Meeting with the moderators, international leaders, and delegates of ecclesial aggregates

The first meeting brought together the moderators, international leaders, and delegates of various ecclesial aggregates. During this audience, the Pope paid special attention to the importance of these ecclesial entities for strengthening communion and the life of the Church in the world. He emphasized their responsibility to coordinate and accompany their members, as well as to foster active participation in the Church’s mission.

This dialogue with the representatives of the aggregates demonstrates the Pontiff’s willingness to maintain a close and supportive relationship with movements and communities, which are a living expression of the charismatic diversity in the universal Church.

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you!

Your Eminence, dear brother Bishops,

Dear brothers and sisters!

I am pleased to receive you in the course of this annual meeting organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life for moderators, international leaders and delegates of ecclesial associations recognized or established by the Holy See.

You represent the thousands of people who live out their faith and exercise their apostolate within associations, movements and communities. I would like to thank you above all for your work of guidance and leadership. Supporting and encouraging our brothers and sisters on their Christian journey calls for responsibility and commitment, but also, at times, entails problems and misunderstandings. Yet it remains a necessary and important task, and the Church is grateful to you for all the good that you do.

The gift of associations and charisms

The groups to which you belong differ from one another in kind and in history, and all are important to the Church. Some were founded to carry out a common apostolic, charitable, or liturgical project, or to support Christian witness in specific social settings. Others, however, originated with a charismatic inspiration, an initial charism that gave rise to a movement, a new form of spirituality and of evangelization.

The desire to work together for a common purpose reflects an essential reality: no one is Christian alone! We are part of a people, a body established by the Lord. When speaking of Jesus’ first disciples, Saint Augustine once said, “They became God’s temple, not only as individuals; together they were built into the temple of God” (En. in Ps. 131, 5). The Christian life is not lived in isolation, as a kind of intellectual or sentimental experience, confined to the mind and the heart. It is lived with others, in a group and in community, because the risen Christ is present wherever disciples gather in his name.

The lay apostolate was strongly encouraged by the Second Vatican Council, particularly in its Decree on the Apostolate of the Laity. There we read that apostolic associations “are very important also because the apostolate often calls for concerted action, either in ecclesial communities or in various spheres. Associations established for carrying on a common apostolate support their members, train them for the apostolate, and carefully assign and direct their apostolic activities. As a result, a much richer harvest can be hoped for from them than if each member were to act on his or her own” (No. 18).

Other realities were born of a charism: the charism of a founder or a founding group, or a charism inspired by that of a religious Institute. This too is an essential dimension of the Church’s life. I would like to invite you to consider charisms in relation to grace, to the gift of the Spirit. The Letter Iuvenescit Ecclesia, as you know, states that the ecclesiastical hierarchy and the sacrament of Holy Orders exist precisely so that “the objective offer of grace” made through “the sacraments, the normative proclamation of the word, and pastoral care” may always remain alive and present among the faithful (No. 14). Charisms, on the other hand, “are freely distributed by the Holy Spirit so that sacramental grace may bear fruit in Christian life in different ways and at every level” (n. 15).

Consequently, everything in the Church is understood in reference to grace: the institution exists so that grace may always be offered, and charisms are given so that this grace may be received and bear fruit. Without charisms, there is a risk that Christ’s grace, offered in abundance, may not find good soil to receive it. That is the reason why God raises up charisms: to awaken in hearts a desire to encounter Christ and a thirst for the divine life that he offers us. In a word, grace!

In recalling this, I would like to reaffirm, following my Predecessors and in accordance with the Church’s Magisterium, especially since the Second Vatican Council, that hierarchical gifts and charismatic gifts “are co-essential to the divine constitution of the Church founded by Jesus” (SAINT JOHN PAUL II, Message for the World Congress of Ecclesial Movements, 27 May 1998). Thanks to the charisms that gave rise to your movements and communities, many people have drawn closer to Christ and have found hope in life. They have discovered the motherhood of the Church and they want to be helped to grow in faith, in community life and works of charity, and, through evangelization, to bring to others the gift they have received.

Unity and Mission, in Union with the Pope

Unity and mission are two essential aspects of the Church’s life and two priorities of the Petrine ministry. For this reason, I ask all ecclesial associations and movements to cooperate faithfully and generously with the Pope, above all in these two areas.

