THE COMPASSION OF THE SAMARITAN: LOVING BY BEARING ANOTHER’S PAIN

THE COMPASSION OF THE SAMARITAN: LOVING BY BEARING ANOTHER’S PAIN

Pope Leo’s Message for the 34^th World Day of the Sick was published today, and is titled “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain.” He begins by noting that this World Day will be solemnly celebrated in Chiclayo, Peru, on February 11, 2026, a place he knows well having served there as a missionary and then as bishop for many years. In fact, he speaks of his experience in Chiclayo, saying he knew many “who showed compassion in the spirit of the Samaritan.”  Leo said he chose to reflect “on the figure of the Good Samaritan, for he is always relevant and essential for rediscovering the beauty of charity and the social dimension of compassion. This reflection further directs our attention towards the needy and all those who suffer, especially the sick.”

Referring to “the moving account found in the Gospel of Saint Luke (cf. Lk 10:25-37),” writes Leo XIV, “I have chosen to reflect on this biblical passage through the lens of the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, written by my beloved predecessor Pope Francis. There, compassion and mercy towards those in need are not reduced to a merely individual effort, but are realized through relationships: with our brothers and sisters in need, with those who care for them and, ultimately, with God who gives us his love.”

Pope Leo in Lebanon: “Place the sick at the center of society” (EWTN photo)

His first point is titled, “The gift of encounter: the joy of offering closeness and presence.”

Leo writes: “we live immersed in a culture of speed, immediacy and haste – a culture of “discard” and indifference that prevents us from pausing along the way and drawing near to acknowledge the needs and suffering that surround us. In the parable, when the Samaritan saw the wounded man, he did not “pass by.” Instead, he looked upon him with an open and attentive gaze – the very gaze of Jesus – which led him to act with human and compassionate closeness. The Samaritan “stopped, approached the man and cared for him personally, even spending his own money to provide for his needs… [Above all] he gave him his time.”  Jesus does not merely teach us who our neighbor is, but rather how to become a neighbor; in other words, how we can draw close to others. …Being a neighbor is not determined by physical or social proximity, but by the decision to love. This is why Christians become neighbors to those who suffer, following the example of Christ, the true divine Samaritan who drew near to a wounded humanity.”

“The gift of encounter,” stresses the Pope, “flows from our union with Jesus Christ. We recognize him as the Good Samaritan who has brought us eternal salvation, and we make him present whenever we reach out to a wounded brother or sister.

Leo’s second point: The shared mission of caring for the sick

“In my experience as a missionary and bishop in Peru,” recounted the Holy Father, “I have personally witnessed many who show mercy and compassion in the spirit of the Samaritan and the innkeeper. Family members, neighbors, healthcare workers, those engaged in pastoral care for the sick, and many others stop along the way to draw near, heal, support and accompany those in need. By offering what they have, they give compassion a social dimension. This experience, occurring within a network of relationships, transcends mere individual commitment. For this reason, in the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te , I referred to the care of the sick not only as an “important part” of the Church’s mission, but as an authentic “ecclesial action” (n. 49).

Quoting his own papal motto, “To be one in the One,” Leo XIV said this means truly recognizing that we are members of a single Body that brings the Lord’s compassion to the suffering of all people, each according to our own vocation.”

His third and final point: Always driven by love for God, to encounter ourselves and our neighbor”

He explained that, “In the double commandment, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself’ ( Lk 10:27), we recognize the primacy of love for God and its direct consequences for every dimension of human love and relationship.”

The Holy Father’s Message for the World Day of the Sick ends with an ancient prayer that, he says,” that has been invoked in families for those living with illness and pain”:

Sweet Mother, do not part from me.
Turn not your eyes away from me.
Walk with me at every moment
and never leave me alone.
You who always protect me
as a true Mother,
obtain for me the blessing of the Father,
Son and Holy Spirit.

(34th World Day of the Sick 2026)

 

CELEBRATING A LIFE OF DEEP FAITH, DEVOTED AND DISCREET SERVICE TO POPES – POPE: ANGELO GUGEL WAS A FAITHFUL, DILIGENT MAN IN SERVICE OF THREE POPES

CELEBRATING A LIFE OF DEEP FAITH, DEVOTED AND DISCREET SERVICE TO POPES

I attended Angelo Gugel’s funeral Mass on Saturday and my first thought as I entered church, seeing the people already seated and those waiting to enter to pay their final respects to a man who served three popes so extraordinarily well, was this is truly a Vatican family. There were cardinals, archbishops and priests, men and women I knew who worked in various Vatican offices the same years I was there, years of St. John Paul’s papacy, and even Vatican gendarmes in ceremonial position.

