Bulletins, Newsletters, and Flocknotes

During the cordial discussions held in the Vatican with the American Secretary of State Marco Rubio this morning, first with His Holiness Pope Leo XIV and subsequently with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin and His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, he shared commitment to fostering good bilateral relations between the Holy See and the United States of America was reaffirmed.

There was then an exchange of views on the regional and international situation, with particular attention to countries affected by war, political tensions and difficult humanitarian situations, as well as the need to work tirelessly to promote peace.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the Pontifical Swiss Guard Corps, on the occasion of the oath ceremony of the new recruits.

The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present at the meeting:

 

Address of the Holy Father

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

Peace be with you!

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Willkommen and bienvenus!

I greet the Commander, the Officials, all the members of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, and I am pleased to welcome the families who have come for the swearing-in ceremony. I also gratefully greet the civil and military authorities present.

This day is an opportunity to express my gratitude to the Swiss nation, from which these young recruits come, who joyfully place themselves at the Pope’s service. They are a source of pride for your country and bring to the Vatican the cultural and spiritual values in which they have been raised.

This traditional gathering is a fitting moment to express my full gratitude for the service of the Guards, the humble and discreet service which you perform day and night. I also wish to thank your families, who have accompanied the steps that have led them here. Now, the joys and challenges you experience together, as well as the strength of the friendships forged among you, shape your spirit with a sense of honour and duty that is expressed through the gift of your lives in the service and protection of the Successor of Peter.

Dear Guards, you carry out your mission at the gates of Vatican City State, as well as inside the Apostolic Palace or the Major Basilicas. These places, rich in history and faith, invite you to reflection and prayer. Indeed, whilst you stand at your post, you can marvel at the beauty that meets your eyes. This beauty comes from God and leads to God, the Father of Beauty and Goodness. Your mission, which is first and foremost a military one, is nevertheless inseparable from the vocation to holiness of every baptized person.

I am therefore convinced that your decision to dedicate some years of your life to the service of the Pope and the Holy See forms part of a personal journey of faith. More than soldiers, you are servants who, in the image of Christ, go out to meet those in need of your help: not only members of the Curia or officials visiting the Vatican, but also pilgrims and tourists. Always remember these words of Jesus: “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” ( Mt 25:40).

The night shifts, in silence and solitude, follow the bustle of the daytime shifts, during which you must pay attention to everyone and everything. They can be opportune moments for you to nourish your soul with readings and meditations that offer you the opportunity to encounter the inner Master, and to offer this prayer of Saint Nicholas of Flüe: “My Lord and my God, take from me everything that distances me from You. My Lord and my God, give me everything that brings me closer to You. My Lord and my God, detach me from myself to give my all to You”.

Dear Guards, together you form a Corps, that of the Pontifical Swiss Guard, strong in your qualities, your diversities and your individual characters. Life in the barracks is a privileged place for developing the human virtues of service to others, generosity and humility. Through the fraternal solidarity that characterizes your relationships, you will build a climate of harmony and joy within the Guard, which will be reflected in all those you meet. I encourage you to persevere on this path, which is often demanding but bears fruit.

I renew my gratitude to the entire Guard for the diligent and generous service of which I am a witness every day. I entrust all of you here present to the maternal protection of the Virgin Mary, Saint Martin of Tours, Saint Sebastian and Saint Nicholas of Flüe, your patron saints, and I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing to you.

Thank you! Vielen Dank and merci beaucoup!

The Holy Father imparts the Blessing, and adds:

Good. Best wishes! We will now greet each family and it will be a pleasure to meet you all and thank you in person. Best wishes.

This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the management and staff of the Vatican Publishing House ( Libreria Editrice Vaticana ).

The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present:

 

Greeting of the Holy Father

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

Peace be with you.

Good morning and welcome! And thank you for your patience!

Today we are gathered to mark what might be described as a “family” anniversary: the centenary of our publishing house, the Libreria Editrice Vaticana . It was in fact in 1926 that it became independent from the long-established Vatican Printing House, founded way back in 1587. Over these hundred years, the Libreria Editrice Vaticana has served nine Popes, spreading their Magisterium as a contribution to the dissemination of the Gospel throughout the world.

I would like to share with you three brief reflections on this anniversary, which I know you will also be celebrating at a number of international events dedicated to books.

The book is an opportunity to think . In the digital age, the physicality of the book reminds us of the role of thought, reflection and study. Reading nourishes the mind; it helps to foster a conscious and well-formed critical sense, guarding us against fundamentalism and ideological shortcuts. For this reason, I urge everyone to read books, as an antidote to closed-mindedness, which is reflected in rigid attitudes and reductive views of reality.

Then, the book is an opportunity for encounter. When we hold a book in our hands, we ideally encounter its author. But at the same time, we meet those who have read it before us, or who are reading it now or will read it in the future. And increasingly, there are occasions when writers and readers come together to talk and listen to one another. Pope Francis has taught us to practise the culture of encounter: a book is a bridge to others, a source of dialogue that enriches us, a stimulus to expand our own perspective.

Finally, for us Christians, the book is an opportunity to proclaim Christ . We know well how reading a saint’s biography or a well-written spiritual reflection can touch the heart. The Virgin Mary is often depicted, in the Annunciation, intent on reading the Holy Scriptures. Saint Anthony of Padua holds the open Book of the Gospels, upon which the Infant Jesus stands. We often see Saint Augustine seated at a desk before a large book and, at times, holding a heart in his hand: truth and charity. At the school of Mary and the Saints, let us nourish ourselves with the Word of God, so that it may shape our way of thinking and acting.

Dear friends, I echo the words that Saint Paul VI addressed to your colleagues of that time when, in 1976, he met them on the occasion of the fiftieth anniversary of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana : he urged them to “look ahead, to refine ideas and plans for the future” (Address on the 50th anniversary of the Vatican Publishing House, 10 July 1976). I thank you for your work, which I hope you will carry out with dedication and passion. And I cordially bless each of you and your loved ones. Thank you.

This morning, Thursday 7 May, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Prime Minister of Poland, His Excellency Mr. Donald Tusk, who subsequently met with His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of His Holiness, accompanied by His Excellency Archbishop Paul Richard Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with States and International Organizations.

During the cordial talks, held at the Secretariat of State, appreciation was expressed for the good relations between the Holy See and Poland. Attention then turned to the social and economic condition of the country, as well as the relations between the local Church and the state, especially in the field of education and with regard to ethical issues.

The conversation continued with an exchange of opinions on the current international situation, with particular reference to the conflict in Ukraine, along with the Poland’s role within the European Union.

From the Vatican, 7 May 2026

This morning, the Holy Father received in audience:

- His Eminence Cardinal Reinhard Marx, archbishop of München und Freising, Federal Republic of Germany, coordinator of the Council for the Economy;

- His Excellency Mr. Donald Tusk, Prime Minister of the Republic of Poland, and entourage;

- Bishops of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina Faso-Niger, on their “ad Limina Apostolorum” visit;

- The Honourable Marco Rubio, Secretary of State of the United States of America, and entourage;

-Members of the Editorial Offices of the Libreria Editrice Vaticana (Vatican Publishing House);

- The Pontifical Swiss Guard.