First of all, by being a leaven of unity. All of you constantly experience the spiritual communion that unites you. It is the communion that the Holy Spirit brings about in the Church. It is a unity that has its foundation in Christ, who draws us to himself and thus unites us with one another. Saint Paulinus of Nola once wrote in a letter to Saint Augustine: “We have one Head, one grace that fills us, we live on one Bread, we walk on one path and we live in the same house… We are one, in both the spirit and the body of the Lord. If we separate ourselves from that One, we become nothing” (Ep. 30, 2).

Seek to spread everywhere this unity that you yourselves experience in your groups and communities, always in communion with the Church’s Pastors and in solidarity with other ecclesial realities. Draw close to all those whom you meet, so that your charisms may ever be at the service of the unity of the Church, and be “a leaven of unity, communion, and fraternity” (cf. Homily, 18 May 2025) in our world, so torn by discord and violence.

Secondly, mission. The Church’s mission has been an important part of my own pastoral experience and has shaped my spiritual life. You too have experienced this spiritual journey. Your encounter with the Lord and the new life that filled your hearts gave rise to your desire to make him known to others. You have involved many others, and devoted much time, enthusiasm and energy to sharing the Gospel in the most distant places, in the most challenging environments, enduring difficulties and failures. Always keep this missionary zeal alive in your midst: today as always, movements have a fundamental role in the work of evangelization. Among you, there are many generous, well-trained people, with “hands-on” experience. This is a treasure that needs to be put to good use, with a constant eye to new situations and challenges. Place your talents at the service of the Church’s mission, whether in places of first evangelization or in your parishes and local ecclesial communities, in order to reach those who, albeit distant, are often waiting, without being aware of it, to hear God’s word of life.

Conclusion

Dear friends, today we are meeting for the first time. God willing, we will have other opportunities to get to know each other better, but in the meantime, I encourage you to press forward on your journey. Always keep the Lord Jesus at the centre! This is the essential thing, and charisms are meant to serve this purpose. They lead to an encounter with Christ; they foster human and spiritual growth and development, and they help to build up the Church. In this sense, all of us are called to imitate Christ, who emptied himself to enrich us (cf. Phil 2:7). Those who join with others in pursuing an apostolic goal and those who enjoy a charism are called alike to enrich others through the emptying of self. It is a source of freedom and great joy.

Thank you for being who you are, and for all that you do. I entrust you to the protection of Mary, Mother of the Church, and I cordially impart my Blessing to you, and to all those whom you represent. Thank you!

Meeting with Participants in the General Chapters of the Society of African Missions, the Third Order of Saint Francis, and the Formators of the Servants of the Paraclete

In a second meeting, the Pope met with participants in the general chapters of three important ecclesiastical institutes and orders: the Society of African Missions, the Third Order of Saint Francis, and the Formators of the Servants of the Paraclete.

With them, the Holy Father discussed the present and future direction and challenges facing these communities. The meeting with the Society of African Missions highlighted the missionary commitment and evangelizing service that characterize their work. The presence of the Third Order of Saint Francis highlighted Franciscan spirituality, and the meeting with the Formators of the Servants of the Paraclete underscored the importance of formation and accompaniment in their respective ministries.

This event was key to strengthening communion within these communities and sharing pastoral guidelines that foster their mission and witness.

Full text:

ADDRESS OF THE HOLY FATHER

TO PARTICIPANTS IN THE GENERAL CHAPTERS OF THE SOCIETY OF AFRICAN MISSIONS,

OF THE THIRD ORDER REGULAR OF ST FRANCIS,

OF THE FORMATORS OF THE SERVANTS OF THE PARACLETE Consistory Hall

Friday, 6 June 2025 ___________________________________

Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of hierarchical and charismatic gifts in the Church, urging leaders to center their missions on Jesus.

www.vaticannews.va

Pope Leo XIV recently emphasized the importance of both hierarchical and charismatic gifts within the Church during a meeting with leaders of lay associations and ecclesial movements. This gathering, held on June 7-8, 2025, in Rome, aims to foster unity and mission among various Church groups.

6 Key Takeaways Keep Jesus at the center of journeys

Distinction between institutional and charismatic groups

Grace connects institutions and charisms

Unity and mission are Church priorities

Charisms lead to encounters with Christ

Imitate Christ through self-emptying service

In his address, Pope Leo urged attendees to keep the Lord Jesus at the center of their spiritual journeys. He articulated that charisms serve to enhance this focus, reinforcing the need for collaboration among different ecclesial movements.

