Pope Leo XIV tells Order of Malta there is no charity without evangelization

Pope Leo XIV meets with the Order of Malta’s grand master, Fra’ John Dunlap, and members of the Order of Malta on June 23, 2025, at the Vatican. | Credit: Vatican Media

By Hannah Brockhaus

Vatican City, Jun 24, 2025 / 13:12 pm

Pope Leo XIV in a message to the Order of Malta underlined the order’s religious character, stressing that without evangelization, the knights’ service to the poor is merely philanthropy.

“Do not limit yourself to helping the needs of the poor, but announce to them the love of God with words and testimony. If this were to be lacking, the order would lose its religious character and would be reduced to being an organization with philanthropic purposes,” Leo wrote in a message to the order on the feast of its patron saint, St. John the Baptist.

The pope also met for the first time with the order’s grand master, Fra’ John Dunlap, at the Vatican on June 23.

In his June 24 message, Leo pointed multiple times to the order’s important dual purpose of “tuitio fidei and obsequium pauperum.” (Latin for “protection of faith” and “service to the poor.”)

The Sovereign Military Order of Malta is both a lay religious order of the Catholic Church and a sovereign state subject to international law.

Silent men. By Abel Struksnes

Pope Francis tells Jesuits: ‘Do Not Be Afraid’

'Do Not Be Afraid'c

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Pope Francis Meets with Jesuits in Belgium

byAntonio Spadaro, SJ
October 8, 2024



© Antonio Spadaro

On the afternoon of Saturday, September 28, 2024, Pope Francis left the campus of the Catholic University of Louvain and arrived, around 6:15 p.m., at the Collège Saint-Michel, a Catholic school run by the Society of Jesus, located in Etterbeek, Brussels. There he met with about 150 Jesuits who reside in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. With them were the provincial of the Francophone Western European Province, Fr. Thierry Dobbelstein, and the superior of the Netherlands region, Fr. Marc Desmet. Jesuit Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, was also present. The pope began:

Good evening, everyone! I have been here twice before, and it is good to return. I must tell you the truth: I once committed a theft here. I came to celebrate Mass and saw some papers that intrigued me. They were handouts from lessons on the Book of Job. That year in Argentina I was supposed to teach classes specifically on Job. I flipped through the pages, and they impressed me. Those notes remained with me!

Vatican redoubles its call to evangelization before World Mission Day

Newly ordained priests across country hail from variety of backgrounds

Newly ordained priests offer their first blessing over Chicago Cardinal Francis George on May 18 at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago. (CNS/Catholic News World/Natalie Battaglia)

Catholic News Service | Jun. 19, 2013


WASHINGTON

After he ordained six new priests for the archdiocese of Washington on Saturday, Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl encouraged them to take up the call of the new evangelization and help transform the world.

"This is the age of the new evangelization," the cardinal said during an ordination Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, describing the call for Catholics to renew their faith, grow more confident in its truth, and share the good news of Christ with others. "This is the opportunity of our age. This is the call of our moment."

At the Mass, Wuerl ordained Fathers Francisco Aguirre, Rafael Barbieri, Mark Cusick, Shaun Foggo, Scott Holmer and Samuel Plummer.

The cardinal noted that many in today's culture feel no need for God. "Living the faith and sharing the excitement of our experience of the Lord brings us into conflict and even contrast with the mentality and culture of our day," he said, encouraging the new priests to bring Christ's truth to their people, and not yield to the temptation of seeking popular approval through political correctness.

"These are the challenges you will face as the heralds of the new evangelization and agents of the Holy Spirit, working to transform this world so it really is a manifestation of God's kingdom," Wuerl said.

At end of the two and one-half hour Mass, the new priests stood together before the altar and offered their first blessings to the thousands of people there, and then applause cascaded through the shrine as they processed down the center aisle. The cardinal thanked the new priests' family members, friends, and the priests who mentored them, and noted that, "No one comes to ordination alone."

In the archdiocese of New Orleans, five men were ordained June 1 at St. Louis Cathedral. The newly ordained were prompted to "be on fire for the Lord."

As newly ordained Fathers Colin Braud, Travis Clark, Gary Copping, Daniel Green and Jonathan Hemelt joined New Orleans Archbishop Gregory Aymond around the altar for the eucharistic prayer, the cathedral's smoke alarm, triggered by the thick cloud of incense, blared.

