Catholic News

Pope Leo XIV departed Spain for Rome on June 12, finishing a weeklong trip to the European country marked by meetings with national leaders and bishops and a historic Mass at the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia.

The Holy Father spent time in Madrid and Barcelona before finishing his visit in the Canary Islands off the coast of Europe. Throughout his week's trip he also met with civic groups, including those that minister to migrants, and visited a prison in Barcelona.

The visit finished with the papal plane suffering a malfunction forcing the pope to deboard before takeoff. He ultimately left for Rome on the king of Spain's personal airplane after the king personally offered him the use of the aircraft.

Here's a look at the pope's final days in Spain before his return to the Holy See:

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PHILADELPHIA — Affirming that the right to religious freedom is "the cornerstone of any just society," Pope Leo XIV praised the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty for more than 30 years of "great efforts to defend this right" in a message to the organization delivered on June 11.

The Holy Father offered the commendation to participants at the 2026 Canterbury Medal Gala, an annual event held by the nonprofit law firm that represents clients defending their religious liberty in court. The message, dated June 4, was read by Philadelphia Archbishop Nelson Pérez.

Leo noted that the defense of "religious liberty as an integral part of upholding dignity" acquires "particular significance as the United States of America prepares to celebrate the 250th anniversary of its foundation."

Reflecting on the history of his American homeland, Leo said: "Indeed, we can recognize in the Preamble to the Declaration of Independence an expression of the truth regarding the human person. Namely, the innate dignity of every man and woman, created by God in his own image and likeness, and the rights that stem therefrom."

Speaking directly on the efforts of the Becket Fund, the pope said the organization works "to safeguard the dignity of the human person" by "ensuring that all men and women are free to act in conformity with the dictates or their conscience and to practice their faith openly, without coercion or fear."

"As you continue this noble task, it is my hope that every individual will embark upon the pursuit of truth sincerely and without fear," the Holy Father said, adding that "the Scriptures tell us that truth itself has a name, Jesus Christ (cf. Jn 14:6), and that God will undoubtedly aid those who search for him with all their heart (cf. Jer 29:13)."

2026 Canterbury medalist

At the event, William P. "Bill" Mumma — the longtime board chairman of the Becket Fund and former CEO of Mitsubishi UFJ Securities, Japan's largest financial services company — was awarded Becket's highest honor, the Canterbury Medal.

The medal draws its name from one of history's most dramatic religious liberty standoffs, that which occurred between Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas à Becket, the law firm's namesake, and King Henry II of England.

Mumma served as the Becket Fund's full-time volunteer CEO from 2011 to 2021 and continues to serve as the organization's board chairman. In his remarks accepting the award, Mumma said that religious liberty "has to be defended."

"The last 50 years have taught us not to take it for granted," Mumma continued. "I urge all of you to redouble your commitment to this noble cause."

Past Canterbury medalists include the late Nobel Peace laureate and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel; Cuban poet and former political prisoner Armando Valladares; Orthodox rabbi of the oldest Jewish congregation in the U.S., Rabbi Dr. Meir Soloveichik; First Counselor in the First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints President Dallin H. Oaks; and 62nd Chaplain of the U.S. Senate Barry C. Black.

With Philadelphia's Independence Hall forming a backdrop as he spoke to the gathering at the National Constitution Center, current Becket President and CEO Mark Rienzi noted that "religious freedom is at the heart of the American story." 

For 250 years, Rienzi said, U.S. religious freedom "has enabled people of differing and conflicting beliefs to live together in peace."

"Becket exists to ensure that each new generation of Americans can write its own chapter of that story. We look forward to carrying our mission into America's next 250 years," he said.

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SAN CRISTÓBAL DE LA LAGUNA, Spain — For the first time during his apostolic journey to Spain, which concluded Friday, Pope Leo XIV raised his voice with unusual force.

He did so in Tenerife, speaking against human traffickers: those who charge staggering sums to help migrants cross the ocean and those who enslave them mercilessly.

"For every life lost, every family deceived, every body subjugated, every woman threatened, every worker exploited, you will have to appear before divine justice," the pope said.

"Break those chains and free those you hold in bondage," he added. "Return what has been taken and make amends as much as you can."

Then, in a cry reminiscent of Pope Francis' 2014 appeal to members of the Mafia, Leo declared: "Stop. Repent."

To those who profit from the suffering of others, he also left open the door of return to God.