Fast Answer: Pope Leo XIV calls for unity and mission among Church movements, emphasizing the role of hierarchical and charismatic gifts in enriching the global Church community.

What does it mean for the Church to embrace both hierarchical and charismatic gifts? Pope Leo’s remarks underscore the necessity of these elements for a thriving ecclesial community. His call to action highlights several key points:

Unity among diverse movements strengthens the Church’s mission.

Charisms should lead to deeper encounters with Christ.

Collaboration with the Pope is essential for fulfilling the Church’s mission.

Pope Leo’s message resonates globally, reminding all Christians of their collective mission to foster unity and serve others.

As the Church prepares for the Jubilee of Movements, let US embrace this call to action, ensuring that our efforts reflect the spirit of Christ and enrich our communities worldwide.

Pope Francis meets with members of the Primatial Council of the Confederation Canons Regular of Saint Augustine

Pope Francis encourages the Primatial Council of the Confederation Canons Regular of Saint Augustine to seek the Lord in all they do, witness God’s love, and let the Gospel be their rule of life, as they open up to the future with renewed hope.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Place Christ at the center of your life and mission, and witness the love of God in all you do.

This was the recommendation Pope Francis gave to the Primatial Council of the Confederation Canons Regular of Saint Augustine on Friday morning in the Vatican.

The Confederation was established in 1959 by Pope St. John XXIII.

In his address, the Pope recalled that consecrated life is like water, “if it does not flow, it stagnates,” and like salt, “if it loses its flavour, it becomes useless.” He also warned against isolation and self-referentiality, and encouraged religious to always work together and help each other.

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While encouraging them to value the past, he called on them “to live the present fully and without fear, in order to open up to the future with renewed hope.”

The Holy Father told the Augustinians they have a great history to build upon, and that the Holy Spirit will empower them to do great things.

Christ lives in me

The fundamental rule of religious life, the Pope said, is the following of Christ proposed by the Gospel.

“Take the Gospel as the rule of life, to the point of being able to say with Saint Paul: ‘I no longer live, but Christ lives in me.’”

“Let the Gospel be your vademecum,” the Pope exhorted, “so that, while staying away from the temptation to reduce it to ideology, it always remains spirit and life for you.”

Our first love is Christ

The Gospel, he continued, constantly reminds us to place Christ at the centre of our life and mission.

“It brings us back to the ‘first love’. And loving Christ means loving the Church, His body.”

“God has made us for Himself and our heart is restless until it rests in Him.”

Therefore, as Canons Regular, the Holy Father urged, their “main occupation” should be “the constant and daily search for the Lord.”

All the ways to seek the Lord

The Pope went on to suggest several ways they can seek the Lord, including in community life, and in the assiduous reading of Sacred Scripture, “in whose pages Christ and the Church resound.”

He also invited the Augustinians to seek Him in the liturgy, especially in the Eucharist, “the summit of Christian life,” as well as in study, and in ordinary pastoral work.

“Seek the Lord also in the realities of our time, knowing that nothing human can be foreign to us and that, free from all worldliness, we can animate the world with the leaven of the Kingdom of God.”

The Lord illuminates

These are the different paths of a single quest, which presupposes the path of interiority, knowledge and love of the Lord.

The Pope exhorted them to remember St. Augustine’s words in order to enter into themselves and discover the truth lying within.

In this way, the Holy Father said, the light of the inner Master illuminates for us temporal realities.

The Holy Father prayed that this time of encounter among them and with the Successor of Peter might help the Augustinians to revisit their charism and grow closer within their community, and first and foremost, with God.

In conclusion, Pope Francis thanked them for their witness and presence in the Church.

“May Our Lady keep you and intercede for you. I bless you and your communities from my heart.”

Pope Francis calls for lovingly educating with Christ’s gaze, during his audience in the Vatican with Catholic Action’s 11th National Congress of its Educational Commitment Movement.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

Pope Francis urged educators to push forward and never get discouraged, in the Vatican on Thursday, as he addressed participants in the 11th edition of Catholic Action’s National Congress of the Movement for Educational Engagement (MIEAC).

“Without love, one cannot educate,” the Pope stressed to those before him, imploring: “Always educate with love!”

Gaze and heart of Jesus

The Pope thanked Italy’s Catholic Action for building associations within the Church, and observed that the Movement’s commitment to education today faces more challenges than ever before.

