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Georgetown University taps Eduardo Peñalver as new president

Eduardo Peñalver will begin his role as the 49th president of Georgetown on July 1, 2026. / Credit: Georgetown University

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 15, 2025 / 18:22 pm (CNA).

The oldest Catholic and Jesuit institution of higher learning in the United States, Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., has named Eduardo Peñalver, current president of Seattle University and former dean of Cornell Law School, as its 49th president. 

“We are pleased to welcome Eduardo Peñalver to Georgetown University,” Thomas A. Reynolds, chair of the board of directors, said in a press release announcing the decision. “President Peñalver is an exceptional leader steeped in the Catholic and Jesuit tradition who brings a wealth of experience in higher education, a global mindset, a commitment to social justice and academic excellence, and a bold vision for Georgetown’s future.”

Peñalver will assume his new role on July 1, 2026.  He has served as the 22nd president of Seattle University, also a Jesuit institution, since 2021. He succeeds Georgetown’s interim president, Robert Groves. 

“I’m deeply honored to have the privilege of serving as Georgetown’s next president,” Peñalver said in the release. “I would like to thank the Presidential Search Committee and Georgetown’s board of directors for entrusting this role to me at such a pivotal time for Georgetown and for higher education.” 

In the university’s announcement, Peñalver said he would apply his experience as leader of a Jesuit institution to his role at Georgetown. “At the center of our work, [Jesuit universities] share an interest in students as whole persons, focusing on their experiences both inside and outside the classroom,” he said.

He continued: “We share an aspiration to do more than teach a skill or impart knowledge, but to get students to grapple with the deeper questions, to pursue more ambitious goals like wisdom and understanding and meaning, in their academic work and in their lives.”

The incoming president said today “is an exciting moment in Georgetown's history,” citing the expansion of the University’s Capitol Campus, as well as the establishment of interdisciplinary programs, and increased efforts to make attendance more affordable for students. 

“I look forward to working with the students, faculty, staff, alumni and friends of Georgetown to deepen the university’s impact on our country and on our world,” he said. 

Peñalver was raised in a Catholic family in Puyallup, Washington. He graduated magna cum laude from Cornell University in 1994, before earning his law degree in 1999. He then clerked for Judge Guido Calabresi of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit, and for Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens, according to the release. 

He later taught at Fordham Law School, the University of Chicago Law School, and Cornell Law School, where he was appointed dean in 2014. 

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem speaks out after first phase of peace deal completed

Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa (L) and a members of a Christian visit the Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City on July 18, 2025. / Credit: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 15, 2025 / 17:51 pm (CNA).

Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has given an update on the status of Christians in Gaza after the first phase of the historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas began this week. 

“We are in daily contact with them,” the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said of the Catholic community in Gaza in a Vatican News interview. “They keep writing that they still cannot believe they were able to sleep through the night without hearing the sound of bombs.” 

Despite the promising outcome of the first phase of the peace deal, which saw the return of Israeli hostages and the strategic withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza, Pizzaballa emphasized that the situation in Gaza “remains very fluid.” Amid de-escalation between Israel and Hamas forces, clashes among warring factions have broken out across Gaza. Furthermore, he said, “we still do not know if [the war] has truly ended,” and the way forward is not yet clear. 

“The situation remains dramatic because everything is destroyed,” he explained. “People are returning, but they are returning to the ruins. Hospitals are not functioning; schools do not exist. There is still the matter of the bodies of the deceased Israeli hostages that must be recovered.”

“However, despite all this, there is a new atmosphere — still fragile, but we hope it will become more stable,” he continued.

Throughout the conflict, Pizzaballa said Catholics in the region have “felt the closeness” of both Pope Leo XIV and Pope Francis. “They have different personalities, but both expressed their closeness in very concrete ways,” he said, noting both pontiffs had made a habit of frequent phone calls and contact with Father Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza, in addition to concrete aid. Pope Leo sent antibiotics into Gaza this week. 

The cardinal said, “we must not confuse hope with a solution to the conflict,” while discussing how the region must move forward. “The end of the war is not the beginning of peace, nor is it the end of the conflict,” he said. Rather, fraternity must be built throughout the region, with new political and religious leadership “who can help rebuild a different narrative, one based on mutual respect.” 

While Pizzaballa said he did not know whether a two-state solution “is achievable in the short term," he emphasized the need for Palestinians to not only be helped and supported financially, but to be “recognized in their dignity as a people.” 

