What the Pope Said this Week

by Jason Scott · April 10, 2026

Jason Scott’s weekly review of Pope Leo XIV’s audiences –

Monday, 6 April: Message to the people of Debel, Lebanon

Pope Leo XIV sent a message, signed by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, to the inhabitants of the village of Debel in southern Lebanon and all those suffering from the consequences of war.

He expressed paternal closeness and offered consolation rooted in the joy of the Resurrection.

“Today, we celebrate the Lord’s Resurrection. May you, amidst your feelings of sorrow, anguish and mourning, experience today in your hearts a deeper joy: Jesus has gloriously triumphed over death. It is a joy that comes from heaven and which nothing can take from you.”

He assured them that Our Lady of Lebanon keeps their prayers and sufferings in her heart.

Wednesday, 8 April: General Audience

In St Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV continued his catechesis on the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium, focusing on Chapter 5 (the universal call to holiness) and Chapter 6 (the evangelical counsels).

He stressed that holiness is not reserved for a few but is the vocation of every baptised person.

“Holiness, according to the Conciliar Constitution, is not a privilege for the few, but a gift that requires every baptised person to strive for the perfection of charity, that is, the fullness of love towards God and towards one’s neighbour.”

“All the Sacraments, and in a pre-eminent way the Eucharist, are nourishment that fosters a holy life, assimilating every person to Christ, the model and measure of holiness.”

“Charity is, in fact, the heart of the holiness to which all believers are called.”

The Pope highlighted martyrdom as the supreme witness and presented consecrated life as a prophetic sign of the Kingdom through the evangelical counsels of poverty, chastity and obedience.

Thursday, 9 April: Address to Olympic and Paralympic Athletes

Pope Leo XIV received athletes and representatives connected with the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games. He praised sport as a school of life, character and fraternity when lived authentically.

“Sport, when lived authentically, is not merely a performance: it is a form of language, a narrative made up of gestures, of effort, of anticipation, of falls and of new beginnings.”

He emphasised the value of team spirit, discipline, and the ability to compete without hatred and to accept both victory and defeat with dignity.

“Sport can and must truly become a space for encounter! Not a show of strength, but an exercise in relationship.”

The Pope recalled the Olympic truce and urged athletes to be witnesses of a reconciled humanity in a world marked by conflict.

Take-Away Points:

The Resurrection calls us to choose the path of truth and become joyful witnesses who proclaim the Good News despite falsehoods and fear.
In the midst of suffering and war, the joy of Easter remains a powerful promise that nothing can take away.
Every baptised person is called to holiness through charity, with consecrated life serving as a prophetic sign for the whole Church.
Sport, when lived with integrity, becomes a school of virtue, fraternity and peace, capable of building bridges even in divided times.

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