After Mass, I was delighted to speak briefly with some of the people with whom I interacted during the years I worked at the Vatican Information Service including Cardinal James Harvey, archpriest of St. Paul Outside the Walls (a monsignor in the Secretariat of State when we first met), Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, head of the Dicastery for Charity but at the time one of the top liturgical celebrants for Pope John Paul, Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, John Paul’s faithful secretary for 40 years, now archbishop emeritus of Krakow, Poland, and Archbishop Piero Marini who for years was the Master of the Liturgical Ceremonies of the Supreme Pontiff. I also spoke with Cardinal Parolin, secretary of State who celebrated the funeral Mass. All were friends with Angelo Gugel and his family. The Papal Household in itself was a Vatican family.

Cardinal Dziwisz, who knew Angelo Gugel very well when he was majordomo for John Paul II, spent some time after Mass with Angelo’s wife Maria Luisa, their four children and other relatives. Gugel served Pope John Paul for the entire period, close to 27 years, of his reign during which there were many visits and events with the Gugel family.

Angelo Gugel, standing in the center in the dark suit, was right there when John Paul II was shot in St. Peter’s Square, May 13, 1981:

Other prelates at the Mass included Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra and Archbishop Richard Gallagher.

Also present with a message from Pope Leo that was read to congregants was Father Edward Daleng, an Augustinian priest from Nigeria whom Leo XIV has brought to Rome as vice-regent of the Prefecture of the Papal Household. We were able to meet after Mass. The Holy Father’s description of Angelo Gugel and his decades of service in his message, as you will read below, is very beautiful and heartfelt.

POPE: ANGELO GUGEL WAS A FAITHFUL, DILIGENT MAN IN SERVICE OF THREE POPES

Pope Leo XIV sent a telegram of condolences read out at the funeral of Angelo Gugel, who served three Popes as Papal Chamber Assistant, recalling his “exemplary Christian witness” and generous service to the Vatican.

Vatican News

“A long and precious service to the Holy See,” carried out with “faithfulness and diligence” every day for three Popes: John Paul I, John Paul II, and Benedict XVI.

Pope Leo XIV highlighted these traits in his telegram signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, which was read during the funeral rites for Angelo Gugel.

The former Papal Chamber Assistant passed away on Thursday at the age of 90. His funeral was celebrated on Saturday in the Roman church of Santa Maria delle Grazie alle Fornaci, near the Vatican.

Exemplary Christian witness

In the message, the Pope expressed his condolences to Mr. Gugel’s wife and children, recalling “his uprightness of life and exemplary Christian witness,” as well as his service first in the Vatican Gendarmerie and in the Governorate.

He also served for nearly thirty years in the papal apartment, where he carried out his “delicate and valued work, devoting himself daily” to three Popes.

Pope Leo concluded by praying for the soul “of so generous a disciple of Christ,” invoking the Apostolic Blessing upon all who mourn his passing.

At John Paul II’s side

Cardinal Parolin celebrated the funeral Mass, which was attended by the Papal Almoner Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Cardinal James Michael Harvey, Archpriest of the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, Cardinal Beniamino Stella, Prefect Emeritus of the Congregation for the Clergy, Archbishop Edgar Peña Parra, Substitute for General Affairs of the Secretariat of State, and Archbishop Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

Cardinal Parolin described Angelo Gugel as “a good man, a most beloved husband, an exemplary father, gentle, discreet, and just.”

The Cardinal recalled the clarity of his eyes and the brightness of his smile, through which his friendship with God shone, thanks to a faith born in times and places marked by poverty, yet “solid as a rock.”

“I like to imagine,” the Secretary of State continued, “that the one who welcomed him into heaven was Saint John Paul II himself,” whom he had served faithfully and discreetly.

The Cardinal emphasized Mr. Gugel’s ability to entrust himself to God and to place himself at the service of others.

In the last months of his illness, he went on, he gave proof of strength of spirit and serenity, showing that problems, hardships, and illness—if lived with the Lord—can become an occasion of true witness.

“Celebrating the funeral of a dear person, a witness of faith,” Cardinal Parolin said, “does not mean celebrating an end, but is an opportunity to renew our belief, so that we may look ahead with the certainty that we are not alone.”

Dziwisz: Gugel, a wise servant

Cardinal Stanislaw Dziwisz, Archbishop Emeritus of Kraków and former secretary of Saint John Paul II, offered a brief greeting to Angelo Gugel’s family.

He recalled his service to the Holy See as “an example of a wise and faithful servant, with evangelical prudence, dedication, discretion, and discipline.”

“I join,” the Cardinal said, “with the family and with all of us here present in prayer for the soul of dear Angelo, that the merciful arms of the Heavenly Father may welcome him into the Jerusalem of heaven, granting him the reward of the righteous, and with gratitude for his faithful service throughout the pontificate of John Paul II, carried out with a sense of duty and fidelity to the Church and to her Pontiffs.”

The return home

At the end of the funeral rites, Mr. Gugel’s coffin will be taken to Miane, the town in the Italian province of Treviso where he was born, for a memorial Mass on Monday, January 19, after which he will be buried in the town’s cemetery.

