Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

This morning, in the Audience Hall, the Holy Father Leo XIV met with the children, young people and entertainers taking part in the “Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano” (Youth Summer Camp for the children of Vatican employees).

 

The following is the text of the Pope’s dialogue with the children and young people present:

Dialogue with the Holy Father

Federico:

Dear Pope Leo, here at the Summer Camp we have a wonderful time without our phones, and we know that all this is possible thanks to you. We have to admit however, that during the rest of the year, when we go back home, it is almost impossible to pull ourselves away from our screens. We often feel a little trapped by the digital world, and we worry that we might lose sight of our real friends or end up shutting ourselves away in our own little world. How can we become champions in using technology to do good things without forgetting the friends who are around us? Thank you.

Pope Leo XIV:

First of all, good morning, everyone! Good morning to the grown-ups and to the children. I am very happy to be here with you this morning.

So, how can we pull ourselves away from our screens? That is more or less the question.

Right now, if I can see correctly, only one person is holding a screen, and that is because he is taking a photograph. Otherwise, no one has one, right? That is already something important. Technology can be very good, and we need it for many things. But when we are together, there is no need to have a mobile phone, smartphone, or tablet in our hands all the time. In fact, we are happy whenever, even for a little while, we are not tied to our tablets or our phones. That would be the first point. It is very important to build friendships—to spend time together, to play together, perhaps even to study together—as people, not as computers or machines, not as techno-robots. We are human beings; we are persons. Personal contact with others is very important. That is the first thing.

The same is true in the family. When the family is together, it is not enough for everyone simply to sit there, each looking at his or her own phone. It is very important to learn how to talk with one another, to have conversations, to enjoy being together, to play together, and also to pray together. Even if we can have the Bible or some prayers on our phones, God does not want to look at our phones; God wants to look at our hearts and at our lives. So we need to be free from these things which, in themselves, can be entertaining, helpful, and even good, but it is far more important to develop our humanity through friendship, conversation, and all the activities you are doing here during these weeks.

I think that is something very important.

There is another point—and this is especially for those who are a little older. We need to be careful about the mechanism of a kind of dependency that is deliberately built into the programs and applications on our phones. They are designed to make us dependent on this technology.

Very often, it helps to set limits. For example: "After a certain time in the evening, I will no longer look at my phone," or "At certain times I will spend time talking with my family instead, and we will be together."

I think these are things that can help us disconnect a little.

We are not all plugged into a cable, are we? We are human beings. We should live and develop this human dimension of our lives. And we should also nurture the spiritual dimension: seeking God in prayer, seeking God together as a family, and living a little more freely, without this dependence on technology.

Thank you.

_______________________

Michela:

Dear Pope Leo, the theme of this year's Summer Camp is “Around the World in Eighty Days”. It takes us on a journey of the imagination, exploring many different worlds. You have travelled so much in your life, visited many distant places, and met people from so many different cultures. Would you share one secret from your travels with us?

Pope Leo XIV:

Let me tell you a little story that connects with the first question. When we were children, we all learned how to read road maps. If we had to travel from Rome to Naples, or from Rome to Tivoli, before setting out we would study the map, looking to see which road would be the best route... Today, everyone simply puts the GPS into the car or onto the phone and sets off. Several times in my life—in Italy, in other European countries, in Peru, and once even in the United States—I relied on the GPS, and it led me down the wrong road. I ended up being stuck and could not reach my destination. That is why I say, also in connection with the first question, that it is important not to become too dependent on technology. It is much better to learn to think for ourselves and to develop the critical judgment needed to know where we are going in life, on our journeys, and in whatever we do. Study well. Use the abilities that God has given you! I do not need my phone if my brain is working! Of course, it can help me and provide useful information, but it is also important to prepare well before setting out on a journey.

This is something I have learned. A person who is well prepared can always find a solution, even when something unexpected happens. God has given us an extraordinary gift in our minds and in our brains. So, in general, I would say that this is something valuable for everyone.

The Holy Father is appointed Chief Explorer and is presented with the Explorer's Kit and a commemorative plaque from the Summer Camp.

Pope Leo XIV:

I know there are many more questions, but unfortunately I have go somewhere else now. Before I go, however, I thought it would be wonderful if you could all tell your parents that you prayed with the Pope today, because prayer is very important for all of us. We want Jesus to be here with us! Now we shall pray together—you may remain where you are, seated—the prayer that Jesus himself taught us, with one voice.

