The mission of Jesus is our mission too. The question we are often challenged by is what exactly was his mission. There is the temptation of seeing him as just a miracle worker or faith healer. But in Luke’s Gospel he quotes from the prophet Isaiah and clearly states what his ministry is all about. It is to bring good news to the poor, proclaim liberty to captives, recover sight to the blind, set the oppressed free and announce that the time has come when the Lord will save his people (Luke 4:16 -19). And just before he ascended to the Father, as we see in the First Reading, he stated that his disciples are to be his witnesses “to the ends of the earth”. The mission given to us by Christ, then, can be summed up as bringing his light and healing to our world, beginning with our families and communities. ❖
[From: Journeying with the Word of God, The Religious Education Department, Diocese of Georgetown,Guyana ]
(OSV News)“Fake quotes are easy to tweet. Truth is harder to live.” That’s not something Pope Leo XIV actually said but you might believe it, given how many false attributions have gone viral since his election to the See of Peter.
It’s ironic, or maybe prophetic, since the revolutionary moment we’re living through (which includes the rapid development of artificial intelligence) helped inspire his choice of name.
Get to know Pope Leo through this list of 10 things he’s actually said in the first days of his pontificate:
1. “God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail!” Apostolic Blessing “Urbi et Orbi,” May 8, 2025.
In a world marked by loneliness, division and spiritual confusion, this quote from Pope Leo’s first-ever speech as pope is meant to comfort, assure and invite every listener into a relationship with God.
2. “Even today, there are many settings in which the Christian faith is considered absurd, meant for the weak and unintelligent. Settings where other securities are preferred, like technology, money, success, power or pleasure.” Homily for the Mass Pro Ecclesia, May 9, 2025.
Pope Leo is naming a common cultural attitude: that faith especially Christian belief in God, grace and salvation is outdated, irrational or even foolish. In many secularized societies, religious belief is dismissed as superstition or as something for the emotionally fragile or intellectually inferior.
3. “Peace is built in the heart and from the heart, by eliminating pride and vindictiveness and carefully choosing our words.” Address to members of the diplomatic corps, May 16, 2025.
6. “Our neighbors are not first our enemies … but other men and women with whom we can speak.” Address to participants in the Jubilee of Oriental Churches, May 14, 2025.
This sentence challenges the binary mindset of good versus evil that often dominates political and military rhetoric. Pope Leo calls for humanization of the other and engagement through relationship and dialogue, echoing the Gospel imperative to love one’s neighbor.
7. “Let us disarm words and we will help to disarm the world.” Address to representatives of the media, May 12, 2025.
Pope Leo emphasizes that peace is not merely the absence of war but a personal and interior effort. True peace begins with humility, forgiveness and mindful communication not just political treaties.
4. “Religious experience is an essential dimension of the human person. Without it, it is difficult, if not impossible, to bring about the purification of the heart necessary for building peaceful relationships.” Address to members of the diplomatic corps, May 16, 2025.
Pope Leo defends the spiritual dimension of the human person as central to both personal growth and societal peace. He argues against secularism’s marginalization of faith from public life.
5. “Many of our Eastern brothers and sisters, including some of you, have been forced to flee their homelands because of war and persecution, instability and poverty, and risk losing not only their native lands, but also, when they reach the West, their religious identity. As a result, with the passing of generations, the priceless heritage of the Eastern Churches is being lost.” Address to participants in the Jubilee of Oriental Churches, May 14, 2025.
The pope highlights the tragic reality that many Eastern Christians have been driven from their homes by conflict, violence and economic hardship. He’s speaking especially to those from regions like Syria, Iraq, Lebanon, Ukraine and other places where Eastern Churches have long histories. These are not voluntary migrations, but displacements due to war, persecution, instability and poverty. Leaving one’s homeland is traumatic in itself. But the pope points out that migrants and refugees also risk losing something deeper: their religious identity and traditions.
Pope Leo XIV is urging us to recognize the power of language. Words can escalate conflict or foster peace. By removing aggression, prejudice and hatred from our communication, we help dismantle the foundations of broader social and political violence. Peace begins with what we say and how we say it.
8. “Communication is not only the transmission of information, but it is also the creation of a culture.” Address to representatives of the media, May 12, 2025.