 

VATICAN INSIDER: A VISIT TO NEWMAN UNIVERSITY, NAMESAKE OF THE NEWEST DOCTOR OF THE CHURCH

VATICAN INSIDER: CARDINAL NEWMAN’S IDEAS ON EDUCATION LIVE ON AT HIS NAMESAKE UNIVERSITY

Join me again this week on Vatican Insider for a very special treat when Kathleeen Jagger, president of Newman University in Wichita, Kansas, returns to VI in Part II of our conversation as we further explore Newman University today. In particular, we talk about the mission of education as seen by Cardinal John Henry Newman, proclaimed last November 1^st as Doctor of the Church and co-patron with St. Thomas Aquinas of the Church’s education mission.

We spoke in my office and were joined by Sr. Maria of the Sisters Adorers of the Blood of Christ, the religious Order that founded Newman University’s predecessor in 1933.

Newman University has come a long way since its founding in 1933 in the middle of the Great Depression. First known as Sacred Heart Junior College for women, it was helping transform the lives of children and their parents by educating Sisters and lay women to be certified teachers. According to Newman’s website, in 1973, the college’s name was changed to Kansas Newman College to reflect the continued growth of the institution, the expanded range of educational programs, and to honor St. John Henry Newman, the 19^th century theologian and scholar known for his writings on the liberal arts and education.  In 1998, it became Newman University.

The tapestry on St. Peter’s Basilica on November 1, 2025, the day Cardinal Newman was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church (the 38^th) –

From the office of the president: President’s Office:

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HAPPENING TODAY: THE SEALING OF ST. PETER’S HOLY DOOR

HAPPENING TODAY: THE SEALING OF ST. PETER’S HOLY DOOR

The Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, the last of four papal basilicas for the Jubilee of Hope, will be sealed shut.

With the final sealing on Jan. 16 of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, the Holy See will complete the closing — which includes the actual masonry work — of the four Holy Doors of the papal basilicas following the Jubilee of Hope.

The concluding rite of closing the Holy Door of St. Mary Major Basilica took place Jan. 13. St. John Lateran Basilica’s was closed Jan. 14 and the Holy Door of St. Paul Outside the Walls was closed Jan. 15.

The Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica will be sealed shut on Jan. 16.

The so-called “sanpietrini,” the staff of the Fabric of St. Peter — comprising carpenters, cabinetmakers, and electricians — who normally handle the maintenance of the basilica, will repeat the process they have already carried out in the other three basilicas: They will erect a brick wall inside the church to permanently seal the Holy Door.

In addition, the traditional metal capsule (“capsis”), a bronze box, will be inserted into the wall of the church. It will contain the official closing document, the coins minted during the jubilee year, and the keys to the Holy Door.

These elements serve as material and symbolic testimony of the holy year, which, as the pope emphasized in the Jan. 6 ceremony in which he closed the great doors of the Vatican basilica, has concluded on the calendar but not in the spiritual life of the Catholic Church.

In all the papal basilicas, the official document of closing the Holy Door has been deposited along with the key to the door and several pontifical medals from the last sealing, during the conclusion of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy in 2016 to the present day.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, the Spanish-language sister service of EWTN News. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English. St. Peter’s Holy Door to be sealed Jan. 16

 

 

POPE LEO MEETS FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF CRANS-MONTANA FIRE

Pope Leo’s very first words were very touching and filled with love, concern, and profound sorrow: I sincerely say that I am deeply moved to meet you. When I learned that someone on your behalf had requested this audience, I immediately said, “Yes, we will find the time.” I wanted at least the opportunity to share a moment that for you, in the midst of so much pain and suffering, is truly a test of our faith, a test of what we believe. So often we ask ourselves, “Why, Lord?” Someone reminded me of a similar moment, precisely at the funeral Mass where, instead of giving a sermon, the priest spoke as if it were a dialogue between the person and God himself, with that question that always accompanies us, “Why, Lord, why?”

POPE LEO MEETS FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF CRANS-MONTANA FIRE

Pope Leo XIV meets with family members of those killed in a tragic fire that struck Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year’s Day, and offers words of faith and consolation.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (Vatican News)

“Be assured of Christ’s closeness and His tenderness: He is not distant from what you are experiencing; on the contrary, He shares it and carries it with you.”

Pope Leo XIV offered this reassurance on Thursday when meeting in the Vatican with family members of those killed or injured by the tragic fire that struck Crans-Montana, Switzerland on January 1.

Swiss police report that at least 40 people died and 119 were injured, many seriously, following the fire and explosion that broke out in a bar of the ski resort town at a crowded New Year’s celebration.

