Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father received in audience His Excellency Mr. Santiago Palomo Vila, Ambassador of Guatemala to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of his credential letters.

The following is a brief biography of the new ambassador:

His Excellency Mr. Santiago Palomo Vila Ambassador of Guatemala to the Holy See

His Excellency Mr. Santiago Palomo Vila was born on 9 June 1994, and is Catholic. He graduated in Legal and Social Sciences (Attorney and Notary) from Rafael Landívar University (2013) and was awarded a Master of Law (LLM) from Harvard University in Boston (2022). He also attended a programme in Innovation and Leadership in Government at Georgetown University (2017).

He has held the following offices: legal advisor, Supreme Electoral Court (2013–2014); legal advisor, Constitutional Court of the Republic of Guatemala (2015–2017); associate, International Litigation and Arbitration Practice, DLA Piper LLP, New York (since 2022); Executive Director, National Anti-Corruption Commission, Guatemala (February–July 2024); and Secretary for Communication, Secretariat for Social Communication of the Presidency of the Republic, Guatemala (July 2024–2025).

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father received in audience His Excellency Mr. Juan Raúl Ferreira Sienra, Ambassador of Uruguay to the Holy See, on the occasion of the presentation of his credential letters.

The following is a brief biography of the new ambassador:

His Excellency Mr. Juan Raúl Ferreira Sienra Ambassador of Uruguay to the Holy See

His Excellency Mr. Juan Raúl Ferreira Sienra was born in Montevideo on 16 January 1953, and is married with two children.

He was awarded a degree and a Master at George Washington University, Washington D.C., a diploma in economics from the Institute of Economics in Montevideo (1993), and a doctorate at Lasalle University (1998).

He has served as a lecturer both in Uruguay and in the United States, and has also published several books.

He has held the following offices: Consejode Asuntos Hemisféricos (COHA), Washington D.C. (1976); Oficina de Washington para America Latina (WOLA), Washington D.C. (1976-1980), Senator of the Republic (1985-1990), Deputy (1990-1995), Ambassador in Argentina (1995-1999), Vice President (for Uruguay) of the Salto Grande Hydroelectric Power Plant (2000–2002), Director of the State Insurance Bank (2002–2005), member of the Council of the Institution of Human Rights and Ombudsman and National Prevention Mechanism (INDDHH) (2012 – 2017), President of the INDDGG (2016), and member of the Executive Board of the Latin American Association for Human Rights (ALDHU) (1980–2025).

This morning, the Holy Father received in audience:

- His Excellency Mr. Juan Raúl Ferreira Sienra, Ambassador of Uruguay, presenting his credential letters;

- His Excellency Mr. Santiago Palomo Vila, Ambassador of Guatemala, presenting his credential letters;

- Pilgrims of the “Santo Tomás de Villanueva” parish of Alcalá de Henares, Spain;

- Members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI).

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the members of the National Association of Italian Municipalities (ANCI), to whom he delivered the following address:

 

Address of the Holy Father

In the Name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you!

 

Your Eminence,

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome.

I am pleased to meet all of you, who represent the National Association of Italian Municipalities. We are celebrating this event during the Christmas season and at the end of a Jubilee year: the grace of these days certainly illuminates your service and your responsibilities.

The incarnation of the Son of God brings us face to face with a child, whose gentle fragility clashes with the arrogance of King Herod. In particular, the killing of the innocents ordered by the latter not only means the loss of a future for society, but is also a manifestation of inhumane power, which does not know the beauty of love because it ignores the dignity of human life.

On the contrary, the birth of the Lord reveals the most authentic aspect of all power, which is first and foremost responsibility and service. For any authority to be able to express these characteristics, it is necessary to embody the virtues of humility, honesty and sharing. In your public commitment, in particular, you are aware of how important listening is, as a social dynamic that activates these virtues. Indeed, it is a matter of paying attention to the needs of families and individuals, taking special care of the most vulnerable, for the good of all.

The demographic crisis and the struggles of families and the young, the loneliness of the elderly and the silent cry of the poor, the pollution of the environment and social conflicts are all situations that do not leave you indifferent. As you seek answers, you are well aware that our cities are not anonymous places, but rather faces and histories to be cherished as precious treasure. In this task, you become mayors day by day, growing as just and reliable administrators.

In this regard, let us take as an example the venerable Giorgio La Pira, who, in a speech to the municipal councillors of Florence, said: “You have only one right in relation to me: that of denying me your trust! But you do not have the right to say to me: Mr Mayor, do not concern yourself with those who are without work (the dismissed or unemployed), without a home (the evicted), without assistance (the elderly, the sick, children). It is my fundamental duty. If there is someone who is suffering, I have a specific duty: to intervene in every way possible, with all the measures that love suggests and the law provides, so that that suffering may be reduced or alleviated. There is no other rule of conduct for a mayor in general, and for a Christian mayor in particular ( Writings , VI, p. 83).

