VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Catholic Church is not merely an institution, but a visible sign of God’s plan to unite all humanity in Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit, Pope Leo XIV said in his weekly general audience.

The pope continued his series on the Second Vatican Council, emphasizing one of its principal documents, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, "Lumen Gentium," which states that the Church is "in Christ like a sacrament," and therefore both are a "closely knit union with God and of the unity of the whole human race."

"It is through the Church that God achieves the aim of bringing people to him and uniting them with one another," he said Feb. 18 in Italian. "Union with God finds its reflection in the union of human beings."

Pope Leo said that this document refers to the Church as a "mystery," not because it is incomprehensible, but rather because what was previously hidden "is now revealed."

"Church is an expression of what God wants to accomplish in the history of humanity; therefore, by looking at the Church, we can to some extent grasp God’s plan, the mystery," he said. 

The pope said humanity is naturally fragmented, but Jesus broke down the wall that separates people, and the Church was established through his sacrifice. 

"Sitting at the right hand of the Father, he is continually active in the world that he might lead men to the Church and through it join them to himself and that he might make them partakers of his glorious life by nourishing them with his own body and blood," Pope Leo said.

With Rome's temperatures slowly rising, Pope Leo returned to holding the general audience in St. Peter's Square, waving at visitors, kissing and blessing babies as he rode in the popemobile on Ash Wednesday. At the end of his general audience, the pope addressed the beginning of the 40-day Lenten season in his greetings to English-speakers.

"As we begin our Lenten journey today, let us ask the Lord to grant us the gift of true conversion of heart so that we may better respond to his love for us and share that love with those around us," he said. 

In his message for the Fraternity Campaign in Brazil, held during Lent, Pope Leo XIV calls for a concrete commitment to provide dignified housing for those who do not have it.

Read all

 

In St. Matthew's Gospel, we read of St. Simon or Simeon who is described as one of our Lord's brethren or kinsmen. His father was Cleophas, St. Joseph's brother, and his mother, according to some writers, was our Lady's sister. He would therefore be our Lord's first cousin and is supposed to have been about eight years older than He. No doubt he is one of those brethren of Christ who are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles as having received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. St. Epiphanius ...

Church leaders and international organizations appeal for aid to Magacascar, after Tropical Cyclone Gezani kills dozens of people across five of the country's regions.

Read all

 

The Custos of the Holy Land issues a letter calling the annual Good Friday Collection “a concrete sign of communion with the Church of Jerusalem” in the midst of undeniably difficult times.

Read all

 

As Ash Wednesday opens the Lenten Season, Jesuit leaders in Asia invite the faithful to join in prayer, fasting, and acts of charitable solidarity with those who suffer due to conflict.

Read all

 

Pope Leo XIV writes a note to Bishops inviting them to embed Vatican News' new video widget in the web pages of dioceses, parishes, and organizations linked to the Catholic Church, which will be automatically updated with our latest news and videos.

Read all

 

The Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) has launched this year’s Lenten Campaign with a call to the country to uphold human dignity, strengthen national cohesion and fast-track electoral preparedness as Kenya moves steadily toward the 2027 General Elections.

Read all

 

The St. Carlo Acutis Shrine & Center for Eucharistic Encounter in Malvern, Pennsylvania, launches a new mobile app inspired by the young Italian St. Carlo Acutis.

Read all

 

Meeting with members of the Pro Petri Sede Association, Pope Leo XIV affirms that the Successor of Peter must have the freedom to speak truth, denounce injustice, and defend the weakest.

Read all