“One cannot tell the Palestinians that they have no right to be recognized as a people in their own land,” he said. “There have been declarations — often only theoretical — that must find concrete realization within the context of dialogue between the parties, which they themselves will have to reach, with the help and support of the international community.” 

Pope Leo XIV appoints Cardinal Cupich to Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State

Pope Leo and Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich at the Vatican on Oct. 9, 2025. / Credit: Daniel Ibañez/EWTN News

CNA Staff, Oct 15, 2025 / 15:43 pm (CNA).

Pope Leo XIV has appointed Chicago Archbishop Cardinal Blase Cupich to the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State, the Holy See said on Wednesday. 

The Vatican made the announcement via a press release on Oct. 15. The commission functions as the legislative body of Vatican City. 

In addition to managing the many functions and activities of the Vatican City government — including security and public order, public health and the environment, economic activities, postal and customs services, and numerous other internal concerns — the commission also oversees the artistic complex of the Vatican Museums and their assets.

Laws proposed by the commission must be approved by the Holy Father. 

The Holy See said Leo also appointed to the commission Cardinal Baldassare Reina, the vicar general for the diocese of Rome. 

The pope on Oct. 15 further confirmed the commission’s existing membership for the current term.

Still serving as the commission’s president is Sister Raffaella Petrini, FSE, whom Pope Francis appointed earlier this year as the first woman to hold that role.

Priest’s collection of ‘old, rare and unique’ papal artifacts coming to Mall of America

A papal ring, part of Father Richard Kunst’s “Vatican Unveiled” exhibit. / Credit: Courtesy of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis

CNA Staff, Oct 15, 2025 / 15:41 pm (CNA).

A priest with a passion for historical artifacts has curated the largest collection of papal memorabilia outside of Rome — and the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis just announced it will be on display there this winter.

This winter, Catholics can head to the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota, where Father Richard Kunst’s collection will be available for viewing from Jan. 10 to Feb. 1, 2026, according to a recent archdiocesan announcement. 

Spanning 19,000 square feet, the “Vatican Unveiled” exhibit features “artistic items with old-world craftsmanship” as well as “papal artifacts that show the humanity behind the leaders,” according to an Oct. 13 press release from the archdiocese. 

"Vatican Unveiled", according to Archbishop Bernard Hebda, will be a “very special celebration — the 175th anniversary of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis.”

“It is a special exhibit of the largest collection of papal and other artifacts outside of Vatican City, the home of the Catholic Church,” Hebda said in an Oct. 13 announcement. 

The collection of about 300 items includes artifacts such as Pope Pius XII’s radio microphone and a papal ring, as well as an extremely rare historical Swiss Guard uniform. 

For Kunst, who caught the collector’s “bug” in high school, the display is the culmination of years of collecting.

“The collection is always growing,” Kunst said in a press release.

He first began by collecting presidential autographs, but eventually sold his collection and turned to Catholic artifacts.

“I continue my search for old, rare, and unique papal items, from documents to papal clothing,” Kunst said. 

Kunst hopes to eventually donate the collection to the Church, “where it may be enjoyed forever,” he said. 

“In the meantime, I am happy to share my collection with the Archdiocese of Saint Paul and Minneapolis as they celebrate their 175th anniversary, and I welcome everyone to come see some interesting artifacts at Mall of America,” he said. 

Kunst’s collection has also been displayed in Duluth, Minnesota, his hometown, in 2022. 

The archdiocese currently has a ticket presale waitlist for the exhibit, where attendees “will experience interesting historical perspectives” and which “is open and welcoming to all,” the archdiocese said.

Pope Leo gifted with "Proton" a purebred Arabian horse

Pope Leo with ‘Proton’ / Credit: Vatican Media

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 15, 2025 / 14:35 pm (CNA).

Before the general audience on Oct. 15, Pope Leo XIV was gifted with a 12-year-old purebred Arabian horse named Proton.

The white horse is a gift from Michalski Stables in Kołobrzeg-Budzistowo, and will reside in Castel Gandolfo, home to the Vatican's equestrian center. Several purebred Spanish horses are also kept at the facility located within the papal complex.

The horse belongs to one of the oldest and most esteemed equine breeds in the world, known for its elegance and endurance.

According to the Vatican, the Pole Andrzej Michalski, president of the Michalski horse farm, offered the beautiful specimen to the Holy Father, recalling that during his time as a missionary in Peru, Pope Leo XIV frequently rode horses.

"The pope was very pleased. Holding the reins, we led him off together, taking him for a short walk. He was very satisfied; we were very happy," Michalski told Vatican News.