This profound insight elevates the role of journalists and communicators. Media doesn’t just report on reality it shapes how we understand and inhabit the world. Pope Leo reminds us that every article, post and broadcast contributes to a broader human environment and must therefore be treated with ethical care and creative responsibility.
9. “Beginning with St. Peter and up to myself, his unworthy successor, the pope has been a humble servant of God and of his brothers and sisters, and nothing more than this.” Address to the College of Cardinals, May 10, 2025. This statement is a powerful expression of papal humility and continuity. Pope Leo is placing himself within the long line of successors to St. Peter, the first pope, affirming that the role of the pope is not about power, prestige or personal greatness, but about service.
10. “Do not be afraid! Accept the invitation of the Church and of Christ the Lord!” Regina Caeli, May 11, 2025. These words echo the words of Jesus throughout the Gospels and have been used by popes before, especially St. John Paul II, who began his pontificate with the call, “Be not afraid!”
Pope Leo reassures those discerning a vocation especially priesthood or religious life that following Christ is not something to fear, even if it feels demanding or countercultural. ❖
Pope Leo XIV smiles as he talks to visitors during his first weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican May 21, 2025. (CNS photo/Lola Gomez)
expected for Jubilee of Families Journeying with the Word of God
May 30 to Sunday, June 1, 2025, the great Jubilee event dedicated to families, children, grandparents, and the elderly will be held three full days of events and attractions, punctuated by moments of prayer, reflection, celebration and sharing. The event is expected to attract over 60,000 pilgrims to Rome. Participants have signed up to come from 120 countries from every continent. Large groups will be present from Italy, Spain, the United States, Poland and Portugal. Many pilgrims will also arrive in Rome from Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, Romania, the Philippines, and Chile.
Numerous dioceses, associations, and movements will also be represented, including large groups involved in Agesci, Italian Catholic Action, the Neocatechumenal Communities, UNITALSI, the Catholic Grandparents Association, the Franciscan Movement, the Focolare Movement, and many other Italian and international groups which promote the human and spiritual growth of families.
The first day of the Jubilee, Friday, May 30, will see pilgrimages to the Holy Doors of the Papal Basilicas between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm. At 10:00 am as is
Dialogues with the city series of cultural, artistic and spiritual events in the piazzas of the historic centre of Rome, organized by various institutions, associations and movements linked to family pastoral care, including the Pontifical Committee for World Children's Day, the Association of Families for Welcoming, Nonno Banter 57 APS - Giochi di Strada, Le Muse di Archimede, and the Emmanuel Community.
On Saturday May 31, the pilgrimage to the Holy Doors will continue from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. From 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, the “Dialogues with the city” will continue offering celebratory and educational activities, organized by, among others, the Centro Oratori Romani (COR), Italian Catholic Action, the CHARIS Association (Catholic Charismatic Renewal), the Neocatechumenal Way, the Community of Sant’Egidio, Family Global Compact and the international network of family associations, and also Le Muse di Archimede and Nonno Banter 57 APSGiochi di Strada.
Saturday’s events will culminate in the late afternoon, from 6:30 pm to 8.00 pm, in Piazza San Giovanni in Laterano, with the “Family Festival” and the Prayer Vigil during which the Rosary will
be recited to conclude the Marian month of May.
The celebration, which will be packed with music and testimonies, will be hosted by Lorena Bianchetti, an Italian television presenter, and will see the participation of, among others, special guests such as the actor Giovanni Scifoni, the Christian Music bands The Sun and Gen Verde, and Alfio Russo, a very young saxophonist. Then various family associations, among them the Associazione Papa Giovanni XXIII, the Equipe Notre Dame, Famiglie per l’accoglienza, Famiglie Nuove – Focolari and Nonni 2.0, will tell their stories of commitment and share their experiences of working for the family.
To mark the event, at the entrances of Piazza San Giovanni, 10,000 copies of the new edition of the “Children’s Bible”, edited by the Pontifical Foundation ‘Aid to the Church in Need’, in five languages (Italian, English, Spanish, French and Portuguese), will be distributed to participants.
At the conclusion of the Jubilee, on Sunday June 1, at 10:30 am in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father will preside over the Eucharistic Celebration which will see the participation of thousands of children and families from all over the world.