Limits of human words

The Pope said he was “deeply moved” to meet the families, as he recognized that this time in which “one of the people most dear to you, most loved, has lost his or her life in a catastrophe of extreme violence, or is lying in hospital for a long period, with a body disfigured by the consequences of a terrible fire that has struck the imagination of the entire world” truly tries one’s faith.

He noted how it was a priority for him to meet with them when he learned of their interest.

Pope Leo expressed sadness that the tragedy happened on a day when everyone was rejoicing and celebrating, exchanging wishes of joy and happiness.

“What can one therefore say in such circumstances?” he wondered. “What meaning can be given to such events? Where can one find a consolation equal to what you are experiencing, a comfort that is not made up of empty and superficial words, but that touches deeply and rekindles hope?”

The Cross and the Resurrection

Only one reflection, the Pope suggested, is “adequate”: “that of the Son of God on the Cross—whom you are so close to today—who from the depths of His abandonment and His pain cried out to the Father: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Mt 27:46).”

The Father’s answer to the Son’s supplication, Pope Leo acknowledged, took three days to come, in silence. “But, then, what an answer it is!” he marveled. “Jesus rises again in glory, living forever in the joy and eternal light of Easter.”

The Pope lamented that he could not explain to them “why you and your loved ones have been asked to face such a trial.”

However, he added, “the Successor of Peter whom you have come to meet today affirms this to you with strength and conviction: your hope is not in vain, because Christ is truly risen!”

Pope Leo reassured them that nothing can separate them or their loved ones from the love of Christ.

Faith illuminates even the most painful moments

“The faith that dwells within us illuminates the darkest and most painful moments of our lives with an irreplaceable light, which helps us to continue courageously on our journey toward the goal.”

“Jesus,” he reassured, “goes before us on this path of death and resurrection, which requires patience and perseverance.”

The Pope reminded them that Christ is close to them and accompanying them, sharing in their emotions at this time, and that the whole Church is also with them.

“Be assured of the Church’s prayer—and of my personal prayer—for the repose of your deceased loved ones, for relief for those you love who are suffering, and for you yourselves, who accompany them with your tenderness and your love.”

Turn to Our Lady of Sorrows for maternal comfort

He acknowledged that their hearts today are pierced, as was the heart of Mary at the foot of the Cross, reiterating, “Mary, at the Cross, seeing her Son, Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, is close to you in these days, and it is to her that I entrust you.”

Before imparting his Apostolic Blessing, the Holy Father reminded those gathered to turn to the Blessed Mother without reserve with their tears and to seek in her the maternal comfort. The Holy Father invited those present to join him in saying an Our Father and a Hail Mary.

Pope Leo’s continued closeness

The audience marks the latest gesture in Pope Leo’s showings of closeness to those affected.

In a telegram the day after the fire, Pope Leo had joined in mourning the victims of the fire, praying to the Lord “to welcome the deceased into his dwelling of peace and light, and to support the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies.”

At the conclusion of his Angelus on Sunday, January 4, the Holy Father expressed once again his “closeness to those suffering” and assured his “prayers for the young people who died, for the injured, and for their families.”

 

 

 

 

POPE LEO MEETS FAMILIES OF VICTIMS OF CRANS-MONTANA FIRE

Pope Leo XIV meets with family members of those killed in a tragic fire that struck Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on New Year’s Day, and offers words of faith and consolation.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov

“Be assured of Christ’s closeness and His tenderness: He is not distant from what you are experiencing; on the contrary, He shares it and carries it with you.”

Pope Leo XIV offered this reassurance on Thursday when meeting in the Vatican with family members of those killed or injured by the tragic fire that struck Crans-Montana, Switzerland on January 1.

Swiss police report that at least 40 people died and 119 were injured, many seriously, following the fire and explosion that broke out in a bar of the ski resort town at a crowded New Year’s celebration.

Limits of human words

The Pope said he was “deeply moved” to meet the families, as he recognized that this time in which “one of the people most dear to you, most loved, has lost his or her life in a catastrophe of extreme violence, or is lying in hospital for a long period, with a body disfigured by the consequences of a terrible fire that has struck the imagination of the entire world” truly tries one’s faith.

He noted how it was a priority for him to meet with them when he learned of their interest.

Pope Leo expressed sadness that the tragedy happened on a day when everyone was rejoicing and celebrating, exchanging wishes of joy and happiness.

“What can one therefore say in such circumstances?” he wondered. “What meaning can be given to such events? Where can one find a consolation equal to what you are experiencing, a comfort that is not made up of empty and superficial words, but that touches deeply and rekindles hope?”

The Cross and the Resurrection

Only one reflection, the Pope suggested, is “adequate”: “that of the Son of God on the Cross—whom you are so close to today—who from the depths of His abandonment and His pain cried out to the Father: ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ (Mt 27:46).”

The Father’s answer to the Son’s supplication, Pope Leo acknowledged, took three days to come, in silence. “But, then, what an answer it is!” he marveled. “Jesus rises again in glory, living forever in the joy and eternal light of Easter.”