The Michalski horse farm is not only a place for horse breeding and equestrian competitions, but is also a center for hippotherapy (also known as equine-assisted therapy), especially useful for children with motor disabilities.

Proton's lineage is notable. His sire, the stallion Kahil, was born at the American branch of a stud farm in Qatar, while his dam, Pradera, comes from the historic Janów Podlaski stud farm. Proton's maternal grandsire was the stallion Hlayyil, bred for Her Royal Highness Princess Alia Al Hussein of Jordan.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

Cardinals, actor, and 5,000 faithful bring the Eucharist to Times Square

The 6th Annual Eucharistic Procession took place in New York City on Oct. 14, 2025, a day after a Nor’easter soaked the tri-state area. Organizers praised God for holding back the rain during the event and for allowing the procession to take place peacefully in Time Square during the 5 p.m. rush hour without incident. / Credit: Zach Fiedler / Napa Institute

New York City, New York, Oct 15, 2025 / 13:26 pm (CNA).

The 6th Annual Eucharistic procession organized by the Napa Institute took place in New York City on Oct. 14, a day after a Nor’easter soaked the tri-state area. Organizers praised God for holding back the rain during the event and for allowing the procession to take place peacefully in Times Square during the 5 p.m. rush hour.

Organized by the California-based institute, a crowd of an estimated 5,000 people gathered in St. Patrick’s Cathedral for a Holy Hour and Mass, followed by a procession.

During the Holy Hour, those in attendance listened to a talk by Cardinal Giorgio Marengo, of the Apostolic Prefect of Ulaanbaatar, a missionary jurisdiction that covers the entire country of Mongolia.

He told the story of a theft which took place in a “precarious hall” in Mongolia in 2003 because the church had not yet been constructed. 

“One night, someone managed to force open the front door and break into the wall-mounted tabernacle to steal a small monstrance,” the cardinal recounted.

Marengo said the parish priest sent a catechist to report the theft to the police the next day. The catechist told them that thieves had stolen “the most precious thing we have.” When the police asked for a description of the object, wondering if it was gold or precious stones, the catechist said, “No, it is thin, unleavened bread.” 

The police sent him away, thinking the man practiced a strange religion.

“But yes, that consecrated bread is the Church’s immeasurable treasure,” said Marengo. “It is the real presence of Christ, the Lord, among his people.”

Father Ambrose Criste, a Norbertine priest from St. Michael’s Abbey in Orange County, California, then spoke on the theme of profit and gain, and how in 1626, a Dutch colonist purchased the Island of Manhattan from the Lenape Indians for $24.

“Here in Manhattan, the property value — that excludes the parks, roads, and highways — was estimated back in 2014, at $1.74 trillion. When Mother Teresa of Calcutta visited here not too many decades ago, she didn’t observe how rich we are, but rather how poor we are. In fact, far poorer than the lepers and those who were dying, whom she knew so well,” he said.

Criste stated that the poverty in the West is a different kind of poverty; it is one of loneliness and of spirituality.

“There is a hunger for love as there is a hunger for God,” he said. “There is nothing on this planet, nothing in the entire country, nothing in the entire universe that can surpass the value of the Holy Eucharist. There is nothing that can give us life, nothing else that can satisfy our hunger for love,” he said.

Attendees expressed surprise when they found out that Jonathon Roumie, the actor who portrays Jesus in the TV series “The Chosen,” was there to speak. Roumie began by highlighting St. Carlo Acutis’ words that “the Eucharist is my highway to heaven.”

“As a New Yorker, I too, have a similar kind of sentiment, that the Eucharist is my express train to heaven. Probably the 3 train, for obvious reasons. Unless it is the weekend, and there are closures. Then you have to take the 2, get on a shuttle to Grand Central, get the 4 and the 5, and see how that ends up,” said Roumie, to the chuckles of New Yorkers.

“Or if you haven’t been to confession, you should probably take the bus. It’s a whole other direction,” he said, to even more laughter.

Roumie reminded the audience that "you don’t have to play Jesus on TV to be Jesus to the world around you. And that we can do this by making the Eucharist part of our daily life, like St. Carlo."

“This became my own endeavor in the last six months, filming the penultimate season of ‘The Chosen, Season 6,’ which we completed one month ago. It centers on the crucifixion. It was by far the hardest thing I have ever done as an actor and as a Christian man. The intensity of portraying Christ’s passion, suffering, and death on the cross was one which challenged me and necessitated a level of strength that I, on my own, do not possess, but only Christ himself,” he said.