"Repent while there is still time," he said, "for God's mercy can reach even the most hardened sinner, but it enters only through the narrow gate of truth, justice, and conversion."

The remarks came during the pope's meeting with organizations working for the integration of migrants in the Plaza del Cristo de La Laguna, in the capital of Tenerife, before some 4,000 people.

In this final day of his trip, Leo held a second encounter focused on the reality of migration, underscoring the importance he has given the issue throughout his visit.

The pope offered several keys for migrants so they do "not ... remain forever trapped in the role of victims."

Speaking to "dear migrant brothers and sisters," Leo said that part of their journey is "to open yourselves with trust to the community that welcomes you, to learn its language, to respect its laws, to get to know its customs, to participate in communal life, and to offer your gifts with gratitude."

He also addressed Catholics directly, as he had done the previous day in Las Palmas, asking "that integration not be reduced to a social undertaking, however necessary that may be."

The pope warned of what he called a "silent shipwreck" that can take place after migrants arrive: "Being left alone in a city, without a voice, without ties, work, or a sense of security, and exposed to those who take advantage of vulnerability."

"Integration means preventing that second shipwreck," he said.

Leo said integration must take place "without diluting their identity or closing their hearts to the encounter," adding that "every welcoming society has responsibilities toward those who arrive," while those who are welcomed also discover that dignity "flourishes when it becomes a duty and a sincere desire to build together with others."

Before the final Mass that brought his apostolic journey to Spain to a close, the pope asked the faithful not to forget the many migrants from Latin America, the Philippines, and other parts of the world who are already a living part of the community.

"Let yourselves also be evangelized by them," he said, "for they surely bring with them gifts that Providence has wished to send to you through those who are integrating."

His predecessor, Pope Francis, summarized the Church's approach to migration in four verbs: welcome, protect, promote, and integrate. Leo made that vision his own, insisting that integration cannot be reduced to a merely social task.

"Those who come to our parishes need bread, shelter, language assistance, work, and protection," he said. "They also must find a community capable of offering paths to knowing Jesus Christ through the witness of life and word, while always respecting the conscience and freedom of each person."

During the encounter, the pope listened to the testimony of Mbacke, a young Senegalese man who arrived as a child, completely alone.

"I have learned alongside my classmates in all the training activities we have: Spanish, cooking, agriculture, masonry, carpentry, repairs, computer skills, sewing, etc., and in my particular case, basic training in Spain," he said, thanking the Canary Islands' El Buen Samaritano Foundation, linked to the Parish of Santa María de Añaza in Tenerife, for giving him a family.

"Thank you for receiving young people like me who arrive alone, without family, and who are only looking for an opportunity to start over," he added.

His testimony put a face on the drama of migrant minors who cross borders without a parent or guardian. For some who have no family, turning 18 can mean "only the street," once they leave Spain's child protection system.

Among those waiting for the pope on this final day was Mamadu, 33, originally from Mali. He arrived 15 years ago, still a child. Today he is fully integrated and speaks Spanish perfectly. He told ACI Prensa that he wanted to see the pope and give him a T-shirt he displayed proudly.

Leo also heard from a Venezuelan migrant priest who has served for seven years on El Hierro, the westernmost and southernmost island in the Canary archipelago. The island, the smallest and least populated of the main Canary Islands, has recorded some of the highest migrant arrivals in recent months: Since March 2023, it has received 50,244 immigrants despite having just 11,600 residents.

"There were days and nights when I wanted to stay in the comfort of my house, but I thought: What would Our Lord do?" the priest said. "And I renewed the service being asked of me. And there, amid pain and suffering, there was always some reason for hope, some smile, some grateful face that gave more than enough reason for our commitment."

The Holy Father also listened to harrowing accounts, including that of Khalid Allad, a 24-year-old Moroccan who, like many others, reached the Canary coast in 2020.

"My journey in a small boat was not easy at all," he said. "I tried twice. In the first attempt, 20 people died."

Although his father forbade him from trying again, he set out a year later.

"Although I was afraid, I decided to leave again, this time without his permission," he said.

Once in Tenerife, he began a new life thanks to the Don Bosco Foundation.

"They offered me a place to live, taught me Spanish, helped me read and write better, and gave me the confidence to move forward," he said through tears.

Thalia Johana Saldarriaga Diago, a Colombian immigrant who, thanks to Caritas, not only recovered her independence but also became a volunteer helping others in similar situations, also spoke at the meeting.

"In this way," the pope said, recalling her witness, "yesterday's stranger can be today's brother and neighbor."