MAKING THE WORD OF GOD YOUR OWN
Step 1: Lookattoday’sReadingsprayerfully.
1st Reading: We read a description Jesus’ Ascension to the Father and the responsibilities of his disciples who have the mission of spreading the Good News.
2ndReading: We are reminded of the wonder and mystery that now surrounds the glorious position of Jesus at the Father’s side.
Gospel: Jesus promises the gift of the Holy Spirit and calls on us to witnesses to his presence throughout the world.
Step 2: ApplyingthevaluesoftheReadings toyourdailylife.
1.The Holy Spirit gave power to the apostles to be witnesses to the Risen Jesus to the world. We too receive the power of the Spirit at our baptism. How will you be a better witness to the Gospel in your world?
2.With his Ascension to the Father, Jesus gives us a mission to be his witnesses to the world. How effective a witness would you say is your community?
3.Because of the Ascension, the Church became the Body of Christ in the world. Would you say that your community is servant and shepherd? Are you as a group bringing the light of Christ to the world?
4.Jesus promised that the whole Church would be “clothed with power from on high.” How are we using this power as Church to be effective witnesses to the living risen Lord?
Step 3: Accepting the message of God’s Wordinyourlifeoffaith.
The celebration of the Ascension is an invitation to us to renew our faith in Jesus, the Risen Lord, and to recommit ourselves as his disciples to the mission he left us to spread the Gospel to everyone with whom we are in contact. How we carry this Good News depends on how we use our individual God-given gifts and talents.
Step 4: Somethingtothink&prayabout
1.How do you see the Church as being the body of Christ? How can your community become servant and shepherd? What does giving glory and praise to God mean for your community?
2.At different times and in different situations, various images or models of the Church will be relevant. What kind of Church would you say is most attractive to your community? ❖
[From: Journeying with the Word of God, The Religious Education Department, Diocese of Georgetown, Guyana ]
reproduction of pope’s coat of arms
VATICAN CITY (CNS) A new pope means a new papal coat of arms topped by the papal miter and a set of crossed keys.
Most churches in Italy will soon be replacing the metal shield of the coat of arms of Pope Francis that adorned their facade with Pope Leo XIV’s shield; however, Vatican gardeners have already made the switch.
Workers spent about two weeks planting and rearranging evergreens, flowers and plants to complete a gigantic botanical reproduction of Pope Leo’s shield on the sloped lawn in front of the Vatican’s governing office.
Visitors to the Vatican Gardens and those climbing to the top of St. Peter’s Basilica will be able to see the emblem created from hundreds of colored plants arranged like “tiles of a mosaic,” according to a May 28 press release by the governing office. They kept the same “frame” around the emblem, which does not change: a green tiara made up of dwarf boxwood; a gold key composed of a Euonymus Aureus whose foliage stays
golden if cut back regularly; a silver key recreated with the silver curry plant; and the red cord around the keys formed by the bloodleaf plant in the summer and the horned pansy in the winter.
Pope Leo’s unique coat of arms pays homage to St. Augustine, the founder of the religious order he joined in his 20s.
The shield is divided diagonally into two. The upper half features a blue background with a white lily or fleur-de-lis, symbolizing the Virgin Mary, but also his French heritage. And the lower half of the shield displays an image common to the religious orders named after and inspired by St. Augustine: a closed book with a heart pierced by an arrow.
To create the blue background, gardeners were able to reuse 400 blue dwarf Ageratums from Pope Francis’ shield, and the white lily was made with 50 silver curry plants.
The background of the lower half of the shield is made up of 400 Nightlife red begonias.
The book was made with the help of the Vatican metal shop, which created a metal frame shaped like a closed book. The gardeners filled it with reddish vulcanic gravel to represent the cover and white gravel for the pages, and the pierced heart on top was created with red Blood Leaf plants.