The only way that Roumie could sustain himself, he said, was by partaking in the Eucharist as often as time would allow. 

“Confession, the Eucharist and adoration became my very food and drink. Without these, I would surely have starved and perished: perished in the abyss of my own mental approximation of our Lord’s crucifixion and death. But by seeking the healing of the deep wounds of sin within myself through the sacrament of reconciliation, receiving the Eucharist almost daily, it was Christ who then took over and further fashioned my soul to reflect more of Him within me,” he said. “It is Christ whose light shines within.”

Roumie reminded the audience that Jesus made a promise 2,000 years ago not to leave us or forsake us. 

“For 2,000 years, he has kept his promise. He is with us,” he said.

Cardinal Seán O’Malley, the recently retired Cardinal of Boston, presided and the Mass and gave the homily, which continued with the theme of Jesus’ promise to stay with us always in the Eucharist. He recalled an event which happened when he had been a bishop in the West Indies. 

“I once had a friend, Father Fox from Washington, DC, who had a magical personality and was a joy to be with. One morning, I was at my desk, and a call came in saying that Father Fox had died of a heart attack,” he said.

O’Malley recalled that he had to go to the post office that same day to pick up the mail, and to his surprise, he found a letter from Father Fox.

“It seemed he had sent me a letter from the grave,” the cardinal said.

As he read the letter, he could almost hear his friend's voice and laughter.

“It occurred to me that this letter was like the Eucharist: a sign of love and friendship and desire to communicate. But in Jesus’ case, it was planned. The letter that he sends us is himself: the Word made flesh, made Eucharist. And God has been preparing that letter for all eternity,” he said.

After Mass, the Eucharistic procession spilled out onto 5th Avenue, with the Franciscan Friars of the Renewal singing in English and Spanish. Tourists snapped pictures, while some New Yorkers stopped and stared. University students from Fordham University waved Vatican flags. Missionaries of Charity nuns mixed with families, and drones hovered above the crowds.

The procession ended with benediction by New York’s Cardinal Timothy Dolan back at St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

Florida bishop urges faithful to ‘welcome the foreigner’ amid immigrant family separations

null / Credit: Melnikov Dmitriy/Shutterstock

CNA Staff, Oct 15, 2025 / 12:45 pm (CNA).

Pensacola-Tallahassee Bishop William Wack this week called for immigration reform while urging the faithful to welcome immigrants amid ongoing deportations and detainments in Florida and throughout the country. 

The bishop told the faithful in his diocese in an Oct. 14 letter that he has “reflected with a heavy heart” on the trials of immigrants in the United States “suffering under the weight of a broken immigration system.”

The Trump administration has continued to aggressively pursue enhanced immigration enforcement, claiming that more than two million immigrants have either been removed or self-deported in roughly the last eight months. 

In his letter, Wack acknowledged that law enforcement “has a responsibility to apprehend and detain individuals who commit crimes,” but he criticized what he described as “the dangerous narrative that every immigrant is a threat.” 

“At the same time, we must also advocate for reform — of immigration law, of due process, and of enforcement practices — so that justice and mercy are upheld together, and families are not needlessly torn apart,” he said. 

The bishop suggested that “a pro-life people” should not support “the separation of families with mixed immigration status.” 

“Can we, in good conscience, endorse policies that deport a working father — knowing the devastating impact it will have on his family — without also acknowledging his contributions to our communities?” he wrote. “Can we accept that more children are being pushed into the foster care system because both parents have been deported?”

Wack said Catholics in his diocese should “set aside partisan talking points” and look to the messages of Christ and the Gospel. 

“We are called to care for our neighbor, to shelter the stranger, and to welcome the foreigner; for each of us has been lovingly created in the image and likeness of God,” he said. 

The Christian faith has always required the faithful to give “special care” to the poor and vulnerable, Wack said, including immigrants who come to the U.S. “in search of safety and a better life.” 

The prelate urged the faithful to “to employ all of your gifts and influence to join me in bringing about this needed change” to U.S. immigration policy. 

“Our nation has long been a beacon for those fleeing violence, persecution, and extreme poverty. As people of faith, may we choose hope and life —  not just for ourselves and our loved ones, but for every child of God,” he said. 

Earlier this year, Miami Archbishop Thomas Wenski similarly urged the government to expand legal pathways to citizenship for unlawfully present migrants who have committed no other crimes.