"Our Father..."

Blessing.

Have a wonderful day! My very best wishes to all of you!

This morning, the Holy Father left the Vatican and travelled by car to the headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP) in Rome, where he met with the participants in the annual session of the Executive Board of the United Nations agency, as well as its staff and their families.

The following is the address delivered by the Holy Father during the meeting and the impromptu remarks he made to those present during the visit:

 

Address of the Holy Father

Meeting with five WFP representatives from other countries

Impromptu Greeting Outside

_______________________

Address of the Holy Father

Distinguished Authorities, Your Excellencies, Ladies and gentlemen,

I would like to thank Her Excellency Mrs Cindy McCain for her kind invitation to address this annual meeting of the Executive Board of the United Nations World Food Programme. I greet in particular Mr Carl Skau, Acting Executive Director, and Her Excellency Mrs Carla Barroso Carneiro, President of this important assembly. I extend my greetings to the Representatives of the Member States, the distinguished guests at this meeting and the staff of this intergovernmental institution, dedicated to saving lives in emergency situations and providing food assistance amid conflicts and natural disasters. Your institution’s commitment resonates profoundly with the Catholic Church’s mission to uphold human dignity and to foster fraternity, rooted in the Gospel’s call to love our neighbor (cf.  Mk  12:31). Together, we share the urgent task of confronting hunger and malnutrition, while also tackling the underlying structural causes that sustain them. To meet this task effectively, we must examine the challenges before us, their underlying causes and the paths toward lasting solutions.

Today, crises have evolved from isolated events into persistent realities, marked by prolonged conflicts, chronic food insecurity, economic volatility and growing climate vulnerabilities. This raises a fundamental question: what configuration of the global order is capable of producing, reproducing and, at times, normalizing such conditions? The issue is no longer limited to how to intervene; rather, it extends to understanding why the system constantly produces the very problems it is then forced to correct.

The international order has become increasingly fragmented, arising in part from the crisis of the multilateral system. As I noted recently in the Encyclical Letter  Magnifica Humanitas : “the institutions established to safeguard the concept of a common future for all peoples and a global common good appear to have been weakened” (201). In the absence of a shared ethical horizon capable of sustaining genuine cooperation, the international system has shifted from multilateralism toward “a disorderly and conflict-ridden multipolarism with a prevailing sense of mistrust” ( ibid. ). Consequently, States have increasingly allocated their resources towards national security, economic growth and domestic stability, disregarding the close link between these issues and multilateral cooperation.

This trend reveals a striking paradox: unprecedented global productive capacity exists alongside expanding zones of extreme vulnerability. The same forces that drive economic growth often exacerbate exclusion and marginalization. Although alleviating human suffering is widely recognized as essential in principle, humanitarian concerns increasingly risk being relegated to a secondary place among international priorities.

It is precisely within the gap between acknowledgement in principle and prioritization in practice that we witness the progressive bureaucratization of solidarity alongside the quiet commodification of human life. On one hand, humanitarian action is increasingly burdened by bureaucratic procedures that can delay assistance to those in need. On the other hand, access to essential goods, including food, is too often influenced by economic or strategic considerations. As a result, those who do not generate quantifiable value risk becoming invisible.

This twofold dynamic creates a serious ethical challenge: the human person is no longer consistently placed at the center of international action. In this context, it is important to acknowledge that “whereas forms of aid and development projects are obstructed by involved and incomprehensible political decisions, skewed ideological visions and impenetrable customs barriers, weaponry is not” (Francis,  Address to the Executive Board of the World Food Programme , 13 June 2016). In effect, conflicts are “fed” more readily than people are nourished. This reality reflects not only operational shortcomings but also a fundamental imbalance in political and moral priorities.

The consequences extend well beyond those immediately affected. More than merely a humanitarian concern, hunger erodes social cohesion, heightens the risk of conflict and fuels forced migration. Moreover, it undermines the capacity of States and societies to build resilient institutions, provide effective education and foster sustainable economic development. In doing so, it perpetuates cycles of fragility that ultimately affect the broader international community.