The encounter took place as the European Union entered a new and stricter era in migration policy. The Migration and Asylum Pact, the result of years of negotiations among member states, officially entered into force Friday, promising to strengthen control of external borders, speed up asylum procedures, and increase returns of people without the right to remain in EU territory.

After this effort to put a human face on the drama of migration, and before returning to Rome with an expected delay, the pope celebrated a large outdoor Mass at the port of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

In his homily, Leo cited Pope Francis' encyclical Laudato Si' as he reflected on Tenerife's "tourist vocation" and the island's contact with visitors from many countries.

"How important it is, especially for those who allow themselves to be guided by the Gospel, not to reduce everything to commerce and profit," the pope said.

Spain is a global tourism powerhouse, but its success has caused growing tensions in destinations like those the pope visited this week: Madrid, Barcelona, Las Palmas, and Tenerife.

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.

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The journey toward holiness is fulfilled in union with Christ's perfect heart — a holiness that cannot be lived in isolation, Pope Leo XIV said in a message for the World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests.

"Cherish your priestly fraternity: Seek one another, listen to one another, and support one another. The priest who isolates himself slowly fades away; the priest who walks alongside his brothers grows," the pope said in the June 12 message.

The World Day of Prayer for the Sanctification of Priests takes place every year on the solemnity of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, which in 2026 is celebrated on June 12.

The Sacred Heart, Leo said, "is the 'place' where holiness is manifested as closeness and tenderness. The priest's holiness, then, is embodied in humble and courageous nearness, in being all things to all people, and in keeping the gate of the sheepfold open so that many can enter and find pasture and rest."

"For this reason, we are called to a relationship with God that does not distance us from others but brings us closer to everyone — shaping patient and tender hearts, capable of closeness, compassion, and listening," he added.

Pope Leo said it is "through the union of our imperfect hearts with Jesus' pierced heart, our journey toward holiness is fulfilled. It is no longer we who live but Christ who lives in us. Such holiness cannot be lived in isolation."

Reflecting on the mystery of the Lord's pierced heart, the Holy Father emphasized that holiness is not an abstract ideal but a share in God's own holiness.

"When he calls us to be holy as he is holy, he indicates that the path we must follow involves being fashioned after his own heart. And for us, dear brothers, this call is particularly radical," he said, addressing his fellow priests.

The holiness asked of priests, Leo continued, is of a trustful abandonment transformed by the Holy Spirit: "Yet it is precisely here that the great paradox of our priestly life emerges. We are called to share in God's own holiness, but we carry this treasure in earthen vessels."

Reflecting on the imperfect, human side of the priesthood, the pontiff noted that "we are limited and imperfect, often weak and weary, and at times wounded. How can such a vulnerable human heart respond to such a high calling? The priest lives this tension. Yet at the same time, he must recognize that he finds peace in the open side of the Lord Jesus."

"Our humanity is not compartmentalized," he said. "Prayer, ministry, relationships, weariness, joys, and failures — even time or love that apparently seems wasted — all become privileged places where God reveals himself and his infinite love."

He urged priests to renew the grace of their ordination through the daily celebration of the Eucharist, prayer, meditation on the word of God, and humble service to others.

"A priestly life that is steady and configured to Jesus' heart is a credible sign of unity, peace, and mercy. Thus, in an age marked by division and fear, we must be builders of peace and witnesses of the tenderness of the Good Shepherd who knows how to gather the scattered and heal the wounded," he said.

In his message, Pope Leo invited priests to daily renew their "Here I am" before Christ's pierced heart and to remember the words of the Curé of Ars, St. John Vianney, who loved to say that "the priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus."

"This love is a pledge and a guarantee that, if we surrender and offer ourselves completely, nothing of us will be lost," the pontiff said.

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An image of Our Lady of Guadalupe from Mexico arrived in the Philippines on June 11, marking the start of a six-month nationwide pilgrimage that Church leaders hope will strengthen people's faith.

Bishop Jose Colin Bagaforo of Kidapawan, spiritual director of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Philippine Pilgrimage, led the reception and blessing of the pilgrim image at Malacañang Palace in Manila in the presence of President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.; first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos; papal nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown; Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso; and other government officials, clergy, and lay faithful.

Marcos and the first lady hosted the reception and blessing, formally launching the Philippine Pilgrimage 2026.