“Rather than spending billions to deport people who are already contributing positively to our nation’s well-being, it would be more financially sensible and more morally acceptable for Congress, working with the administration, to expand legal pathways for noncriminal migrants to adjust to a permanent legal status,” the archbishop said at the time.

In July, meanwhile, Venice, Florida, Bishop Frank Dewane criticized the then-proposed “Alligator Alcatraz" immigrant detainment facility and said it was “alarming to see enforcement strategies which treat all unauthorized immigrants as dangerous criminals.”

“Decency requires that we remember individuals being detained are fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters of distressed relatives,” he said.

Spanish archbishop recounts encounter with gunmen during Mexico visit 

Archbishop Sanz Montes, with the Lumen Dei missionaries sent to the Diocese of Tlapa in Mexico. / Credit: Archdiocese of Oviedo

ACI Prensa Staff, Oct 15, 2025 / 12:34 pm (CNA).

The archbishop of Oviedo in Spain, Jesús Sanz, was momentarily held at gunpoint but was allowed to proceed unharmed by hooded men with machine guns in Mexico during a recent trip to support the establishment of a new mission in the Diocese of Tlapa in the state of Guerrero.

Sanz visited the area to promote a new mission headed by two priests and a deacon belonging to the Lumen Dei (Light of God) Association.

In an interview released by the archdiocese, the prelate noted that "it’s perhaps one of the most violent areas in Mexico," with two aspects: one "very basic, very primal" as in personal vendettas and the other related to drug trafficking.

"A priest and I were going to celebrate Holy Mass in a small community on a Sunday. Then, on one of the curves [in the road], three hooded men with machine guns appeared. They stopped our vehicle and asked us who we were and where we were going. When we told them we were missionary priests, they said, 'Don't worry, go on ahead,' and that was that," the archbishop recounted.

For the prelate "seeing people pointing guns at you whose faces you can't see" instills a certain feeling, "but beyond that understandable fear, it didn't have any major consequences, and the missionaries are always highly respected," he added.

These types of traffic stops, known as checkpoints, are often linked to organized crime gangs that monitor access to highways and roads to prevent the presence of rival groups.

The "Narcomap of Mexico," prepared by the local newspaper Milenio, estimates that 24 crime gangs are fighting over territory in Guerrero.

It was also in the state of Guerrero that the murder of Father Bertoldo Pantaleón Estrada, a member of the Diocese of Chilpancingo-Chilapa, took place earlier this month.

New mission in San Pedro el Viejo

The new missionaries are based in San Pedro el Viejo, a village with just over 150 inhabitants where almost all of the inhabitants speak Mixtec rather than Spanish.

According to the Archdiocese of Oviedo, launching this missionary effort is due to the prelate's friendship, dating back to seminary days, with a priest from the Archdiocese of Toledo who has been working in the area for some time and asked for his help, given the complexity of this task.

The new mission will bring the Gospel to an area of ​​very remote villages, with rugged mountainous terrain where the apostolic work must begin "from practically nothing," Father Dionisio Serrano Pascual, secretary general of Lumen Dei, told the archdiocese.

Sanz explained that the missionaries will be in charge of 45 parishes and that they will not be the last ones to be sent, as the possibility of more diocesan priests from Oviedo coming to the area is already being considered.

“The Church is missionary. And when Jesus departs from his disciples, he tells them: ‘Go into all the world and preach the Gospel, the Good News.’ To lose this missionary concern is to lose our identity as Christians,” the prelate pointed out.

From his experience accompanying the missionaries in their new assignment, the archbishop of Oviedo emphasized, in addition to the fact that children and young people are a source of hope, that the older ones still bear "the legacy of that first evangelization, centuries ago, which took place through the presence of my Franciscan brothers. And since they haven't always been able to be supported by a priestly presence, they have passed on, through word of mouth, the faith they have received and the rudiments they learned in catechism."

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.

U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops will select new president in November

The U.S. bishops gather in Baltimore, Md., on Nov. 12, 2024 for their plenary assembly. / Credit: Madalaine Elhabbal/CNA

Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 15, 2025 / 11:48 am (CNA).

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) will select a new president and vice president during its Fall Plenary Assembly, which is set for Nov. 10 to Nov. 13 in Baltimore, Maryland.

In November, the three-year terms for the current president, Archbishop Timothy P. Broglio, and vice president, Archbishop William E. Lori, are set to expire. The new conference leaders, who will be chosen from a slate of 10 candidates, will also serve three-year terms.

