Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

Departure from Barcelona and Welcome at the Gran Canaria-Gando Air Base in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria

At 7.30 this morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV took leave of the Archbishop’s residence in Barcelona and transferred by car to Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat International Airport. At 8.45 he departed on board an A320 Iberia bound for Las Palmas de Gran Canaria.

The aircraft carrying the Holy Father is expected to land at Gran-Canaria-Gando Air Base at 10.50 local time (11.50 in Rome).

Upon arrival, the Holy Father Leo XIV will be welcomed by some local authorities, followed by a brief meeting in the VIP lounge.

At 10.10 this morning, the Holy Father Leo XIV left the Archbishop’s residence in Barcelona and transferred by car to the Brians 1 Penitentiary Centre.

Upon arrival, the Pope was welcomed by the director of the Centre, and together they proceeded to the conference hall, where he was awaited by three chaplains, a group of inmates and a group of volunteers.

After a hymn, some words of welcome from the director of the penitentiary Centre, a testimony from the diocesan delegate for prison pastoral care, Fr. Jesús Bel, and testimonies from two inmates, Montse and Josefina, Leo XIV delivered his address to those present.

At the end of the meeting, after the blessing, the exchange and the final hymn, the Pontiff greeted some inmates.

At 11.20, the Holy Father Leo XIV transferred by car and then golf-cart to the Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat for the Prayer of the Holy Rosary.

The following is the Pope’s greeting to those present during the visit to the Brians 1 Penitentiary Centre:

 

Greeting of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you all for your warm and cordial welcome!

I am deeply moved by the testimony shared with us by Montse and Josefina. Thank you very much. I also appreciate the words of Father Jesús, which highlight the commitment of the chaplains and volunteers of the diocesan prison ministry in Sant Feliu de Llobregat.

Every human being is “worthy” by the mere fact “of having been willed, created and loved by God” ( Magnifica Humanitas , 52). There is, therefore, no situation that causes the Lord to turn his gaze away from us. It is a consoling truth that accompanies us at all times and reminds us how his merciful love always outweighs whatever good or evil we may have done.

Dear brothers and sisters, this is especially true for you who bear the burden of being far from your loved ones and who suffer because of your current circumstances. When you are tempted to feel inferior and think it is not worth going on, “lift up your eyes” to the One who, through the presence of so many people, never ceases to show you his love and closeness.

Even if anxiety and sadness mark certain moments of your journey, remember that life’s mistakes do not define a person’s identity. Saint Augustine, in his  Confessions , speaks of this when he shares his life journey with us. If we trust in divine grace and allow ourselves to be guided and transformed by it, we discover in our lives how the past does not condemn the future, but rather offers us the possibility of changing our decisions and choices.

Let us make room for the Lord in our hearts and seek his face. Let us allow his love to guide us. Let us cling to him, who continually invites us to hope and shows us a wonderful horizon that no physical barrier can prevent us from reaching. Today, he continues to speak to us in the depths of our consciences, helping us discover that he dwells among us. He is only waiting for us to give him a chance.

Dear friends, I invite you to keep dreaming God’s dream. To each of you I say: God loves you just as you are, but he dreams of you being even better! The Lord allows us all to start anew, for being human and being Christian does not mean never making mistakes, but rather growing in the ability to convert, repent, make amends and, above all, to reconcile and forgive.

I entrust you in a special way to the maternal intercession of Our Lady of Mercy, and I willingly ask the Lord to bless you. Thank you very much.

Resignation of auxiliary bishop of the Military Ordinariate of the United States of America

The Holy Father has accepted the resignation from the office of auxiliary bishop of the Military Ordinariate for the United States of America, presented by Bishop F. Richard Spencer, titular of Auzia.

The following is the Letter, sent on behalf of the Holy Father by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, to His Eminence Cardinal Kevin J. Farrell, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life, on the occasion of the meeting on the pastoral care of the elderly, taking place today in Rome, at the Palazzo di San Calisto , on the theme: “A bridge towards heaven: the magisterium of fragility in a time of strength”.