The occasion highlighted the Philippines' deep Marian devotion and its participation in the Novena Intercontinental Guadalupana, a worldwide spiritual preparation for the 500th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego. She appeared on four occasions on Dec. 9–12, 1531: three at the hill of Tepeyac and a fourth before Juan de Zumárraga, then the first bishop of Mexico and a Spanish Basque Franciscan prelate.

The replica of the Mexican Marian icon and an image of St. Juan Diego, a Nahua peasant and Marian visionary, are considered a source of inspiration for many around the world.

The pilgrimage forms part of a global initiative promoting prayer, evangelization, and unity among Catholics across different nations.

The image, a replica of the original enshrined at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City, embarks on a pilgrimage across the Philippines, visiting more than 50 churches.

In a social media video, Bagaforo invited the faithful to join the nationwide pilgrimage, calling it a "moment of grace" and an opportunity to pray for hope, peace, and blessings amid today's challenges.

Cardinal Jose Advincula, archbishop of Manila, will hold a special Mass at the Manila Cathedral on June 13, formally opening the pilgrimage, before the image visits more than 50 cathedrals, shrines, and parish churches across the country.

The image will also be present during the 132nd Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) Plenary in Ozamiz City on July 3–10 before its permanent installation at the Manila Cathedral in December.

Bishops call for a spiritual journey

In a June 3 pastoral letter, the CBCP urged Catholics to take part in the spiritual journey and renew their relationship with Jesus through Mary.

According to Archbishop Gilbert Garcera of Lipa, the CBCP president, churches hosting the pilgrimage will recite the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe during all Masses while the image is present.

"During this pilgrimage, the Act of Consecration and Entrustment to Our Lady of Guadalupe shall be recited in all Masses in the churches to be visited," he said.

The pilgrimage hopes to inspire Filipinos to come closer to Jesus and to deepen their devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary.

"This visit aims to bring us, Filipinos, closer to Our Lord Jesus Christ and our Blessed Mother," Garcera said.

Advincula named the pilgrim image "Madre Peregrina de Guadalupe," or "Pilgrim Mother of Guadalupe," underscoring Mary's role as a mother who journeys with the faithful.

According to event organizers, the pilgrimage would deepen devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe and prepare Filipino Catholics for the 500th anniversary celebrations in 2031.

The Philippines is home to more than 93 million Catholics and has the third-largest Catholic population globally, after Brazil and Mexico. In the Asian context, it is the largest Catholic nation, followed by East Timor.

Pope Pius XI declared Our Lady of Guadalupe the "Celestial Patroness of the Philippines" in 1935. In 2001, the CBCP declared Dec. 12 an obligatory memorial, and in 2002 it recognized her as the "Pro-Life Patroness of the Philippines" in response to the global movement to entrust the plight of unborn children to her intercession.

"I am glad to know that the image of Our Lady of Guadalupe is on a pilgrimage in the Philippines. It will strengthen people's prayer, Marian devotion, and spiritual renewal," Janice Castro, an elementary school teacher from the Diocese of Cubao, told EWTN News.

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The solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus falls on the Friday after the Corpus Christi octave, which in 2026 is on June 12. What exactly is the meaning behind this feast day? Below are answers to some common questions.

Why do Catholics venerate the Sacred Heart of Jesus?

"Devoting ourselves to the Sacred Heart is one of the easiest, fastest, and most pleasant ways to grow in holiness," Father Ambrose Dobrozsi, a priest of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, told EWTN News.

"Many saints have done many things to grow close to Jesus Christ, but no way is more sure and more pleasing to him than to consecrate ourselves to his Sacred Heart through the Immaculate Heart of his mother," he added.

Where does devotion to the Sacred Heart come from?

The story behind the modern iteration of the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus, however, begins on Dec. 27, 1673, at a monastery belonging to the Order of the Visitation of Holy Mary (Visitandines) in eastern France.

There, a nun named Sister Margaret Mary Alacoque began experiencing visions of the Sacred Heart. Those visions continued for 18 months.

During her visions, Sister Margaret Mary learned ways to venerate the Sacred Heart of Christ.

These devotions included the concept of a Holy Hour on Thursdays, the creation of the feast of the Sacred Heart after Corpus Christi, and the reception of the Eucharist on the first Friday of every month.

As with many mystics, many people were skeptical of Sister Margaret Mary's claims of visions. Her confessor, the then-Father Claude La Colombière, SJ, (now St. Claude La Colombière) believed her, and eventually, the mother superior of her community began to believe as well.