From this perspective, it becomes clear that humanitarian action is not extraneous to the international order. Rather, it reflects the global community’s responsibility to strengthen solidarity, resist exclusion and recognize the inherent God-given dignity of every human person. Beyond managing crises, therefore, international institutions embody a principle of shared responsibility and affirm that the international community is bound together by concern for those in the most vulnerable situations. In this sense, the World Food Programme is more than a political, economic or technical actor; it is a concrete expression of international solidarity. Indeed, where national institutions recede and community networks disintegrate, its presence helps to prevent humanitarian crises from deteriorating into irreversible collapse.

For this reason, a renewed commitment to multilateral cooperation is essential. In an increasingly fragmented and multipolar world, no single State can address global challenges alone. Lasting peace and integral, sustainable human development are possible only through the participation of all, fostered by genuine international dialogue and cooperation oriented toward the common good. Such an approach requires a firm political will capable of transcending short-term perspectives and investing in global public goods. “This goal can only be achieved through the convergence of effective policies and the coordinated and synergistic implementation of interventions. The call to walk together, in fraternal harmony, must become the guiding principle” ( Visit to the FAO Headquarters in Rome , 16 October 2025, 6).

In this spirit, I wish to appeal to the governments and peoples of the world to renew and strengthen their commitment, to increase the resources dedicated to combating hunger and its root causes, and to remove the obstacles that prevent aid from reaching those in need. At the same time, such support should also strengthen engagement with the Church and civil society. Reinforcing the capacities of all these actors together will multiply our collective effectiveness in the fight against hunger.

Implementing this appeal effectively requires reducing unnecessary bureaucracy so that transparency and accountability serve people rather than impede assistance. In situations where governments lack effective territorial control or humanitarian access is restricted, trusted local partners become indispensable. The Catholic Church — through parishes, dioceses, Caritas agencies, and other faith-based initiatives — often reaches vulnerable populations in areas inaccessible to international actors. I therefore encourage the World Food Programme and its partners to continue supporting these efforts.

It is equally important to resist the commodification of basic human needs. Food, water and healthcare cannot be subordinated to market considerations or geopolitical interests. Access to adequate food is a fundamental human right grounded in the dignity of every person. Meeting this need not only alleviates suffering but also addresses underlying causes of geopolitical instability. Indeed, food security is an essential component of global and integral security.

In this regard, it is commendable that, alongside its emergency response operations, the World Food Programme extends its work beyond immediate relief to long-term initiatives, such as programs that provide meals to schoolchildren. These investments strengthen education, human development and social resilience, reflecting an integral vision of human development that promotes dignity, opportunity and the well-being of the whole person.

Your Excellencies, dear friends, what is at stake is not only the effectiveness of an agency, but also the credibility of international cooperation itself. Your organization demonstrates that a renewed path is possible; however, it requires the resolve to simplify what has become overly complex, to prioritize what is essential and to ensure that no person is forgotten. For this commitment is grounded in the recognition that every human person possesses an inherent and inalienable dignity that remains intact regardless of circumstance, condition or social status. Rooted in the unconditional and boundless love of God, this dignity can be described as infinite, since nothing can diminish, erase or deny its value (cf. Encyclical Letter  Magnifica Humanitas , 53). It is precisely in our fidelity to this truth that the humanity of our politics is measured — and, with it, the future of the international community.

With these sentiments, I ask God to bless your efforts abundantly, so that all may receive their daily bread and live in dignity. Please be assured of my prayers for you, your loved ones and those whom you serve.

Thank you.

______________________

Meeting with five WFP representatives from other countries

Pope Leo: Good morning, good afternoon, and perhaps good evening to all of you, spread around the world. We are happy to be here today to share this brief moment with representatives from the different member nations that are part of the World Food Programme, but also with each one of you who represent so many people that are out in the field doing the difficult task of the fight against hunger. I don’t know if it is appropriate to ask maybe two or three of you to say a word about where you are and what the most difficult challenges are, because in that way I, too, will be able to hear part of the reality of what it means to fight against hunger. I know that many of you literally risk your lives to be in the places where you are working, and I want certainly to assure all of you of the prayers and support of the worldwide community and, in a special way, of the Catholic Church, which is oftentimes a partner in collaboration with the programmes that you oversee and that you work in. The work of delivering the aid to those who are most in need is oftentimes, of course, a great challenge. But perhaps to hear first-hand a few of the experiences would also be something that would assist each and every one of us who are here this morning in Rome to understand a little bit better from close-up the kinds of challenges that you face.