Social cohesion and civic harmony require, first and foremost, listening to the least and the poor: without this commitment, “democracy atrophies, turns into a slogan, a formality; it loses its representative character and becomes disembodied, since it leaves out the people in their daily struggle for dignity, in the building of their future” (Francis, Address , 5 November 2016). Both in the face of difficulties and in opportunities for development, I urge you to become masters of dedication to the common good, fostering a social alliance for hope.

At the end of the Jubilee, I am happy to share with you this important theme, which my beloved predecessor, Pope Francis, indicated in the Bull of Indiction. All of us, he wrote, “need to recover the joy of living, since men and women, created in the image and likeness of God (cf. Gen 1:26), cannot rest content with getting along one day at a time, settling for the here and now and seeking fulfilment in material realities alone. This leads to a narrow individualism and the loss of hope; it gives rise to a sadness that lodges in the heart and brings forth fruits of discontent and intolerance” ( Spes non confundit , 9).

Unfortunately, our cities know forms of marginalization, violence and loneliness that demand to be confronted. I would like to draw attention, in particular, to the scourge of gambling, which ruins many families. Statistics show a sharp increase in Italy in recent years. As Italian Caritas emphasizes in its last Report on poverty and social exclusion, this is a serious problem in terms of education, mental health and social trust. We cannot forget other forms of loneliness that many people suffer from: mental disorders, depression, cultural and spiritual poverty, and social abandonment. They are signs that show how much hope is needed. To bear effective witness to it, politics is called upon to weave authentically human relationships among citizens, promoting social peace.

Don Primo Mazzolari, a priest attentive to the life of his people, wrote that “the country does not only need sewers, houses, roads, aqueducts and pavements. The country also needs a way of feeling, of living, a way of looking at each other, a way of becoming brothers and sisters” ( Discorsi , Bologna 2006, 470). Administrative activity thus finds its full realization, because it develops people’s talents, giving cultural and spiritual depth to cities.

Dear friends, have the courage to offer hope to people, planning together the best future for your lands, from the perspective of integral human promotion. While I thank you for your readiness to serve the community, I accompany you in prayer, so that with God’s help you may effectively face your responsibilities, sharing your commitment with your collaborators and fellow citizens. To you and your families, I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing and offer my best wishes for the new year. Thank you!

Let us pray together: Our Father...

[Blessing]

Best wishes and a happy New Year! And I wish you a good pilgrimage!

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience a group of pilgrims from the parish of “Santo Tomás de Villanueva, of Alcalá de Henares, Spain.

The following is the Pope’s greeting to those present at the meeting:

 

Greeting of the Holy Father

I n the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you.

Good morning, welcome. Happy holidays!

I am delighted to meet you all on this day of the octave of Christmas, and I welcome you. As a parish community, you have prepared extensively for this Jubilee pilgrimage and, during this very special year for the Church, you have accompanied the Successor of Peter with your prayers and generosity. I thank you for this gesture of communion and closeness.

Your parish is under the patronage of Saint Thomas of Villanueva, a Spanish Augustinian religious who was open to God’s action in his life, and whose readiness led him to do much good for the Church and society of his time. You know his biography well, and the city of Alcalá de Henares, where you live, preserves significant traces of his earthly passage.

Giving thanks for the witness of dedication and fidelity of this holy bishop, I would like to share some of his distinctive characteristics, which can help us to reflect on a personal, family and community level. In his life and writings, he reveals to us an unceasing search for continuous prayer , that is, a holy restlessness to be in God's presence at every moment. This implies a profound inwardness, which involves emptying oneself in order to listen and allow the Lord to work.

In addition to his spiritual life, Saint Thomas of Villanueva is noted for his industriousness. This facet of his life challenges us in a world that seems to offer us everything in an increasingly rapid, easy manner. His sobriety and simplicity, his selfless work — especially in the university setting — and his apostolic zeal lead us to realize that we must recognize the talents we have received and put them at the service of the community, with effort and dedication, so that they may multiply for the benefit of all.

    Finally, I would like to highlight his love for the poor , which earned him the title of “God's almsgiver”. I have been told that in your parish this aspect is very present, in concrete gestures and works — the bishop can tell me later if this is true or not. I thank you for this sensitivity, because “the poor are not just people to be helped, but the sacramental presence of the Lord” (Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te , 44).

Dear pilgrims, I encourage you to continue to follow in Christ’s footsteps. The witness of the saints inspires and motivates us on this exciting journey. May God bless you, and may Our Lady of the Valley accompany you always. Thank you very much.

Let us pray together: Our Father…

Apostolic Blessing of the Holy Father

Congratulations! I wish you a good pilgrimage and a happy New Year!