The first feast of the Sacred Heart was celebrated privately at the monastery in 1686.

Sister Margaret Mary died in 1690 and was canonized by Pope Benedict XV on May 13, 1920.

Initially, the Vatican was hesitant to declare a feast of the Sacred Heart but did allow the Visitandines to celebrate a Mass special to this day. As the devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus spread throughout France, the Vatican granted the feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus to France in 1765.

In 1856, after much lobbying by French bishops on behalf of the feast of the Sacred Heart, Pope Pius IX designated the Friday following the feast of Corpus Christi as the feast of the Sacred Heart for the entire Latin-rite Church.

On May 25, 1899, Pope Leo XIII promulgated the encyclical Annum Sacrum, which consecrated the entire world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. This encyclical was written after a nun, Sister Mary of the Sacred Heart, sent two letters to the pope requesting that he consecrate the world to the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Sister Mary of the Divine Heart wrote the letters, she said, after Jesus made the request to her. Pope Leo XIII called this encyclical and the subsequent consecration the "great act" of his papacy.

"Finally, there is one motive which we are unwilling to pass over in silence, personal to ourselves it is true, but still good and weighty, which moves us to undertake this celebration. God, the author of every good, not long ago preserved our life by curing us of a dangerous disease," Leo XIII wrote.

"We now wish, by this increase of the honor paid to the Sacred Heart, that the memory of this great mercy should be brought prominently forward, and our gratitude be publicly acknowledged."

But why consecrate the world — or anyone — to the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What does that mean?

Pope Leo XIII described the act of consecration as one that will "establish or draw tighter the bonds which naturally connect public affairs with God," which was especially needed for the world at the turn of the century.

"While many see religion as unnecessary in a world with more and more technology and resources, swearing allegiance and consecrating ourselves to Christ the King in his Sacred Heart shows that humanity still needs and longs for a compassionate and all-powerful God," Dobrozsi, the Cincinnati priest, told EWTN News.

"In a society where some live in decadence and prideful luxury while others are destitute, the burning love of Christ's Sacred Heart reminds us that the fires of his mercy are also fires of justice. And when the culture, and so many of us, feel hopeless that we could ever change after falling to sins of the flesh, the heart of Our Lord beats with powerful love, eternally declaring that true charity has triumphed over sin and death," he added.

These are the promises the Sacred Heart of Jesus made to St. Margaret Mary Alacoque:

1. I will give them all the graces necessary for their state of life.
2. I will give peace in their families.
3. I will console them in all their troubles.
4. I will be their refuge in life and especially in death.
5. I will abundantly bless all their undertakings.
6. Sinners shall find in my heart the source and infinite ocean of mercy.
7. Tepid souls shall become fervent.
8. Fervent souls shall rise speedily to great perfection.
9. I will bless those places wherein the image of my Sacred Heart shall be exposed and venerated.
10. I will give to priests the power to touch the most hardened hearts.
11. Persons who propagate this devotion shall have their names eternally written in my heart.
12. In the excess of the mercy of my heart, I promise you that my all powerful love will grant to all those who will receive Communion on the first Fridays, for nine consecutive months, the grace of final repentance: They will not die in my displeasure, nor without receiving the sacraments; and my heart will be their secure refuge in that last hour.

This story was first published on EWTN News on June 19, 2020, and has been updated.

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TENERIFE, Canary Islands — "No one leaves their land, their family and their roots by choice when they can live in peace," said Bousso Diouf, a woman from Senegal who spoke with the moral authority of someone who risked her life crossing the Atlantic in a wooden boat, knowing the journey could last a week or end adrift at sea.

Diouf was among the migrants who greeted Pope Leo XIV at the Las Raíces reception center in Tenerife, where some 700 sub-Saharan African migrants — all adult men — are currently housed. The center is located in the humid Las Raíces area of Tenerife, a eucalyptus-filled area about 3,300 feet above sea level.

The number is relatively low compared with the hardest years of the "cayuco" crisis, especially at the end of 2024, when the center received between 2,000 and 3,000 migrants amid overcrowding and widely reported tensions.

Most of those currently housed at the center come from Senegal, Gambia, and Mali, and on average spend about three months there before being transferred to mainland Spain.

They arrive exhausted after having spent up to 72 hours in police custody for identification and registration procedures.

"We come from countries where poverty, violence, war, persecution, and lack of opportunity forced us to leave," Diouf said.

