Daniel del Castillo González
During the General Audience on Wednesday, June 17, Pope Leo XIV shared with those present a reflection on the commitment of the Church in Spain and its mission to welcome, listen, and engage in dialogue. According to the pope, these require goodwill on the part of all Spaniards.
FULL CATECHESIS IN ENGLISH:
Dear brothers and sisters,
In today’s catechesis, I would like to share some reflections with you on my Apostolic Journey to Spain last week. Throughout the trip, I was comforted to see the joyful expression of faith and affection shown by the people of God, as well as the crowds that welcomed me with such warmth. During the various events, I sensed not only the deep-rooted faith of the Spanish people, but also a desire for the unity and hope that can only be found in Christ and his love for us. The experience reminded me of the cultural wealth of Europe, its strong Catholic heritage and the role it can currently play in promoting peace, respect for human dignity and fraternal dialogue as we seek to build a true civilization of love. As you know, the motto of the Journey was “Lift up your gaze!” (cf. Jn 4:35), and I would like to extend this invitation to you as well: lift your gaze to the Lord. And let us learn
from him to see other people and the world around us as he does. Thank you to everyone who prayed for the success of the Apostolic Journey. Please continue to pray that it bears much fruit.
I extend a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in
today’s Audience, especially those coming from England, Cameroon, Taiwan, The Philippines and the United States of America. As the summer holidays begin for many, may this time be an opportunity to grow closer to the Lord through moments of prayer and to support one another through generous acts of charity. Upon all of you and your families, I invoke the peace and unity of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all!