“To educate — as you well know and testify — means, above all, rediscovering and valuing the centrality of the person,” he said, particularly “in a relational context where the dignity of human life finds fulfillment and proper space to grow.”

Catholic Action’s Education Project, he recalled, develops with an organic and systematic vision of the educational mission.

In this sense, he commended their dedicating themselves to this task with creativity, attention to the signs of the times, and allowing themselves to be enlightened by the Gospel, especially amid secularization which often threatens values and notions.

Homework for the Jubilee

Looking ahead to the next Jubilee, the Pope gave them a task.

“Pay special attention to children, adolescents, and young people,” he said, urging them to be looked at “with trust,” “empathy,” and “the gaze and heart of Jesus.”

Since they are “the present and future of the world and the Church,” the Holy Father said, “It is our task — a fully educational task — to accompany them, support them, encourage them, and, through our example, show them the right path that leads to being ‘all brothers.'”

“Many urgent matters face us today, but one of the most pressing,” he said, is to be “educators with a big heart,” “for the good of the children, young people and adults” they attend to, amid all the “‘labyrinths of complexity’ that exist.”

Involvement of young people

As the Pope called for collaborating among families, teachers, social leaders, sports coaches, catechists, priests, religious, public institutions, and young people themselves, he said, young people “must be involved,” “active,” and “never passive,” in the educational process.

The Pope thanked the Movement for renewing their commitment to promoting education that truly places the person at its center, and never compromises their worth and dignity.

Pope Francis concluded by urging the delegation to go forward in its endeavours and entrusting them to the intercession of the Venerable Giuseppe Lazzati, “a credible teacher and witness” and a “model” for Christian educators.

In his first address to global Catholic lay leaders, Pope Leo XIV charts a path for communion and mission.

In an address at the Vatican on June 6, Pope Leo XIV spoke directly to leaders of Catholic lay associations, movements, and new communities, calling these groups “leaven of unity” and vital partners in the Church’s evangelizing mission.

The Holy Father offered both praise and direction in what is already being seen as a signature message of his emerging papacy.

“You represent the thousands who live out their faith in community,” the Pope said warmly, acknowledging the wide diversity of ecclesial movements — from the Charismatic Renewal to Focolare, Communion and Liberation, and countless others. “The Church is grateful to you for all the good that you do.”

His remarks came during the annual gathering organized by the Dicastery for the Laity, the Family and Life, bringing together global leaders of lay-led apostolates recognized by the Holy See, and the Jubilee of Movements this weekend.

Charisms and the Life of the Church

Pope Leo XIV highlighted the foundational importance of charisms — the spiritual gifts that animate communities and fuel Christian outreach. Quoting Iuvenescit Ecclesia, he noted that charisms allow “sacramental grace to bear fruit in Christian life in different ways and at every level.”

He warned that without these gifts, the grace of Christ “may not find good soil,” and affirmed that both hierarchical authority and charismatic expression are “co-essential” to the Church’s identity, echoing a teaching of St. John Paul II.

These movements, the Pope said, are not side projects but integral to the life and mission of the Church.

“Thanks to the charisms that gave rise to your movements, many people have drawn closer to Christ and have found hope in life,” he said.

Unity and Mission: The priorities of Peter

Pope Leo placed particular emphasis on two priorities of his papal ministry: unity and mission. To the first, he called on movements to be “instruments of communion,” working alongside bishops and within parishes, avoiding factionalism and fostering fraternity in a fractured world.

To the second, he issued a missionary charge: “Always keep this missionary zeal alive in your midst.”

Recognizing the depth of experience in the room, he urged them to continue sharing the Gospel with “those who, albeit distant, are often waiting — without being aware of it — to hear God’s word of life.”

The Pope’s language struck a balance between fatherly encouragement and apostolic urgency, noting that the Church’s vitality depends in large part on the creativity, formation, and faithfulness of its lay members.

A Pope listening to the Laity

Notably, this was Pope Leo XIV’s first in-person meeting with this cohort of global Catholic leaders. His tone was personal, hopeful, and marked by trust:

“God willing, we will have other opportunities to get to know each other better,” he said.

He closed by pointing to Christ as the center of all charisms and missions, encouraging leaders to embrace the path of self-giving love. “Those who join with others in pursuing an apostolic goal are called alike to enrich others through the emptying of self.”