Las Raíces opened in 2021 in response to the 2020 crisis, when more than 23,000 migrants arrived on the coasts of the Canary Islands.

Now those numbers have fallen sharply, and the situation is very different.

"Our work is to offer them an initial welcome that is dignified, humane, and organized at an especially difficult moment, immediately after their arrival by sea," Navarro Atiénzar, regional director of Accem, the NGO that manages the Las Raíces Reception Center for Refugees and Immigrants in Tenerife, told Pope Leo.

The pope arrived in Tenerife early in the morning from Las Palmas and went to the large camp set up inside a former rural military barracks after six marathon days in Spain that had taken him to Barcelona and Madrid.

He listened to those housed there as a father listens when a child opens his heart to recount a trauma.

One young Nigerian man said that crossing the ocean to the Canary Islands means facing hunger, cold, desperation, and often death.

"Many brothers and sisters lost their lives at sea, and others continue to suffer in silence, victims of mafias that take advantage of need and human suffering," he said.

He also made a plea for humanity: "May we not be seen only as migrants, numbers, or documents, but as people with stories, dreams, families, and hope."

"We do not ask for privileges. We do not ask for compassion. We ask for respect, humanity, and the opportunity to live with dignity," he said.

Among those present was also Aliu Ceesay, a 16-year-old Gambian who arrived in the Canary Islands just one month ago in an irregular boat after a difficult journey from his home country. Like many other migrant minors, his goal is to find work so he can help support his family.

Amid an experience marked by uncertainty, Aliu has followed Pope Leo XIV with interest online. The teenager said he wanted to see him in person and was struck by the pope's message.

"I have been following him on the internet and wanted to see him. He is very kind, very good," Aliu said. He also emphasized the pope's inclusive spirit: "He does not care if we are black or white, Muslim or Christian. He wants to help us."

More than 54,000 people have passed through Las Raíces. Behind each one is a story, a difficult journey, and, above all, a hope.

In his address, Pope Leo repeated the message he gave on the first day he set foot in Las Palmas: "God's love knows no borders, makes no distinctions, is given to all and brings us together in unity."

"As I look at your faces and listen to your stories, I also think of your hearts — wounded by so many difficulties, yet also comforted by the love you have received from other open, generous and merciful hearts," the pope said.

"Christ's heart suffered and was pierced out of love, and he was also comforted by compassionate people who eased his pain," he added.

Missionary saints and migrants

The pope dedicated part of his address to missionary saints such as St. Brother Peter of St. Joseph de Betancur and St. José de Anchieta, who set out from the Canary Islands to proclaim the Gospel in the Americas, opening new missionary horizons.

"They too were migrants who ventured into the unknown, carrying faith, hope and charity as their greatest possessions," he said.

The pope called for "responsibility" with an eye toward future generations, to whom, he said, "we wish to bequeath the heritage of a civilization of love."

"Migration will play an important role in this," he said, because it "can become an opportunity for encounter and mutual enrichment among peoples."

"Dear brothers and sisters, in a sense, all of us are migrants, for we are all pilgrims on our way to our heavenly homeland," he said. "Let us help make this journey more humane for everyone by contributing in whatever way we can."

The pope said the name of the center, Las Raíces — "the roots" — had caught his attention. He recalled that Pope Francis, "who so longed to be with you," often used the image of roots "to emphasize the importance of remembering our origins, staying united and trusting in the Lord."

"May this image of roots also help you to be firmly rooted in the Lord, so that no storm may drive you away from his presence, which strengthens and gives life," Pope Leo said.

At the end of his address, the pope told those gathered: "Dear friends, I carry you in my heart and will remember you in my prayers. May God bless you, your families and all who do good to you. And may the Blessed Virgin Mary, Consolation of Migrants, always accompany and assist you with her maternal protection."

During the meeting, when the pope announced that he would speak in French and English, many migrants responded with loud applause.

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.

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In Barcelona's Raval — a lively neighborhood where more than half the population is of migrant origin — joy palpably filled the streets on Wednesday.

Before celebrating Mass on June 10 at Barcelona's iconic Sagrada Familia Basilica, Pope Leo XIV brought his affection to this community in one of the city's most disadvantaged yet vibrant areas, demonstrating that the pope has not come to just admire churches but to touch human suffering.

In this neighborhood, St. Augustine Church houses — within the premises of a former convent — a soup kitchen run by the Missionaries of Charity and the Mano Amiga Foundation, which distributes clothing and food to the poor.