 

Letter

Your Most Reverend Excellency,

In the name of the Holy Father, and in my own, I am pleased to extend a warm greeting to you and to the group of experts convened by the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life to reflect on pastoral care for the elderly, and in particular on the theme “A bridge towards heaven: the magisterium of fragility in a time of strength”.

In today’s society, old age is a complex season rich in possibilities, and for the Church, which has always recognized the elderly as a significant presence, this initiative is certainly of great significance.

Today, in many parts of the world, seniors often still have plenty of energy to devote to serving the community. This is evidenced by the various forms of voluntary work, which are fundamental in so many areas of ecclesial life.

Beyond this, however, old age calls into question a deeper and more important aspect of Christian life: that of the value of weakness (cf. 2 Cor 12:10).

The rise in people’s average life expectancy entails, in fact, a prolongation of the frail stage of old age, and this poses the challenge of reflecting on the meaning of this season of existence. What value should we attribute to the many years a man or woman may live in a state of physical or mental frailty? What is the Christian perspective through which to live this time? How can we proclaim that human life always retains, in all its stages, its “infinite dignity”?[1] The reflection that you are beginning today, through your work, can help to answer these and other questions that appeal to our responsibility.

The Holy Father Leo XIV has remarked that fragility is “part of the marvel of creation” [2]. It therefore has a spiritual and community value, reminding us that we are dependent on each other and in need of God.

Pope Francis spoke of it as a “magisterium” [3], which has a lot to teach humanity in our time. The elderly, in the serene acceptance of the limits linked to the passing of the years, without hiding them or being ashamed of them, can be teachers of life, capable of showing everyone — and especially young people — that the value of a life is not measured by efficiency or self-sufficiency, but by the capacity to love and to allow oneself to be loved, to give and to receive.

Old age, then, is characterized as a time of grace, to be lived in prayer, in service, in tenderness, in memory preserved and passed on: a blessing for generations to come. This makes fragility a theological reality,[4] in the words of Saint Paul: “God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise, God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong […] therefore, as it is written, Let him who boasts, boast of the Lord ” ( 1 Cor 1:27, 31).

The society in which we live is dominated by the logic of performance and competition, so that strength is is conceived as a display of power and tends to degenerate into abuse of power. We see this on the international stage, where, tragically, war has once again become a widespread strategic tool. [5] But we also notice it in the ordinary details of daily life, in the way we relate to one another. Indeed, in our daily lives, we increasingly encounter signs of a mindset that confuses strength with arrogance and meekness with weakness.

Faced with these attitudes, the Church continues to propose the Gospel message: that which proclaims blessed the meek and humble of heart (cf. Mt 5:5; 11:29), and which promotes an unarmed and disarming peace [6], recognizing in God the Father of all and in others not enemies, but brothers and sisters. The elderly members of our communities are, through their life experience and wisdom, the first and most authoritative witnesses to this Christian vision of humanity.

I therefore convey the best wishes of His Holiness, that your work may help to foster, towards the elderly and the blessed time of old age, renewed attitudes of respect, gratitude and esteem, and to reawaken in those of advanced years the responsibility to pass on sound and solid values to future generations. Invoking the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary, he cordially imparts his Apostolic Blessing to you, to the organizers and to all those taking part in the event.

For my part, I wish every success for the initiative, and take this opportunity to confirm my highest regards

From the Vatican, 5 June 2026

to Your Eminence, most reverend and devoted in the Lord.

Pietro Card. Parolin Secretary of State

 

________________

[1]  Cf. Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Declaration Dignitas Infinita , 2 April 2024, 1. [2]  Leo XIV, Homily at the Holy Mass for the Jubilee of Young People , Tor Vergata, 3 August 2025. [3]  Cf. Francis, General Audience , 1 June 2022. [4]  Cf. Francis, Address to Priests of the College of San Luigi dei Francesi , 7 June 2021. [5]  Cf. Leo XIV, Address to the Diplomatic Corps accredited to the Holy See , 9 January 2026. [6]  Cf. Leo XIV, Message for the 69th World Day of Peace , 1 January 2026.