The Pope lamented that he could not explain to them “why you and your loved ones have been asked to face such a trial.”

However, he added, “the Successor of Peter whom you have come to meet today affirms this to you with strength and conviction: your hope is not in vain, because Christ is truly risen!”

Pope Leo reassured them that nothing can separate them or their loved ones from the love of Christ.

Faith illuminates even the most painful moments

“The faith that dwells within us illuminates the darkest and most painful moments of our lives with an irreplaceable light, which helps us to continue courageously on our journey toward the goal.”

“Jesus,” he reassured, “goes before us on this path of death and resurrection, which requires patience and perseverance.”

The Pope reminded them that Christ is close to them and accompanying them, sharing in their emotions at this time, and that the whole Church is also with them.

“Be assured of the Church’s prayer—and of my personal prayer—for the repose of your deceased loved ones, for relief for those you love who are suffering, and for you yourselves, who accompany them with your tenderness and your love.”

Turn to Our Lady of Sorrows for maternal comfort

He acknowledged that their hearts today are pierced, as was the heart of Mary at the foot of the Cross, reiterating, “Mary, at the Cross, seeing her Son, Mary, Our Lady of Sorrows, is close to you in these days, and it is to her that I entrust you.”

Before imparting his Apostolic Blessing, the Holy Father reminded those gathered to turn to the Blessed Mother without reserve with their tears and to seek in her the maternal comfort. The Holy Father invited those present to join him in saying an Our Father and a Hail Mary.

Pope Leo’s continued closeness

The audience marks the latest gesture in Pope Leo’s showings of closeness to those affected.

In a telegram the day after the fire, Pope Leo had joined in mourning the victims of the fire, praying to the Lord “to welcome the deceased into his dwelling of peace and light, and to support the courage of those who suffer in their hearts or in their bodies.”

At the conclusion of his Angelus on Sunday, January 4, the Holy Father expressed once again his “closeness to those suffering” and assured his “prayers for the young people who died, for the injured, and for their families.”

 

 

 

POPE LEO’S MOSAIC PORTRAIT READY FOR BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS – POPE AT AUDIENCE: VATICAN II CALLS US TO FRIENDSHIP WITH CHRIST

Today’s jewel: Confuse your enemies with your cheerfulness.

Today, Pope Leo XIV was presented with the round mosaic featuring his official papal portrait — the 267th papal portrait to be placed in the Basilica of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls — which will be installed at the end of the right nave of the basilica. The presentation took place in the presence of Cardinal Mauro Gambetti, Archpriest of St. Peter’s Basilica, and Cardinal James Harvey, Archpriest of St. Paul Outside the Walls, along with the Abbot of St. Paul’s, the Right Reverend Donato Ogliari. The mosaic is composed of over 15,000 tiles, including some dating back to the 1800s. At the end of the presentation, the Holy Father invited all those present to join him in a moment of prayer before the image.

https://x.com/EWTNVatican/status/2011410300466074076

This is where it will be placed, in the black space to the left of Pope Francis. After Pope Leo’s mosaic is installed, there remain 10 empty spaces for “roundels.” (JFL photo)

POPE LEO’S MOSAIC PORTRAIT READY FOR BASILICA OF ST. PAUL OUTSIDE THE WALLS –

In keeping with tradition, the Vatican Mosaic Studio completes the mosaic portrait of Pope Leo XIV destined for the Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls, and reveals the work to the Pope before his Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (Vatican News)

The Vatican Mosaic Studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter has completed the mosaic medallion dedicated to Pope Leo XIV, the Holy See Press Office announced on Wednesday. In accordance with the ancient tradition that accompanies the election of every Pope, just over eight months after the election of Pope Leo XIV, the studio has completed the mosaic portrait destined for the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls, at the request of the Basilica’s Archpriest, Cardinal James Michael Harvey.

The mosaic roundel, with a diameter of 137 centimeters, was created using glass enamels and gold on a metal structure at the studio of the Fabric of Saint Peter. The tesserae (individual pieces of glass or tile) were produced using the ancient cut-mosaic technique and were set with the traditional oil-based mastic of the Vatican tradition.

The execution of the work was based on a painted preparatory sketch by Master Rodolfo Papa—an oil on canvas of the same dimensions as the mosaic roundel—specifically conceived for its translation into mosaic.

The work will be installed in the space next to the portrait of Pope Francis, in the right nave of the Basilica, at a height of approximately 13 meters.

The painted sketch, on the other hand, will be preserved—together with the entire series of portraits of the Pontiffs—at the Fabric of Saint Peter in the Vatican

POPE AT AUDIENCE: VATICAN II CALLS US TO FRIENDSHIP WITH CHRIST

During his weekly General Audience, Pope Leo XIV continues his catechesis series on the Second Vatican Council, looking more closely at “one of the most beautiful and important of the Council,” namely the Dogmatic Constitution ‘Dei Verbum,’ on Divine Revelation.