Vatican News said the book and the heart are “a direct reference to the conversion experience of St. Augustine himself, who described his personal encounter with God’s word using the phrase: ‘Vulnerasti cor meum verbo tuo’ ‘You have pierced my heart with your Word.'”❖
A botanical reproduction of Pope Leo XIV's coat of arms can be seen in this photo taken in May 2025 at the Vatican. (CNS photo/courtesy of the office governing Vatican City State)
A detail of a botanical reproduction of Pope Leo XIV’s coat of arms can be seen in this photo taken in May 2025 at the Vatican. (CNS photo/courtesy of the office governing Vatican City State)
Dear Boys and Girls, Today’s Readings tell us of the Ascension of our Lord. Jesus ascended to heaven. He went back to his Father and our Father. He blessed his disciples before leaving. His disciples were not sad, They were full of joy because they had faith in his promise. We too must have faith in Jesus because he always keeps his promise. Jesus promised he will never leave us, he will send the Holy Spirit, the Comforter. ❖
Pope Leo makes surprise visit to Laudato Si’ project
(CathNews) - Pope Leo XIV made a surprise excursion Thursday May 29 to the papal residence in Castel Gandolfo, where he visited the Borgo Laudato Si’ project initiated by his predecessor, PopeFrancis.Source: Vatican News.
The Borgo Laudato Si’ (“Laudato Si’ Village”), located on the grounds of the Papal Villas, is a space dedicated to formation and education on the theme of the earth as our “common home” –an example of the “integral ecology” at the heart of the encyclical for which it is named.
The Pope was welcomed by Cardinal Fabio Baggio, Under Secretary of the
Dear Editor,
This is according to my understanding. The Lord hates all that is foul, and no
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, and Fr Manuel Dorantes, project director of the Borgo Laudato Si’, whichissettobeinauguratedsoon.
After pausing in the Garden of the Virgin Mary, Pope Leo visited the Belvedere Gardens, and then paused in the Cryptoporticus, the archaeological remains of the Roman Emperor Domitian’saudiencehall.
The Pope reflected on the “courageous actions of Pope Pius XII, who in 1944 provided refuge to over 12,000 people following the bombing of the Castelli Romaniregion duringWorld WarII.”
During his visit to Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father also visited the Apostolic Palace, which Pope Francis had transformed into a museum in 2016, and the historic Villa Barberini, before returningtotheVatican.
With the publication of Laudato Si’ 10 years ago, Pope Francis shone a spotlight on the critical issue of care for “our common home”.
The natural spaces surrounding the papal residence at Castel Gandolfo – including 200,000 square metres of farmland, greenhouses, and service buildings – were determined to be the ideal locale to give concrete form to the principles proclaimedintheencyclical.
The Borgo Laudato Si’ welcomes not only entrepreneurs and specialists, schoolchildren, and university students, but also those who are marginalised, for whom Pope Francis had special affection.
These include migrants, women victims of violence, people with disabilities, ex-prisoners, people struggling with drug addiction, and many others who are often deprived of educational opportunities.❖
Beneficial Advice
one who fears Him will love it either. He made man in the beginning, and then left him free to make his own decisions. To behave faithfully is within your power. He has set fire and water before us. Put out your hand to whichever you prefer. He has given no one permission to be Godless. He said
beware of all wrong-doing.
Mercy and wrath alike belong to the Lord, who is mighty to forgive, and to pour out wrath. His mercy is great, but His severity is just as great. He allows free play to His mercy, yet every man shall be treated as his deeds deserve.
Leon Jeetlall
By Renika Anand
The Virtue of Patience
Saint Frances de Sales once said “Have patience with all things, but, first of all with yourself.” Have you ever planted a seed and waited for it to sprout? The process may have taken days or even weeks. It may have taken patient watering and careful tending, all the while not knowing when the seeds would sprout or whether they would sprout at all! Yet, for those who were patient and lucky enough, a small green seedling would have surely burst out of the soil with all the brightness of a new life entering the world. This experience might have been our very first lesson in patience. As we grow, we begin to realise just how vital patience is.
Patience is the food that nourishes growth. It transforms moments of doubt and anxious waiting into periods of learning and hope. As we traverse through life, we will eventually observe that there are many things that we cannot truly control. We will also begin to realise that patience is not only reserved to periods of waiting, but also for those things and people that we are not capable of understanding as yet. Patience also has the power to free us from being judgmental. Thus, let us learn the virtue of patience and let us choose to exercise it whenever it is most needed.