Welcome in Barcelona at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat International Airport

Midday Prayer in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

 

Welcome in Barcelona at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat International Airport

Upon arrival, at 12.45, at Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat International Airport, the Holy Father Leo XIV was welcomed by some representatives of the Generalitat de Catalunya . After a short private meeting in the VIP lounge, the Pope blessed the tabernacle in the airport chapel.

Pope Leo XIV then transferred by car to Barcelona Cathedral for the Midday Prayer.

 

Midday Prayer in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

On arrival at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia in Barcelona, the Pope was welcomed by the Metropolitan Archbishop of Barcelona, His Eminence Cardinal Juan José Omella Omella, and by the Dean, who presented him with the cross and holy water for aspersion.

The Holy Father entered the right-hand chapel for a moment of recollection before the Blessed Sacrament and then walked down the central aisle, whilst the choir sang a hymn.

Following the words of welcome from the Cardinal Archbishop of Barcelona and the Midday Prayer, the Holy Father delivered his homily.

At the end, the Pope proceeded to the crypt for a moment of recollection and prayer beside the tomb of Saint Eulalia. After a photograph with a group of seminarians, he left the Cathedral via the central nave. He then entered the Cathedral cloister through the entrance of Saint Lucy’s Chapel to visit the fountain and greet the Chapter and some civil leaders.

Subsequently, via the Saint Eulalia door, he entered the Archbishop’s residence, where he dined and met privately with the President of the Generalitat de Catalunya , Salvador Illa i Roca, and the members of the Augustinian Order.

The following is the homily delivered by Pope Leo XIV at the end of the Midday Prayer in the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia:

 

Homily of the Holy Father

Dear brothers and sisters,

With great joy I begin my visit by praying Midday Prayer together with you in this Cathedral.

The Second Vatican Council  defines the Divine Office as “the voice of the bride herself addressed to her bridegroom” ( Sacrosanctum Concilium , 84) and “the prayer which Christ himself together with his body addresses to the Father” ( ibid. ). The reading we have just heard also emphasizes that “in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” ( 1 Cor  12:13). We can therefore allow ourselves to be guided in our reflection precisely by these two images: the bride and the body.

The first reminds us that the Church — and in particular this assembly, rich in gifts and charisms and in the diversity of each person’s story — is above all a beloved bride. God has willed you to be here, because in you and in your being together he loves a unique and sacred beauty and goodness. He has chosen you to represent today the “communion of saints” (cf.  1 Cor  1:2) that is in Barcelona. It is with this awareness that I invite you to renew, in harmony, your resolve to walk together — all of you, faithful and pastors alike — in the footsteps of Christ, toward the fullness of life. The Church is the fruit of an act of love that precedes her and comes from God. Above all, she grows by allowing herself to be loved by him, united, with a humble and grateful heart, because only those who allow themselves to be loved by God can build, together with others, the works of love.

In this regard, not many years ago  Pope Francis  recommended that this diocesan community begin “from the encounter with Christ” in order to grow “in fraternity, in the proclamation of the Good News of the Gospel” ( Video Message on the Occasion of the Inauguration of the Tower of the Virgin Mary in the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia , 8 December 2021). A year later, he repeated to the seminarians of this Archdiocese on pilgrimage in Rome: “Never cease to savor and remember this love of predilection which pours and will pour itself abundantly into your heart […]. Never extinguish that fire which will make you fearless preachers of the Gospel” ( Address to the Community of the Seminary of Barcelona , 10 December 2022).