[ After the third Presenter ]

Thank you, Cyril, for the mission that you are carrying out in Lebanon. One of the things that people oftentimes do not realize is the cyclical progression that brings many parts of the world to greater and greater difficulty — that hunger is oftentimes a cause of conflict, and conflict causes more hunger. And so we continue to go around in a circle, as I am sure some of you, if not all of you, have seen in the work you are doing. Oftentimes, the crisis which is affecting the whole world, in the area of migration, is also the result of extreme hunger and conflict that forces people to leave their homes, which they don’t do because they want to. They do it because they have to in order to survive. So, the work of each one of you, of all of you together at the World Food Programme — what we are certainly trying to support and promote — is extremely important because together we are not only doing the immediate aid, which is of course vital, of providing food to the hungry; but we are also challenged to look at what the root causes are of hunger in the different areas where you are working and to reach out there and to try and find solutions to those problems. The world today could live without hunger. The resources should be available. The capacity of food production exists, and yet oftentimes the resources are spent on promoting war and conflict and other kinds of, if you will, less important end results, so that the hunger continues and even to increase in some parts of the world. You are all on the ground, in the front lines, and it is because of you that the work of the World Food Programme can be carried out. So, I want to thank each and every one of you and all the people that you represent. And I want to encourage you in your work because it is so important that there be people who assist the World Food Programme in the delivery of this aid to so many people who are in need. So, thank you for what you are doing. May God bless you all, and may you continue to carry on — you and your colleagues. Please communicate my message to those that you work with, and may God bless you always in this very, very important labor. Thank you very much.

___________________________

Impromptu Greeting outside

My dear friends, good morning, good afternoon to all of you, to all those who are following online. I am sincerely honored to be in your presence and so many of you representing workers at the World Food Programme, who give their lives in a special mission throughout the world and, as Mrs. McCain was just saying, including in places that some people have never heard of on the front lines, in areas where literally they have to risk their lives in order to make sure that food supplies reach the most needy. That indeed is a great mission because it is a way of recognizing the human dignity — the very God-given dignity — that every person on the face of this earth deserves. So, thank you so much for your service.

As I was coming out here, walking through the garden, there were a number of different values and goals of the World Food Programme represented there. I would just like to underline two words as I share these brief moments with you.

One of them is the word “community.” It is a word that personally is very dear to my life and is something which I think that in today’s world is ever more important, as we live in a world that is polarized, divided and affected by so many conflicts and wars, where the destruction of human relationships continues because of so many different reasons, including technology. Instead of technology helping us to make a better world in which to live, it is oftentimes being used as a method of war, destruction and death. So, the work that you do — and perhaps even more than the work you do, the spirit you share as you all work together in building a community, in reaching out to those communities that are in need — is indeed a special gift. And I would like to encourage all of you to reflect upon your own role in being family — Mrs. McCain used that word also, the family that all of you represent — but of building up community throughout the world, that you and your work and service will indeed be a way of helping people come together to be united and to work together to solve the problems that cause hunger and to look for ways to create a more just world.

And the other word — the last one I saw coming out — was the word “hope.” You represent, in a very real way, hope to the world, and that is a mission which I think we all share and which we all look toward as part of our mission, whether the Catholic Church, those of us who are believers, or those who work together because they believe in the human dignity of all. We say we want to build up a world where there is hope for the future. So many times we read about young people who no longer have hope — young people who, because of the difficulties in their lives, are not necessarily in the poorest parts of the world, but where they have lost a vision and a sense of meaning in their lives. They have lost that capacity to look to the future and say, “This is worth doing. This is worth giving my life for. This is worth coming together and seeking a way to move forward.” You represent hope. And the work that you do, in reaching out especially to the most needy, is absolutely a sign of hope, a concrete expression of the hope that we all are searching for.

So, I thank you for that, and I want to assure you all of my prayers for your work, your mission and all of those who work in the World Food Programme. May all of you be strengthened and protected and in carrying out that mission, because food for the world is something that we all wish to offer — food for the world in the sense of something to eat each and every day, but also food which gives hope to build a better world, a world of peace, a world in which we are all truly united. God bless you all, and thank you very much.

This morning, the Holy Father received in audience:

- His Eminence Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith;

- His Eminence Cardinal Kurt Koch, Prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity;

- His Eminence Cardinal George Jacob Koovakad, Prefect of the Dicastery for Interreligious Dialogue;

- His Eminence Cardinal Mario Grech, Secretary General of the General Secretariat of the Synod;

- His Excellency Archbishop Eugene Martin Nugent, Titular Archbishop of Domnach Sechnaill, Apostolic Nuncio in the Czech Republic;

- Members of the “Fondation Jérôme Lejeune”;

- Greeting to the participants in the “Estate Ragazzi in Vaticano” (Summer Youth Programme in the Vatican, for the children of Vatican employees);

- Visit to the headquarters of the World Food Programme (WFP).