Undaunted, the archbishop continued with the preface, and the sound stopped after about 30 seconds and a few hastily opened doors. But before the final blessing, Aymond told the standing-room-only congregation that the smoke alarm was a teachable moment.

"I think this was the first time we've ever had a fire drill during an ordination," he said, eliciting laughter from the congregation. "Some of you may think it was because of the incense, but I think it's because the newly ordained are just on fire for the Lord. In fact, I think we should have a fire drill at every ordination."

Calling it "a joyful and glorious day in the life of the church," Aymond said the five new priests each had become aware of his priestly vocation in a different way, but each had discerned over the previous year of service as a deacon that God was calling him in a profound way.

"From the depths of their hearts, they have heard God's call, 'Come, follow me,'" the archbishop said, noting that the vocational call, in many ways, is "a mystery." He added that it took the love and support of family and friends to nurture that call.

The rite of ordination configures the newly ordained to "Christ the priest," Aymond said. "You will become Christ the priest," he said. "You will act and you will speak in the name of Christ. You will preside over the Eucharist, and through prayer the bread and wine will become Christ, and you will say: 'This is my body; this is my blood.'"

The new priests said they were awestruck by their ordination.

"It's really just an amazing experience," Hemelt said. "I'm so thankful for all of the people who have been there and supported us over these years. It's just really indescribable. I'm so happy to have been called by the Lord and so humbled by that call, and I look forward to getting to work, as the archbishop said.

"I want to save souls. That's it. If I can do that, a couple of times, I'll be happy," he told the Clarion Herald, archdiocesan newspaper of New Orleans.

Approximately 500 men were ordained Catholic priests this year in the United States. They were all ages and from all backgrounds. Many were born in the United States; others were from Columbia, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Poland, Germany, Cuba, Haiti, El Salvador and Mexico.

In the diocese of Raleigh, N.C., Bishop Michael Burbidge ordained Fathers Nicholas Cottrill, Thomas Duggan and Ryan Elder June 1 at St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church in Cary.

"What a blessed day for the church and our diocese," Burbidge said at the beginning of his homily, "as these three men, your sons, brothers, family members and friends, are about to be ordained priests."

In the archdiocese of Seattle, 58-year-old Fr. Mark Kiszelewski was ordained June 8 by Archbishop J. Peter Sartain at St. James Cathedral. The new priest, who has two grown sons from a marriage that was annulled in 2001, said he felt "a continued desire ... to serve God and to serve his church as much as I could."

His sons, Alex and Andrew, now 24 and 21, respectively, are supportive and excited about their dad being a priest.

And Kiszelewski believes his personal history, while unusual for a priest, will be a great asset in his priesthood, helping him relate to the experiences and struggles of his parishioners.

"I've been there," he told The Progress, archdiocesan newspaper of Seattle. "I know what it's like to be struggling with a teenager who's rebellious ... I've experienced a lot of the good and a lot of the tough things, but you get through it. ...

"All those experiences give me at least a way of letting people know that I understand what's going on, and that's a good thing," he added.

Elsewhere, seven men were ordained by Denver Archbishop Samuel Aquila May 18 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception; Chicago Cardinal Francis George also May 18 ordained 10 men hailing from Mexico, Poland, Uganda, Indiana and the Chicago area; and seven priests were ordained at St. Theresa Church in Trumbull, Conn., May 25 for the diocese of Bridgeport by retired Archbishop Daniel Cronin of Hartford, Conn.

One of the newly ordained priests for the Bridgeport diocese is Fr. Joseph Gill, who grew up in Frederick, Md. When people ask him why he wanted to be a priest, he said the short answer is that he "fell madly in love with God."

"As a teen, I had a profound and personal encounter with Jesus Christ, who changed my life and gave me a joy and a peace that surpasses all understanding. I want to give my life to him and to make him known and loved, so that he may set souls ablaze with a passion for holiness. In a word, I am striving to become a saint and help others become saints as well," he said.

In the diocese of Green Bay, Wis., Bishop David Ricken ordained two men to the priesthood June 1 at St. Francis Xavier Cathedral in Green Bay. In the same liturgy, he also ordained two men to the transitional diaconate. This was the first time in recent years that both ordinations occurred at the same Mass, which was described by the diocese as an opportunity to highlight the calling to the celibate life the four men chose.