The following slate of candidates was selected through nominations from the bishops:

• Bishop Robert E. Barron, Diocese of Winona-Rochester

• Archbishop Paul S. Coakley, Archdiocese of Oklahoma City

• Bishop Daniel E. Flores, Diocese of Brownsville

• Archbishop Richard G. Henning, Archdiocese of Boston

• Bishop David J. Malloy, Diocese of Rockford

• Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez, Archdiocese of Philadelphia

• Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend

• Archbishop Alexander K. Sample, Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon

• Archbishop Charles C. Thompson, Archdiocese of Indianapolis

• Archbishop Edward J. Weisenburger, Archdiocese of Detroit

According to a news release from the USCCB, both positions are selected by a majority vote of present voting members. If no bishop receives more than 50% of the vote, the bishops will hold a second vote. If there is still no bishop with a majority, the assembly will vote in a head-to-head race between the two bishops who received the most votes in the second round. 

The president is chosen first, and the vice president is chosen from the remaining nine candidates, according to the USCCB.

At the gathering, bishops will also select new chairmen for six committees: the Committee on Canonical Affairs and Church Governance; the Committee on Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs; the Committee on Evangelization and Catechesis; the Committee on International Justice and Peace; the Committee on the Protection of Children and Young People; and the Committee on Religious Liberty. 

For those positions, the elected bishops will serve a single year as chairman-elect and then begin a three-year term at the end of the 2026 Fall Assembly. 

Pope Leo XIV explains why Christian hope is better than optimism

Pope Leo XIV waves from the popemobile during an Oct. 15, 2025 public audience in St. Peter's Square. / Credit: Daniel Ibanez/CNA.

Rome Newsroom, Oct 15, 2025 / 11:00 am (CNA).

Optimism can disappoint us, but Christian hope “promises and fulfills” our hearts’ desire for fullness, Pope Leo XIV said at his weekly audience on Wednesday.

Addressing thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square on Oct. 15, the pope said, “This deep desire in our hearts can find its ultimate answer not in roles, not in power, not in having, but in the certainty that there is someone who guarantees this constitutive impulse of our humanity; in the awareness that this expectation will not be disappointed or thwarted. This certainty coincides with hope.”

“This does not mean thinking in an optimistic way: often optimism lets us down, causing our expectations to implode, whereas hope promises and fulfills,” he added in his weekly message.

The Holy Father continued his reflections on the mystery of Christ, which culminates in the Resurrection, but this time he linked it to “current human and historical reality, with its questions and challenges.”

“From Christ’s Resurrection springs that hope that gives us a foretaste, despite the fatigue of living, of a deep and joyful calm: that peace that only he can give us in the end, without end,” the pope explained.

Leo recalled that human existence is full of contrasts — joy, sadness, gratitude, and stress — but that only in the Risen Christ does the heart find the fullness it seeks.

“We live busy lives, we concentrate on achieving results, and we even attain lofty, prestigious goals. Conversely, we remain suspended, precarious, awaiting success and recognition that are delayed or do not arrive at all,” he continued.

The pope acknowledged that this tension between the desire for fulfillment and the experience of limitation defines much of the human condition: “We find ourselves experiencing a paradoxical situation: we would like to be happy, and yet it is very difficult to be happy in a continuous way, without any shadows. We come to terms with our limitations and, at the same time, with the irrepressible urge to try to overcome them. We feel deep down that we are always missing something.”

However, the pontiff said, this feeling of “lack” is the call to find fulfillment in the Risen One.

“In truth,” he said, “we were not created for lack, but for fullness, to rejoice in life, and life in abundance, according to Jesus’ expression in the Gospel of John [10:10],” which says, “A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”

Leo emphasized that the Risen Christ “is the wellspring that satisfies our thirst, the infinite thirst for fullness that the Holy Spirit imbues into our hearts. Indeed, the Resurrection of Christ is not a simple event of human history, but the event that transformed it from within.”

The Holy Father noted that spiritual thirst is a permanent condition of the human heart, and only Jesus, who died and rose again, can answer our deepest questions, such as, “is there really a destination for us? Does our existence have any meaning? And the suffering of so many innocents, how can it be redeemed?”

“The Risen Jesus does not bestow upon us an answer ‘from above,’ but becomes our companion on this often arduous, painful and mysterious journey. Only He can fill our empty flask when our thirst becomes unbearable,” he explained.

“We are fragile creatures,” Leo added. “Mistakes are part of our humanity; it is the wound of sin that makes us fall, give up, despair. To rise again instead means to get up and stand on our feet.”