Friday, June 26

7:30 a.m. Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica

presided over by His Holiness Pope Leo XIV

Introduction and First Session

9:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. Paul VI Hall

INTRODUCTION

9:30 a.m.  Veni Creator Spiritus

Opening Address

Greeting by H. E. the Rev Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals

Introductory Address by the Holy Father

[Live broadcast by Vatican Media]

Presentation of the meeting and working methods

FIRST SESSION

"In What Kind of World Are We Called to Proclaim the Gospel?"

10:00 a.m. Biblical meditation

by His Eminence Cardinal Grzegorz Ryś followed by a moment of silence and personal prayer.

10:30 a.m. Sharing in Groups, based on the following questions:

What sufferings, tensions, and questions are most strongly affecting the peoples and ecclesial communities entrusted to your care today? What signs of hope, fidelity to the Gospel, and possible reconciliation should be brought to our common discernment Break -   Each group will decide on the most appropriate time for a break. 12:00 p.m. Plenary Reports

All groups will submit their contributions by email. The groups of Ordinaries and selected other groups will present their reports in the assembly hall.

12:45 p.m. Angelus

SECOND SESSION

"The Culture of Power and the Civilization of Love"

4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Audience Hall

16:00  Prayer

   Resumption of the works

   Introduction to the theme

  by His Eminence Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández

   based on Chapter V of the Encyclical  Magnifica humanitas (nos. 182–192)

16:20 p.m. Work in Groups,  based on the following questions:

How do the tensions, divisions, and conflicts affecting today's world impact the life of our Churches and our peoples? What language, attitudes, and practices can help foster reconciliation, coexistence, and peac e 6:00 p.m. – Break

18:30 p.m. Plenary Assembly

All groups will submit their contributions by email. The groups of Ordinaries and selected other groups will present their reports in the assembly hall.

Followed by open interventions on the theme of the Session.

19:30 – Closing Prayer

Saturday, June 27

7:30 a.m. – Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica

presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re

 

THIRD SESSION

"Building the Good: The Worksites of Our Time"

9:30 a.m. – 12:45 p.m., Audience Hall

9:30 a.m. Prayer

Resumption of the works

Introduction to the theme 

by His Eminence Cardinal Stephen Brislin

based on the Introduction and Conclusion of the Encyclical Magnifica humanitas

9:50 a.m. Work in Groups,  based on the following questions:

What divisions in your local contexts make it more difficult to build the common good today? What expectations and questions arise from the people whom the Church is called to listen to, but perhaps does not yet hear sufficiently? What support, guidance, or initiatives from the local Churches and the universal Church could more effectively strengthen efforts to build the common good? Break - Each group will determine the most appropriate time for its break. 11:30 a.m. Plenary Assembly

All groups will submit their contributions by email. The groups of Ordinaries and selected other groups will present their reports in the assembly hall.

Followed by open interventions on the session theme.

12:45 p.m. – Angelus

 

FOURTH SESSION

The Path of Synod Implementation

4:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.  New Synod Hall

16:00 Prayer

  Resumption of the works

  Introduction to the theme , based on the document Toward the 2027–2028 Synodal Assemblies: Stages, Criteria, and Tools for  Preparation

  presented by His Eminence Cardinal Mario Grech

 Questions and clarifications

  5:00 p.m. – Break

17:30 Dialogue with the Holy Father

 Open interventions (maximum 3 minutes each)

 Concluding address by the Holy Father

 [Live broadcast by Vatican Media]

 Te Deum

 [Live broadcast by Vatican Media]

 

DINNER WITH THE HOLY FATHER

7:45 p.m., Audience Hall

 

Monday, June 29

 

9:30 a.m. Holy Mass for the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul St. Peter’s Basilica

[Live broadcast by Vatican Media]

8:45 a.m. - Constantine Wing

Metropolitan Archbishops appointed during the past year are to gather by 8:45 a.m. in the Chapel of St. Sebastian.

This morning, at the Apostolic Palace in the Vatican, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the members of the Jérôme Lejeune Foundation.