The Josephites ordained seven priests from Nigeria June 1 at the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Washington. The priests will be assigned to one of 40 Josephite parishes nationwide.

The Jesuit order ordained 16 priests in June in ceremonies in New York, New Orleans, Los Angeles and Chicago. Before entering the Society of Jesus, the ordinands worked in nonprofit community service, higher education, state government, documentary film production and biomedical research, and several taught in high schools and colleges.

Jesuit Father Thomas Smolich, outgoing president of the Jesuit Conference of the United States, said the new Jesuit priests experienced a call to the priesthood "as varied as their hometowns and former occupations, but they have one thing in common: a desire to dedicate themselves to the Jesuit mission of serving the church where the need is greatest."

[Contributing to this story were Mark Zimmermann in Washington, Peter Finney Jr. in New Orleans and Kevin Birnbaum in Seattle.]

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P.S.

Notice the Knights of Columbus with the chapeau feather headgear with their backs to camera, facing the priests on the rostrum.

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Pope Francis Asks Jesuits to, with Completely Committed Life, Be Leaven to World (VIS)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

POPE FRANCIS ASKS JESUITS TO, WITH COMPLETELY COMMITTED LIFE, BE LEAVEN TO WORLD

Vatican City, 23 March 2013 (VIS) – Three days after beginning his pontificate, Pope Francis sent a letter to the Superior General of the Jesuits, Fr. Adolfo Nicolas Pachon. In it the Holy Father responded to the letter that the Superior General had sent to him on learning of the election of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the first Jesuit in the history of the Society of Jesus to be elected Pope.


Following is the complete text of the Roman Pontiff Francis' letter, dated 16 March:

“Dear Fr. Nicolas, It is with great joy that I received the kind letter that you sent on behalf of yourself and of the Society of Jesus on the occasion of my election to the See of St. Peter, informing me of your prayers for me and my apostolic ministry along with your complete willingness to continue your unconditional service to the Church and to the Vicar of Christ, according to the precepts of St. Ignatius of Loyola.”

 “I thank you cordially for this token of appreciation and closeness, which I reciprocate with pleasure, asking the Lord to enlighten and accompany all Jesuits so that—faithful to the charism received and the footsteps of the saints of our beloved Order, by their pastoral activity but above all through the witness of lives entirely devoted to the service of the Church, the Bride of Christ—they may be evangelical leaven to the world, tirelessly seeking the glory of God and the good of souls.”

“With these sentiments I ask all Jesuits to pray for me and entrust me to the loving protection of Mary, our Mother in Heaven, while, as a pledge of abundant heavenly favours, I impart with special fondness my Apostolic Blessing, which I also extend to all those who work with the Society of Jesus in their activities, benefit from their good works, and partake of their spirituality.”

Published by VISarchive 02 - Saturday, March 23, 2013

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Social Networks: portals of truth and faith; new spaces for evangelization

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

As the 2013 World Communications Day draws near, I would like to offer you some reflections on an increasingly important reality regarding the way in which people today communicate among themselves. I wish to consider the development of digital social networks which are helping to create a new "agora", an open public square in which people share ideas, information and opinions, and in which new relationships and forms of community can come into being.

These spaces, when engaged in a wise and balanced way, help to foster forms of dialogue and debate which, if conducted respectfully and with concern for privacy, responsibility and truthfulness, can reinforce the bonds of unity between individuals and effectively promote the harmony of the human family. The exchange of information can become true communication, links ripen into friendships, and connections facilitate communion. If the networks are called to realize this great potential, the people involved in them must make an effort to be authentic since, in these spaces, it is not only ideas and information that are shared, but ultimately our very selves.

The development of social networks calls for commitment: people are engaged in building relationships and making friends, in looking for answers to their questions and being entertained, but also in finding intellectual stimulation and sharing knowledge and know-how. The networks are increasingly becoming part of the very fabric of society, inasmuch as they bring people together on the basis of these fundamental needs. Social networks are thus nourished by aspirations rooted in the human heart.