The beneficiaries of this ministry include the family of 6-year-old Renzo. He and his family arrived in Spain some time ago fleeing extreme poverty in Argentina.

Renzo — a little boy from a vulnerable family struggling to make ends meet — put the pope on the spot.

"Why do bad things happen to some people? And not to others? Whose fault is it? Why are there so many people living on the street? No one sees them; no one helps them," he asked the Holy Father with the sweet innocence of a child.

But before addressing that question, the pope answered another: whether he had wanted to be pope when he was a child.

"I didn't want to be pope, neither as a young man nor as an old man," the pontiff remarked, drawing laughter from those present.

But "when the Lord calls, one must say yes," he added. It was evident that the pope felt at ease in this parish. He even said: "I truly feel at home here, and thank you for everything you represent."

Leo shared that "it is not easy to find the answer, Renzo, to your question about why bad things happen to some people while others are spared," while noting that "reflecting on the life of Jesus might help us."

"God's word tells us that Our Lord 'went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,' and yet we know he was crucified. But the story did not end there, for he rose again on the third day, conquering both evil and death," the Holy Father recalled.

The pope emphasized that "through the life of Jesus Christ, God shows us that, even amid suffering, he never abandons any of his children, for he has prepared eternal joy for us — a place where there will be no more sorrow or pain. Let us have confidence; Jesus is with us, helping and accompanying us, and giving us the strength to navigate the difficult moments we may encounter in life."

During a diocesan meeting with organizations dedicated to social assistance, the pope highlighted the aid they provide to people living in this neighborhood marked by marginalization.

Each diocesan ecclesial community, he noted — moved by charity and guided by the Holy Spirit — "is called to reach out, according to its own means and capabilities, and with discretion, sensitivity, and perseverance, to the wounds and needs of the least and most vulnerable, in order to alleviate their suffering and remedy their poverty."

As Christians, he affirmed, "we are called to the task of making God's love for every man and woman present within the concrete fabric of history."

Also present at the gathering were the four Augustinians living in Barcelona and the surrounding area who served as hosts: two Tanzanians and two Filipinos who minister at neighborhood parishes and one in Badalona.

The pope focused much of his address on forgiveness. "Forgiving does not mean saying that what was wrong was actually right, nor does it mean letting someone continue to cause harm. It does not mean forcing oneself to forget, as if nothing had happened," he explained.

[Forgiving] does not mean forcing oneself to forget, as if nothing had happened."

Pope Leo XIV

Forgiving, he added, "means not letting hatred take over our hearts." He emphasized: "Jesus asks us to forgive because it is the only way to experience God's peace and heal spiritual wounds."

The pontiff also addressed one of the most painful social ills: the loneliness of the elderly. "Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become the norm in the lives of older adults. That is a very sad thing," he warned.

Renzo also asked the pope if he liked soccer, a question that drew laughter from those present.

As is well known, the pope plays tennis, but he revealed that he also played soccer as a young man. He shared that in Peru, he "followed the local teams closely" while also playing soccer alongside the seminarians.

"A little sport is good for everyone," he said, concluding the moving encounter.

CORRECTION: This article was edited to correct the child's nationality. He is Argentinean, not Peruvian, as we originally reported.

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.

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Cardinal Kurt Koch, president of the pontifical foundation Aid to the Church in Need (ACN), said that "today, there are more martyrs than in the first centuries of Church history."

"Martyrdom truly belongs to the heart of Christianity," said the Swiss prelate, who made his remarks in late May during the annual pilgrimage for persecuted Christians organized by the Swiss branch of ACN at the Einsiedeln Benedictine Abbey.

Koch, who has led the organization since November 2025, when he was appointed by Pope Leo XIV, is also the prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity at the Vatican.

Reaffirming the pontifical foundation's commitment to helping persecuted Christians, Koch emphasized that martyrdom is not merely a phenomenon of the past but remains "a lived reality for countless Christians around the globe," ACN reported.

The cardinal also highlighted the witness of the many Christians persecuted worldwide: "Dictators do not distinguish between Catholics, Orthodox, Lutherans, Anglicans, or Protestants."

"Christians are not persecuted because they belong to a particular church but because of their faith in Christ. The blood that has been shed unites Christians beyond their divisions," he noted, recalling Pope Francis' expression the "ecumenism of blood."

During the pilgrimage, prayers were offered for the victims of persecution and violence in countries such as Iraq, Haiti, Pakistan, and Indonesia.