By Deborah Castellano Lubov (Vatican News)

“No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends.”

Pope Leo XIV recalled Jesus’ words in the Gospel passage according to St. John during his Wednesday General Audience on January 14, as he continued his new catechesis series, which is dedicated to the Second Vatican Council and a rereading of its Documents.

READ POPE LEO’S FULL CATECHESIS HERE

Focusing on the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum, on Divine Revelation, the Pope called it one of the most beautiful and importantDocuments of the Council.

The Holy Father noted that the text recalls Jesus’ invitation for us to be His friends.

“This is a fundamental point of Christian faith, which Dei Verbum reminds us of: Jesus Christ radically transforms man’s relationship with God, which is henceforth a relationship of friendship. Therefore, the only condition of the new covenant is love.”

God makes us sons and daughters

He acknowledged that we are not equal to God, and the relationship between God and humanity always remains asymmetrical, as we are only creatures of the Creator.

In spite of this, the Holy Father said, with the coming of the Son in human flesh, God’s Covenant opens up to His final purpose.

“In Jesus,” he said, “God makes us sons and daughters, and calls us to become like Him, albeit in our fragile humanity.”

With this in mind, Pope Leo reminded us of our need to listen, “so that the Divine Word may penetrate our minds and our hearts,” and also “to speak with God,” “not to communicate to Him what He already knows, but to reveal ourselves to ourselves.”

Must make time for prayer each day

This, he explained, is why prayer is so important for us to live and to cultivate friendship with the Lord. We do so first of all, he said, in liturgical and community prayer, “in which we do not decide what to hear from the Word of God, but it is He Himself who speaks to us through the Church.”

This liturgical prayer, he continued, is “achieved in personal prayer, which takes place in the interiority of the heart and mind.”

For these reasons, the Holy Father insisted, “time dedicated to prayer, meditation, and reflection cannot be lacking in the Christian’s day and week.”

Finally, Pope Leo XIV pointed out that we know from experience how friendships easily end through a ‘rupture’ or neglect.

“Jesus calls us to be friends,” he said. “Let us not leave this call unheeded.” By welcoming and caring for this relationship, the Holy Father insisted, “we will discover that friendship with God is our salvation.”

BORGO LAUDATO SI, THE (ALMOST) UNKNOWN JEWEL OF THE VATICAN – DID YOU KNOW THAT….

BORGO LAUDATO SI, THE (ALMOST) UNKNOWN JEWEL OF THE VATICAN

Borgo Laudato Si‘ – Laudato Si Village – is a center of integral ecology in the gardens of the Pontifical Villas of Castelgandolfo, commissioned by Pope Francis to put into practice the principles of his encyclical Laudato Si’ that promotes sustainability, training and inclusion through agricultural, educational and hospitality activities. The Vatican’s Jubilee website promoted visits, noting that the area of the Borgo Laudato Si’, which extends over 35 hectares of gardens and 20 hectares of agricultural land, is home to over 3,000 plants belonging to 300 different species, and offers an immersive experience in natural beauty.

I’ve been to Castelgandolfo on many occasions, visiting the papal palace that overlooks the main town square and strolling through the stunning papal gardens and amazing ruins of Emperor Domitian’s once-upon-a-time gigantic villa. I’ve done reports on “Vatican Insider” and posted many a story on these pages with some of the countless photos I’ve taken of this place that is a little slice of heaven.  But Laudato Si Village is new to me and I can’t wait to get to know it as well as I know the other papal buildings. See for yourself: for an amazing tour and all the information you could wish, visit Borgo Laudato Si right now: https://www.laudatosi.va/

It will be great fun to visit because the director of the Laudato Si’ Center for Higher Education is Fr. Many Dorantes, a priest from Chicago whom I’ve known for a number of years and just yesterday, a priest I’ve known since 2013, French-Italian Fr. Stefano Cascio was named vice director! He has an extraordinary resume (Laudato si’ Center for Higher Education: Fr. Stefano Cascio Appointed Deputy Director for Administration – Centro Laudato Si) Laudato Si is in excellent hands – they’ll make a great team!

DID YOU KNOW THAT….

