Papal Audiences

The rites and symbols of the liturgy are not arbitrary ceremonies but the means through which Catholics encounter God and are formed in faith, Pope Leo XIV said June 3.

Pope Leo XIV on June 1 praised Venerable Fulton J. Sheen as “a light of faith, hope and love” whose pioneering radio and television broadcasts brought the Gospel to millions of Americans, including the Pope himself as a child.

Amid renewed tensions between the Vatican and traditionalist Catholics over the teachings of the Second Vatican Council, Pope Leo XIV defended Church reform as a legitimate process that adapts to current needs while remaining rooted in authentic tradition.

Christ is present in the liturgy -- in the word that is proclaimed, in the sacraments, in the ministers, in the community and most of all in the Eucharist, Pope Leo XIV said.

Marking the anniversary of the attempted assassination of St. John Paul II and the feast of Our Lady of Fatima, Pope Leo XIV said Mary is the "perfect model" of what the Church is called to be.

The Catholic Church is the guardian of hope, whose members are called to speak clearly against all evil and in defence of human life, Pope Leo XIV said.

Pope Leo XIV wanted his journey to Africa to highlight the serious injustices continuing there and propose a message of peace to a world marred by conflict and violations of international law.

Laypeople are not passive members but active participants in the Church's mission, called to live and spread the Gospel in everyday life, Pope Leo XIV said.

The sanctity of life, from conception to its natural end, must be defended, especially now, in a world marked by "the madness of war," Pope Leo XIV said.

All baptized Christians share in the Church's mission and, guided by the Holy Spirit, are fit for renewing and building up the Church, Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly general audience.