In January, the organization Open Doors published a report revealing that more than 388 million Christians worldwide suffer persecution and discrimination and that 4,849 were killed between October 2024 and September 2025.

The majority of these crimes took place in Nigeria, where Christian persecution is so severe the U.S. redesignated it as a "country of particular concern" in October 2025.

Of his role as president of ACN, Koch said: "I accepted this mission with great joy because ACN has always been very close to my heart. It is a pontifical foundation that does immense good while constantly reminding us how many parts of the Church are living in situations of great need. To contribute to this mission is something very important to me."

Donations were also collected during the pilgrimage, which will support ACN projects in the Middle East, particularly in Lebanon, where the pontifical foundation assists displaced families and Catholic schools serving vulnerable communities.

What is ACN?

According to the foundation, ACN supports "the Catholic Church in its evangelization work among the world's most needy, discriminated-against, and persecuted communities," funding more than 5,000 pastoral and humanitarian emergency projects across 137 countries.

It has 23 offices worldwide dedicated to raising awareness about the reality facing these Christians, fostering prayer, and fundraising. ACN receives no grants from public institutions.

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.

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The U.S. bishops addressed their plan to celebrate the 500th anniversary of the Guadalupan event and detailed their participation in the Intercontinental Guadalupan Novena.

The bishops discussed engagement with the novena at the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops' (USCCB) spring plenary session in Orlando, Florida, on June 11. The Intercontinental Guadalupan Novena is a nine-year novena called for by Pope Francis in 2022 that anticipates the fifth centennial of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe in 2031.

"We will celebrate 500 years since the appearance of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and at the same time, all of the graces we continue even now to experience under her patronage," Bishop Robert Brennan of Brooklyn, New York, chair of the USCCB Committee on Cultural Diversity in the Church, said at the meeting.

The bishops of Mexico have been preparing for the quincentennial celebration  and in the past year invited the U.S. bishops' conference to participate in the celebration, Brennan said.

"The Mexican bishops are, together with the Vatican through the Pontifical Council for Latin America, calling this a … novena of years," said Bishop Oscar Cantu of San José, California, chair of the USCCB Subcommittee on Hispanic and Latino Affairs.

"There is much depth to be plumbed for us in our diocese and our communities in these five years that remain for this novena," he said.

As St. John Paul II said in his apostolic exhortation Ecclesia in America: "In blessed Mary, upon whom we see an impressive example of a perfectly inculturated evangelization."

"Those are words that should echo in our hearts as we seek to evangelize our own churches in the United States," Cantu said.

Cantu said bishops should reflect and ask, "How do we take the methodology that Mary used 500 years ago and adapt it to our own needs in the culture … in the 21st century here in the United States?" Cantu said bishops should consider not "only the message but the methodology of Mary."

Cantu recalled Pope Leo addressed the Theological Congress a few months ago in Mexico City, saying Our Lady of Guadalupe is a lesson in divine pedagogy on the inculturation of saving truth. "'La Morentia' manifests God's way of drawing close to his people," Pope Leo said.

Plan for pastoral activity

Following the pope's call, "the Subcommittee on Hispanic Latino Affairs is proposing three phases in the coming years for our pastoral activity, and we've looked to weave them into already existing activities," Cantu said.

He proposed "Phase 1 of missionary activity in our dioceses and parishes … would lead up to the Eucharistic congress that is being planned nationally."

The subcommittee proposed "having a tilma for each diocese that would be given to each ordinary for veneration in the cathedral … or in a designated place by the bishop," he said. "The tilma can be used as a missionary presence to journey from parish to parish, or to key places in each diocese."

The tilma would be "an exact replica of the original" and it will be "touched to the original, so it becomes a third-class relic," Cantu said.

"Phase 2 would include the time from the National Eucharistic Congress to the Jubilee 2031, which will be the 500th anniversary," he said. It would be initiated by the National Eucharistic Congress and would "then continue pilgrimages from parish to parish using the tilma that would go to each diocese," he said.

Phase 3 would focus on "jubilee celebrations," including the "2031 Jubilee to the ... great jubilee of the 2,000 years of redemption," he said.

Then "we are proposing some kind of national celebration for 2031," he said. "We're not sure what that would look like," but "we would certainly like to be in dialogue with the administration of the USCCB in that regard."

"We already know there will be an international celebration in Mexico City" and "we know that Pope Leo has been invited to participate," Cantu said. "He has not responded yet … But we're pretty sure that he will be there."

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