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love - Ephesians 4:2❖
Pope Leo XIV visits the Pontifical Villas of Castel Gandolfo May 29 (Vatican Media)
for Black American sainthood causes
Portraits of six African Americans who are sainthood candidates are displayed in the lobby of the Catholic Center in Baltimore in November 2023 for Black Catholic History Month. The six are: (from left top row) Pierre Toussaint, a noted philanthropist; Mother Mary Lange, founder of the Baltimore-based Oblate Sisters of Providence; and Father Augustus Tolton, the first Catholic priest in the U.S. known publicly to be Black. From left bottom row are Mother Henriette Delille, founder of the New Orleans-based Sisters of the Holy Family; Sister Thea Bowman, the first African American to become a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration; and Julia Greeley, known as the city of Denver's "Angel of Charity." (Kevin J. Parks/CR Staff)
(The Catholic Review) - The election of a Chicago-born pope with Louisiana Creole ancestry is drawing attention from Black Catholics, especially after genealogist Jari Honora traced Pope Leo XIV’s maternal grandparents to New Orleans’ Black Catholic community.
Jesuit Father Gregory Chisholm, superior of the Jesuit community at Loyola University Maryland in Baltimore, said the findings could influence support for Black American sainthood causes.
Honora, a certified genealogist with the Historic New Orleans Collection, discovered census records identifying Pope Leo’s maternal grandparents –Joseph Martinez and Louise Baquié –as Black or mulatto. His grandfather was born in Santo Domingo, Haiti (now the capital of the Dominican Republic); his grandmother was born in New Orleans. After the couple moved to Chicago around 1910,
census records began identifying them as white.
Father Chisholm, who ministered in Black Catholic parishes in California, said it was common for families with Creole heritage to “passant à blanc” –pass as white – if possible.
“Given the situations mixed-race people faced after the Civil War and halfway through the 20th century, it was a challenge whether to identify as Black people or to eschew it and be accepted by the larger community,” he said.
Father Chisholm’s own family traces to Savannah, Georgia’s, vibrant Black Catholic population, though he was born in New York City and raised in Harlem.
“It’s just part of the way that things have been in our country,” he added, “that people had to make this kind of choice. It was very common for families not to acknowledge this history.”
If Pope Leo’s family withheld this heritage from him, Father Chisholm said, “they certainly weren’t the first and they won’t be the last. It’s hard to condemn any family that would keep their racial history to themselves because our history when it comes to race is so challenging.”
Honora hopes the discovery “will bring greater attention” to Black Catholic history and sainthood candidates, especially Henriette DeLille, a New Orleans native and free woman of color who founded the Sisters of the Holy Family in 1842. She was declared venerable in 2010. Father Chisholm said Pope Leo “would do well” to appreciate people like Henriette DeLille. “Her background is basically the same as his mother’s,” he said.
The stories of other Black sainthood candidates may also resonate with the pope. Mother Mary Lange, founder of the Baltimore-based Oblate Sisters of Providence and a Cuba-born immigrant of Haitian background, was
declared venerable in 2023. Pierre Touissant, born in the Caribbean, was declared venerable in 1997. Father Augustus Tolton, the first known Black Catholic priest in the U.S., also shares Pope Leo’s Chicago connection and was declared venerable in 2019.
“Those four particularly would speak to the roots of Pope Leo,” Father Chisholm said. “There would be clear points of identity with them.”
Adrienne Curry, director of the Archdiocese of Baltimore’s Office of Black Catholic Ministries, noted that in total, there are seven Black Catholics in the U.S. currently under consideration for canonization.
“The Saintly Seven have to go through the same process as the rest of the people up for canonization,” she said.
“It has no bearing on (Pope Leo’s) heritage. I don’t know whether Pope Leo has ever addressed these sainthood candidates in his previous role.” ❖
Independence Day Masses
Saint
of the Week
June
5th: St. Boniface (circa 675-754 )
Saint Boniface, known as the apostle of the Germans, was an English Benedictine monk who gave up being elected abbot to devote his life to the conversion of the Germanic tribes.
Boniface was born in Devon, England, about the year 675. After years as monk and teacher, he went to evangelise the Germanic peoples. Ordained bishop, he was given wide-ranging papal commissions throughout Germany and Gaul. He founded monasteries and established dioceses, presided at Synods, and liased with kings.
Boniface is remembered as a determined missionary, and as a church organiser and reformer, whose work shaped the future of Europe. He was killed in the Netherlands in the year 754. ❖
Holy Spirit
Fatima Meadow Bank
St Pius X
Diamond