His words point to the atmosphere we are called to foster in our communities, in our families, in our parishes, in our workplaces and places of learning, within the Curia and in every other sphere of life. It must be a family atmosphere, where we live together, mindful of our status as children of God and our common calling, showing solidarity, openness, and a capacity for mercy, sacrifice, mutual care and forgiveness.

Dear friends: Barcelona, in this regard, has a great ecclesial tradition.  Saint John Paul II  recalled this when, during his visit here, he praised the “welcoming spirit that throughout history has led the people of Barcelona and Catalonia — you — to share human and Christian citizenship with countless people” ( Angelus , Barcelona, 7 November 1982). He encouraged you to “proclaim before the Church that this city and this region are a spacious home open to Christian fraternity” (ibid.).

In his words, we see the faces of so many brothers and sisters among you who have dedicated and continue to dedicate themselves to building harmony and communion, beyond all polarization. Even today his words find fulfilment in the vitality of the numerous works of proclamation, formation and charity which all of you encourage and practice.

This brings us to the second image we wish to consider: that of the body, the subject of the reading we have just heard (cf.  1 Cor  12:12–13). If Christ is the bridegroom who loved us first, he is also the head to whom we are united as members of a single body, each at the service of the other, people from “every tribe and language and people and nation” ( Rev  5:9), all animated by the action of the same Spirit, all called to the same holiness. This, too, is important, because it reminds us that for us, working together is not a matter of “style,” but a physiological necessity, founded on the grace granted to each of us “according to the measure of Christ’s gift” ( Eph  4:7). We must respond to that gift by putting into practice the charisms we have received in respect for the ministries entrusted to us. It is the Spirit who impels us, as parts of a single living structure, not only to give ourselves unreservedly wherever Providence calls us, but to do so according to God’s designs, in obedience and trust.

Just as in a body, so too among us there are members who are stronger and others who are weaker; some are visible, performing functions that are evident to the outside world, while others are hidden, working from within — in some cases without ceasing and carrying out vital functions without anyone taking notice.

There are countless contrasts with which we could illustrate the variety and importance of the roles and missions we find among ourselves, but the message is always the same. That is, in the richness of the gifts we have received, we are strong because we are united, and we are united because we are animated by the same Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, who is the Spirit of communion for the salvation of all (cf.  Eph  4:4). Therefore, it is important for each of us not to allow anything to destroy the unity in which God has established us and toward whose fullness he leads us day by day.

Barcelona is called “ Cap i Casal de Catalunya ,” which gives this community — all of you, the people of Barcelona and Catalonia — a special vocation and a responsibility to become, with God’s help, builders of unity.

Soon we will venerate the relics of Saint Eulalia, co-patroness of this Cathedral, the Archdiocese, and the city.

Speaking of the Martyrs, Saint Augustine said: “It should not seem a small matter to us, that we are members of the same person’s body as they are too, even though we cannot compare with them […] we obey the same Lord […], we pursue the same charity, and we embrace the same unity” ( Sermon   280 , 6).

Dear brothers and sisters: it is in this spirit that we too, in a world torn apart by wars and divisions, in a society that is increasingly fragmented and individualistic, wish to be “martyrs” — that is, witnesses and prophets of unity, of welcome, of harmony and of peace, even at the cost of sacrifice and renunciation. Like the virgin Eulalia and so many other martyrs, we wish to say our “yes,” ready if necessary to die to ourselves, to lose ourselves in order to find ourselves again, to renounce the superfluous in order to build upon what is essential and lasts forever (cf.  Mt  16:24–26).

This is what the crucified One teaches us; this is what the Apostle Paul and the examples of the saints invite us to do. This is what we wish to do together, in accordance with Jesus’ prayer to the Father during the Last Supper: “I in them and you in me, that they may become completely one, so that the world may know that you have sent me and that you have loved them even as you have loved me” ( Jn  17:23).

May Mary, Mother of the Church and Mother of unity, help us to be faithful to this commitment and this mission:  Santa Maria de la Mercè, pregueu per nosaltres .