Pope Praises L’Osservatore di Strada for Giving Voice to the Voiceless

Rome, July 6, 2025 : Pope Leo XIV has expressed heartfelt thanks to the staff and supporters of L’Osservatore di Strada as the monthly magazine marked its third anniversary on 29 June 2025.

Members of the editorial team, alongside friends of the publication, gathered on Saturday to celebrate the milestone of the journal, which first went to press on 29 June 2022.

During the event, attendees listened to a special message from Pope Leo XIV, who commended their dedication and urged them to press on with courage and faith.

“Your work is important because it helps us to remember that the world must also be seen from the street, having the courage to change our perspective, breaking down the patterns and conventions that often prevent us from seeing truly and more deeply and from listening to the voice of those who have no voice,” the Pope said in his message.

He emphasised that “the hand of God in your stories is the most vivid testimony of how everything is redeemed and no story is without hope if we believe in God’s love.”

Paolo Ruffini, Prefect of the Dicastery for Communication, read the Pope’s message aloud to those gathered at the headquarters of the Society of St Vincent de Paul’s Mediterranea Rete in Rome. Other speakers included Monsignor Lucio Ruiz, Secretary of the Dicastery; Andrea Monda, Editor-in-Chief of L’Osservatore Romano; and Giuliano Crepaldi, President of the Society of St Vincent de Paul.

L’Osservatore di Strada was created as a unique publication where, in the words of Pope Leo XIV recalling his predecessor Pope Francis, “the least become protagonists.” The magazine is distributed free of charge every Sunday to pilgrims gathered in St Peter’s Square, offering a discreet yet visible presence before and after the recitation of the Angelus.

In his message, Pope Leo XIV thanked the team for sustaining this “small but significant experience” over three years and encouraged them to continue bringing “moments of the city of God to the city of men.”

He concluded with words of blessing and inspiration: “May the Lord be with you always, beloved brothers and sisters. And may we always recognise Him in you. St Augustine reminds us: ‘Blessed are those who have compassion on others, for they will obtain compassion.’ Your compassion and humility are a precious gift for all of us. Your hope, even in difficulties, is an example for the Church and for the world.”

Courtesy: Vatican News