THE VATICAN GOVERNORATE RELEASED NEW APP DEDICATED TO ST. CARLO ACUTIS: The Vatican Governatorate releases a new app offering the contents of its official website in a quick and intuitive way, making it possible to consult news, announcements, and official communications. The new official app from the Governorate of the Vatican City State is dedicated to St. Carlo Acutis and his IT skills. The application offers the contents of the institutional informational website www.vaticanstate.va and has been designed to make access to information even easier, quicker, and more user-friendly on mobile devices. Vatican Governorate releases new app dedicated to St. Carlo Acutis – Vatican News

YOU CAN “PRAY WITH THE POPE”: A REAL NETWORK OF COMMUNION IN A DIVIDED WORLD: “Pray with the Pope” is a new initiative of the Dicastery for Communication and the Pope’s Worldwide Prayer Network that invites people around the world to share in a real communion of prayer with Pope Leo XIV, offering prayer as a path to unity in a divided world. From the Chapel of Saint Peregrine in the Vatican to the wider world, Pray with the Pope invites the faithful to share in a common moment of prayer with the Pope. The initiative was presented on Wednesday, 7 January, shortly before the release of the first video message in which Pope Leo XIV shared his prayer intention for January 2026. “Pray with the Pope” offers video and audio recordings (English. Italian and Spanish) of the Pope’s pray intentions, providing a more accessible and versatile way for the faithful; to join in prayer.  “Pray with the Pope”: a real network of communion in a divided world – Vatican News

THE STORY BEHIND POPE LEO XIV’S NEW PAPAL STAFF: Last week during the Jan. 6 closing of the Holy Door of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV used a new papal staff, or ferula, which is used by pontiffs in solemn ceremonies and represents their leadership as bishop of Rome and supreme pastor of the entire Church. According to the Office of Liturgical Celebrations of the Holy See, popes have traditionally received this insignia after their election, when they took possession of their see in St. John Lateran Basilica. The papal staff, used only by the pope and topped with a cross or a crucifix, is different from the bishop’s crozier — the shepherd’s staff — which ends in a curve and is used by bishops and archbishops. Pope Leo XIV debuts new papal staff | Catholic News Agency 

 

POPE MEETS VENEZUELAN NOBEL PRIZE WINNER MARIA CORINA MACHADO

Jewel of the day: Remember, the word no never created anything.

Interestingly enough the Pope’s meeting with Machado was not on the original papal schedule that journalists receive from the press office each morning with an embargo.

POPE MEETS VENEZUELAN NOBEL PRIZE WINNER MARIA CORINA MACHADO

Pope Leo received the Venezuelan politician and activist in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

By Salvatore Cernuzio (Vatican News)

At the end of a Monday morning filled with meetings at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace, Pope Leo XIV received Maria Corina Machado, the former member of the Venezuelan National Assembly who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in October 2025.

Maduro’s capture on January 3

The meeting took place about 10 days after the capture of Nicolás Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores during the U.S. military operation known as “Operation Absolute Resolve” on January 3 in the Venezuelan capital, Caracas.

Maduro, accused of drug trafficking and narco-terrorism, is currently being held at the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, United States.

A Venezuelan politician and human rights activist, Machado leads the liberal-conservative party “Vente Venezuela”, which has always opposed Maduro’s government. Forced to flee the country, she traveled to Oslo in December to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

This week—while Venezuela is being governed on an interim basis by Delcy Rodríguez, and while work is underway on a transition supported by the international community (news has also emerged in recent days of the release of several political prisoners)— Machado is expected in Washington for a meeting with President Donald Trump, according to statements made by him.

The Pope’s appeals for Venezuela

During his Angelus address on January 4 – the day after Maduro’s capture, during which about 80 people, including Venezuelan and Cuban military personnel and civilians, were killed – Pope Leo said he was following developments in Venezuela “with deep concern.”

“The good of the beloved Venezuelan people must prevail over every other consideration. This must lead to the overcoming of violence, and to the pursuit of paths of justice and peace, guaranteeing the sovereignty of the country,” the Pope had said from the window of the Apostolic Palace.

He had called for the respect of “the human and civil rights of each and every person” and to work “together to build a peaceful future of cooperation, stability and harmony, with special attention to the poorest who are suffering because of the difficult economic situation.”

Pope Leo reiterated his appeal during the January 9 meeting with the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See. Referring to Venezuela, he urged efforts to build “a society founded on justice, truth, freedom and fraternity, and thus enable the nation to rise from the grave crisis that has afflicted it for so many years.”

He also invited all to “respect the will of the Venezuelan people, and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all, ensuring a future of stability and concord.”

 

VATICAN INSIDER: AMERICAN COUPLE MOVE TO ROME FOR A YEAR, SIGN UP AS JUBILEE VOLUNTEERS (PART II)

A jewel from Joan:  You will be judged by what you finished, not by what you planned.

VATICAN INSIDER: AMERICAN COUPLE MOVE TO ROME FOR A YEAR, SIGN UP AS JUBILEE VOLUNTEERS (PART II)

Welcome back to Vatican Insider on this second weekend of our brand NewYear! And what a week it was! Tuesday, January 6, the Church celebrated the feast of the Epiphany and the closing of the final Holy Door at St. Peter’s basilica, thus ending the Jubilee of Hope. Wednesday, the weekly papal audience and the start of the two-day meeting of the Pope with members of the College of Cardinals, and Friday, the annual papal address to the diplomatic corps accredited to the Holy See.