The culture of social networks and the changes in the means and styles of communication pose demanding challenges to those who want to speak about truth and values. Often, as is also the case with other means of social communication, the significance and effectiveness of the various forms of expression appear to be determined more by their popularity than by their intrinsic importance and value. Popularity, for its part, is often linked to celebrity or to strategies of persuasion rather than to the logic of argumentation. At times the gentle voice of reason can be overwhelmed by the din of excessive information and it fails to attract attention which is given instead to those who express themselves in a more persuasive manner. The social media thus need the commitment of all who are conscious of the value of dialogue, reasoned debate and logical argumentation; of people who strive to cultivate forms of discourse and expression which appeal to the noblest aspirations of those engaged in the communication process. Dialogue and debate can also flourish and grow when we converse with and take seriously people whose ideas are different from our own. "Given the reality of cultural diversity, people need not only to accept the existence of the culture of others, but also to aspire to be enriched by it and to offer to it whatever they possess that is good, true and beautiful" (Address at the Meeting with the World of Culture, Bélem, Lisbon, 12 May 2010).

The challenge facing social networks is how to be truly inclusive: thus they will benefit from the full participation of believers who desire to share the message of Jesus and the values of human dignity which his teaching promotes. Believers are increasingly aware that, unless the Good News is made known also in the digital world, it may be absent in the experience of many people for whom this existential space is important. The digital environment is not a parallel or purely virtual world, but is part of the daily experience of many people, especially the young. Social networks are the result of human interaction, but for their part they also reshape the dynamics of communication which builds relationships: a considered understanding of this environment is therefore the prerequisite for a significant presence there.

The ability to employ the new languages is required, not just to keep up with the times, but precisely in order to enable the infinite richness of the Gospel to find forms of expression capable of reaching the minds and hearts of all. In the digital environment the written word is often accompanied by images and sounds. Effective communication, as in the parables of Jesus, must involve the imagination and the affectivity of those we wish to invite to an encounter with the mystery of God’s love. Besides, we know that Christian tradition has always been rich in signs and symbols: I think for example of the Cross, icons, images of the Virgin Mary, Christmas cribs, stained-glass windows and pictures in our churches. A significant part of mankind’s artistic heritage has been created by artists and musicians who sought to express the truths of the faith.

In social networks, believers show their authenticity by sharing the profound source of their hope and joy: faith in the merciful and loving God revealed in Christ Jesus. This sharing consists not only in the explicit expression of their faith, but also in their witness, in the way in which they communicate "choices, preferences and judgements that are fully consistent with the Gospel, even when it is not spoken of specifically" (Message for the 2011World Communications Day). A particularly significant way of offering such witness will be through a willingness to give oneself to others by patiently and respectfully engaging their questions and their doubts as they advance in their search for the truth and the meaning of human existence. The growing dialogue in social networks about faith and belief confirms the importance and relevance of religion in public debate and in the life of society.

For those who have accepted the gift of faith with an open heart, the most radical response to mankind’s questions about love, truth and the meaning of life – questions certainly not absent from social networks – are found in the person of Jesus Christ. It is natural for those who have faith to desire to share it, respectfully and tactfully, with those they meet in the digital forum. Ultimately, however, if our efforts to share the Gospel bring forth good fruit, it is always because of the power of the word of God itself to touch hearts, prior to any of our own efforts. Trust in the power of God’s work must always be greater than any confidence we place in human means. In the digital environment, too, where it is easy for heated and divisive voices to be raised and where sensationalism can at times prevail, we are called to attentive discernment. Let us recall in this regard that Elijah recognized the voice of God not in the great and strong wind, not in the earthquake or the fire, but in "a still, small voice" (1 Kg 19:11-12). We need to trust in the fact that the basic human desire to love and to be loved, and to find meaning and truth – a desire which God himself has placed in the heart of every man and woman – keeps our contemporaries ever open to what Blessed Cardinal Newman called the "kindly light" of faith.

Social networks, as well as being a means of evangelization, can also be a factor in human development. As an example, in some geographical and cultural contexts where Christians feel isolated, social networks can reinforce their sense of real unity with the worldwide community of believers. The networks facilitate the sharing of spiritual and liturgical resources, helping people to pray with a greater sense of closeness to those who share the same faith. An authentic and interactive engagement with the questions and the doubts of those who are distant from the faith should make us feel the need to nourish, by prayer and reflection, our faith in the presence of God as well as our practical charity: "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal" (1 Cor 13:1).