The following is the address that the Pope delivered to those present during the meeting:

[  FR   -  IT  ]

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Peace be with you!

Dear members of the Foundation, Dear family members of the Venerable Professor Jérôme Lejeune, Dear friends,

It is a joy to celebrate with you the centenary of the birth of Jérôme Lejeune, together with the members of the Foundation that bears his name and continues his work.

Deeply moved by the suffering of children with disabilities, Professor Lejeune devoted his life as a scientific researcher to them. His most famous discovery—the chromosomal abnormality responsible for Trisomy 21—made him a pioneer of modern genetics. He was recognized throughout the world, a fact witnessed by the long list of honors he received. But he was also a physician by vocation and never ceased working to find a cure to alleviate the suffering of his patients, whom he called "the poorest of the poor." He passionately defended the life and dignity of the most vulnerable, even at the cost of his own career. He loved to say: "Medicine is the hatred of disease and the love of the patient."

Pope Saint Paul VI , who was aware of Professor Lejeune's academic excellence and tireless dedication to the Church, appointed him a member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences . Later, as you know, his deep friendship with Saint John Paul II and their shared commitment to the defense of life led to the establishment of the Pontifical Academy for Life , which Professor Lejeune regarded as a necessary institution in the face of the growing threats against human life.

A man of science and wisdom, Jérôme Lejeune soon realized that his scientific discovery would be used to eliminate people with Down syndrome before they were born. He did not hesitate to become their defender, denouncing the violation of the Hippocratic Oath and what he called the new eugenics, describing it as "chromosomal racism." His prophetic witness led him to defend the life of every human being in the name of the inviolable dignity that originates in God's creative act. In this regard, he advised and challenged institutions and rulers throughout the world. That struggle brought him harsh criticism in certain scientific circles.

Professor Lejeune understood that while technology can assist medicine, it can never replace it. He also knew that technology can be used against medicine—which by its very nature is at the service of life—whenever it escapes essential ethical oversight and is governed instead by calculations of efficiency, profitability, or utility. But the value of the human person does not depend on what he or she accomplishes or produces. For this reason, a physician should never be allowed to decide of the life of a particular embryo or a particular elderly person, on the basis of laboratory algorithms! Medicine must never become the servant of programmed death!

Dear friends, today the Lejeune Foundation, of which you are active members, continues the work begun by Professor Lejeune in the three areas of research, care, and the unconditional defense of the human person. I rejoice in the place you occupy worldwide in research on genetically based intellectual disabilities. You have also established and supported the Jérôme Lejeune Institute, which provides consultations for thousands of patients affected by various intellectual disabilities.

I wish to express my encouragement for your commitment to life and human dignity, particularly in your work with public authorities. I know that you regularly take part in social debates in order to protect every person in every circumstance of life. I also know that you are committed to promoting a culture of life through the International Chair of Bioethics, which provides academic formation for professionals in this field: healthcare workers, jurists, and philosophers. I thank you for this formation, which prepares men and women who, tomorrow, will help ensure that medical ethics remain at the service of human dignity and life.

To you, dear friends with Down syndrome and to your families; to you, the children of the Venerable Professor Lejeune present here this morning; to all of you, members of the Jérôme Lejeune Foundations in Spain, Argentina, and the United States; and finally to those of you who have come from Portugal, Italy, Tunisia, Côte d'Ivoire, and Korea, I wish to express my appreciation for the work that you, as lay faithful, carry forward in the charity of truth, following in the footsteps of the Venerable Jérôme Lejeune. Be committed witnesses in society, like him, and serve the constant pursuit of the common good. This is the first great principle of the Church's social teaching and of the "social form" of the dignity recognized in every person ( Magnifica humanitas , no. 59). The common good excludes no one who has been created in the image and likeness of God.

The message and work of the Venerable Jérôme Lejeune are founded on the universality of reason and heart united together. May his example inspire courage in the truth among the many young people and professionals who long for integrity. May it help them to unite, without rigidity, reason and faith, words and deeds, freedom from judging persons, and the rejection of falsehood.

I entrust you to the intercession of Our Lady, asking her to guide your steps, sustain your efforts, and spread her tenderness over all those who are vulnerable. To all of you present here I gladly impart my Apostolic Blessing, which I also extend to all the members of the Foundation, to their families, and to Jérôme Lejeune's "dear protégés."

Thank you.