Similar heady and historical events marked this past year for two visitors who spent 2025 in Rome, the American couple you met last week on this page and in the interview segment of Vatican Insider, Craig and Laura Schlattmann. They are my guests again this week in Part II of our conversation and they tell us more about the many times this past year they served as volunteers for the Jubilee of Hope. They were also active parishioners of St. Patrick’s, the Catholic American community in Rome.

They explain their specific duties as Jubilee volunteers and offer some of the highlights, unusual or touching moments of the Jubilee experience, their time in Italy, Rome and at St. Patrick’s, and what they will bring home from this Jubilee.

I repeat what I wrote last week: Craig and Laura are two wonderful people but what you will mainly take away from our conversation is their deep faith.  God bless you both!  I am happy the Lord placed you in my life!

P.S. Pope Leo tomorrow has scheduled a meeting with all the Jubilee volunteers whom he earlier invited to Rome in order to thank them for their work.

HOW TO LISTEN TO VATICAN INSIDER: IN THE UNITED STATES, you can listen to Vatican Insider (VI) on a Catholic radio station near you (stations listed at www.ewtn.com) or on channel 130 Sirius-XM satellite radio, or on http://www.ewtn.com. OUTSIDE THE U.S., you can listen to EWTN radio on our website home page by clicking on the right side where you see “LISTEN TO EWTN.” VI airs at 5am and 9pm ET on Saturdays and 6am ET on Sundays. On the GB-IE feed (which is on SKY in the UK and Ireland), VI airs at 5:30am, 12 noon and 10pm CET on Sundays. Both of these feeds are also available on the EWTN app and on www.ewtnradio.net ALWAYS CHECK YOUR OWN TIME ZONE! For VI ARCHIVES: Go to www.ewtn.com/podcasts, scroll down to Vatican Insider and click on the show you want to hear.

POPE LEO TO DIPLOMATS: PRIORITIZE DIALOGUE, CONSENSUS, PEACE, HUMAN DIGNITY AND FAMILY VALUES

I highly recommend reading the full powerful, wide-ranging speech in English by Pope Leo to the Diplomatic Corps. If you can, make time to read it at one sitting.

The full video in English is here (the Holy Father arrives at 11:35 minutes):: To members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See – Calendar of Activities | Vatican.va

POPE LEO TO DIPLOMATS: PRIORITIZE DIALOGUE, CONSENSUS, PEACE, HUMAN DIGNITY AND FAMILY VALUES

In his first annual address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See, Pope Leo created a multi-colored tapestry of topics, speaking powerfully as he denounced the shift from dialogue to force in international relations, the erosion of international law, and a “zeal for war,” while urging a return to multilateralism and the prioritization of peace, human dignity, and family values. He stated repeatedly, in remarks concerning conflicts and humanitarian issues, that a diplomacy of peace requires dialogue, consensus, and upholding justice, not dominion through force. He highlighted the primary right upon which all others rest – the right to life.

Speaking English, Leo XIV focused on the lights and shadows of the world in what is often called the papal “State of the World” address.

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He addressed the diplomats in the Hall of Blessings, a long, beautiful hall above the atrium of St. Peter’s Basilica, on one side of which are five windows, leading to five balconies, including the central balcony or loggia of the basilica. The Pope was last on this balcony on January 6, feast of the Epiphany when he recited the Angelus with the faithful in St. Peter’s Square. This is, of course, also the balcony where a newly-elected pope first appears.

Pope Leo met the ambassadors one by one and later a group photo was taken in the Sistine Chapel.

The Vatican released the full speech which lasted just over one hour (To members of the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See – Calendar of Activities | Vatican.va) as well as a summary of the highlights (Pope raises alarm over human rights and a spreading “zeal for war” – Vatican News).

The Vatican also released information on those States and organizations accredited to the Holy See.

There are 184 states that currently maintain diplomatic relations with the Holy See. These include the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. There are 93 diplomatic missions accredited to the Holy See based in Rome, including those of the European Union and the Sovereign Military Order of Malta. The offices accredited to the Holy See by the League of Arab States, the International Organization for Migration, and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees are also based in Rome.

During 2025, on July 31, the Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the Italian Republic for an agrivoltaic plant in Santa Maria di Galeria. On September 29, the Agreement was signed between the Holy See and the State of Berlin on the Institute for Catholic Theology at

the Humboldt University of Berlin. Finally, on November 3, the Exchange of Letters between the Italian Republic and the Holy See, concluded in Rome on November 12, 2024, and in the Vatican City on December 23, 2024, entered into force. This Agreement amends the Agreement by Exchange of Letters between the Italian Republic and the Holy See on the Spiritual Assistance of the Armed Forces, concluded in Rome and in the Vatican City on February 13, 2018.