In the digital world there are social networks which offer our contemporaries opportunities for prayer, meditation and sharing the word of God. But these networks can also open the door to other dimensions of faith. Many people are actually discovering, precisely thanks to a contact initially made online, the importance of direct encounters, experiences of community and even pilgrimage, elements which are always important in the journey of faith. In our effort to make the Gospel present in the digital world, we can invite people to come together for prayer or liturgical celebrations in specific places such as churches and chapels. There should be no lack of coherence or unity in the expression of our faith and witness to the Gospel in whatever reality we are called to live, whether physical or digital. When we are present to others, in any way at all, we are called to make known the love of God to the furthest ends of the earth.

I pray that God’s Spirit will accompany you and enlighten you always, and I cordially impart my blessing to all of you, that you may be true heralds and witnesses of the Gospel. "Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to the whole creation" (Mk 16:15).

From the Vatican, 24 January 2013, Feast of Saint Francis de Sales.

BENEDICTUS PP. XVI

[00116-02.01] [Original text: Italian]

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Fr. General's Intervention at the Synod, 10/10/12

(11-Oct-2012)

A New Evangelization has to learn from the good and not-so-good points of the First Evangelization. I come from a tradition of Evangelization and Spirituality that encourages "Finding God in all things".

I am afraid that we, missionaries, have not done it with sufficient depth and, thus, have not enriched the Universal Church as the Church could expect from us.  We have looked for Western signs of Faith and Sanctity and have not discovered how God had been at work in other peoples. This impoverishes all. We miss important clues, insights and discoveries.

We have learnt from the past as effective for communicating the Gospel: The way of humility, the awareness of human limitation when it comes to expressing the Spirit, the simplicity of the message, generosity and joy in acknowledging goodness and holiness, our life as a factor of credibility, forgiveness and Reconciliation, the message of the Cross in our own self-denial.

Download Full Version PDF (English Translation)

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Pope warns lapsed Catholics of "spiritual desertification"

By Philip Pullella

VATICAN CITY | Thu Oct 11, 2012 8:17am EDT

(Reuters) - Pope Benedict urged lapsed and lukewarm Roman Catholics on Thursday to rediscover their Church and stop the advance of "spiritual desertification".

The pope made his comments in the homily of a Mass before tens of thousands in St Peter's Square on the 50th anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, a far-reaching event in the Church's 2,000-year history.

"Recent decades have seen the advance of a spiritual desertification," he said, opening a worldwide "Year of Faith". "We see it all around us ... the void has spread."

The mass was attended by hundreds of Roman Catholic bishops as well as representatives of other Christian churches, such as Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The bishops are in Rome for a synod, or conference, at the Vatican aimed at building a strategy to bring lapsed Catholics back to the faith.

The Vatican has termed this effort the "new evangelization" of the developed world and it has asked Catholics, particularly those who have left the Church, to look deep into their hearts and either rekindle their relationship with God or deepen it.

Local Catholic parishes around the world will hold events such as Bible studies, retreats, special Masses, community service events and discussion groups about the sacraments.

The pope urged Catholics to use these opportunities to rediscover "the thirst for God, the ultimate meaning of life".

The Church is suffering desertions from its practicing flock in former strongholds in Europe, North America and Latin America due to sex abuse scandals, increasing secularism, rival faiths and open dissent against Church teachings on homosexuality and its ban on a female priesthood.

"NEW EVANGELISATION"

The synod's working document speaks of the need to address the divergence between Catholic values and the reality of modern life in Europe and North America, and an "educational emergency" of children no longer being taught the faith.

Pope John XXIII convened the Second Vatican Council 50 years ago to bring the Church up to date with the modern world.

During the Council, which ended in 1965, nearly 3,000 bishops from more than 100 countries wrote 16 documents on various aspects of Church life and mission and urged more "collegiality," or sharing of responsibility, between the pope and bishops.

Among its innovations was the introduction of the Mass in local languages after centuries of it being said in Latin.

The Council also encouraged dialogue with, and respect for, other religions and repudiated the concept of collective Jewish guilt for Jesus' death, revolutionizing Catholic-Jewish relations after 2,000 years of mistrust.

But 50 years on, the Council is divisive. Liberals in the Church say Benedict, who attended the Council as a young priest, has turned back the clock on some Council reforms and moved to centralize power in the Vatican again.

Conservatives praise him for correcting what they regard as errors in applying its ideas. For example, conservatives assert that the Council's push for dialogue with other religions went too far and weakened the traditional teaching that Catholicism is the one true faith.

(Reporting by Philip Pullella; Editing by Robert Woodward)

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