- 11 June, 2026
Vatican, June 11, 2026: A young boy's questions about life, suffering, forgiveness and God's plans led to a personal exchange between Pope Leo XIV and those at the heart of the Church's charitable work in Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon.
On the fifth day of his Apostolic Journey to Spain, the Pope met diocesan charity and welfare organisations at the Church of Sant Agustí, where he listened to testimonies from people serving the poor, elderly, migrants and those on the margins of society before responding to a letter written by six-year-old Renzo.
Before answering the boy's questions, Pope Leo took a moment to express his appreciation and affection for those gathered.
"Here, truly, I feel at home," he said. While noting that the Augustinian church naturally held special meaning for him as a member of the Order of Saint Augustine, he also shared a personal memory from more than four decades ago.
"The first time I came to this church was in 1984," he recalled. "I was travelling overland from Rome to León and said: 'There is a church of Saint Augustine in Barcelona, let's visit it.' It was closed."
Today, however, he said it was open, and he expressed his happiness at what he had discovered.
"How beautiful it is to find a church with an Augustinian community and with so many people who live here, who praise God, who find community, welcome and integration through this church and its social ministry. Thank you all, truly!"
Life is not a solo performance
One of Renzo's questions concerned football. Although Pope Leo admitted that tennis remains his favourite sport, he spoke warmly about his years in Peru, where he followed local football clubs and even played with seminarians.
"A little sport is good for everyone," he said. "We need to find ways to preserve our health in body, mind and soul."
With the World Cup due to begin the next day, the Pope used football as a metaphor for life.
"Life is not a race to shine on our own," he said. "It is something that is played as a team."
He observed that even the most gifted player will ultimately fail if he refuses to involve others. Turning to the volunteers and charity workers present, he thanked them for reflecting that spirit of collaboration and service, remarking that, "Someone may be a star, but if he never passes the ball, he does not allow others to enter the game, and he will probably lose."
Every child is God's dream
Renzo also asked whether the Pope had ever dreamed of becoming Pope when he was young.
"I don't think I ever thought about it," Pope Leo replied with a smile, adding that what he did remember was a desire from an early age to dedicate his life to God.
"From childhood, I felt the desire to dedicate my life to God," he said, explaining that he gradually discovered the path that would lead him to the priesthood and the Augustinian Order.
"Every child is a dream of God. You are too, Renzo," he continued, suggesting that children ask themselves a more important question: whether they want to be friends of Jesus.
"Friendship with Jesus gives us joy, makes us free and helps us discover, step by step, the vocation and path that God has prepared for each one of us."
Facing suffering with hope
The most difficult question Renzo asked concerned suffering and why some people experience bad things while others do not.
Pope Leo acknowledged that there is no simple answer. Reflecting on the life of Christ, he pointed out that Jesus "went about doing good" and yet was rejected, condemned and crucified.
"But the story did not end there," he said. "He rose on the third day and conquered evil and death."
The Pope explained that for Christians, suffering is never the final word.
"Even though there is suffering, God never abandons any of His children," he said, encouraging those present to trust that Christ remains with them through every trial and prepares eternal joy beyond pain and loss.
Grandparents must never be left alone
Another of Renzo's questions focused on grandparents, whom he said "should never be left alone."
The Pope praised the many grandparents who care for their grandchildren while parents are at work and who quietly pass on faith, love and values to younger generations.
"Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become normal in the lives of older adults. That is something very sad," the Pope said, emphasising that the duty of care extends beyond family relationships to include every elderly person at risk of being forgotten.
Forgiveness that frees the heart
Responding to a question about forgiveness, the Pope recalled Christ's teaching that Christians should forgive "seventy times seven".
"Forgiving does not mean saying that what was wrong was right," he explained. "Nor does it mean allowing someone to continue doing harm."
He said forgiveness prevents hatred from taking hold of the heart and opens the way to healing and peace.
"When we forgive, we imitate the example of Jesus, who forgave those who crucified Him."
The Pope also reflected on the mission of the charitable organisations gathered at Sant Agustí. Thanking them for their service, he drew upon the spirituality of Saint Augustine and reminded them that Christian life begins not with human effort but with grace.
"Being Christian is, above all, a gift, a grace," Pope Leo said.
He explained that from this grace comes the responsibility to love others and recognise Christ in those who suffer.
"The Christian, besides being kind and gentle, must be compassionate, love selflessly and seek the good of others."
Pope Leo XIV commended the work being carried out throughout the Archdiocese of Barcelona and stressed that the Church's charitable mission becomes particularly important at a time when society often appears to have lost sight of the sacred dignity of the human person.
That dignity, he said, does not depend on wealth, ability or social standing but on the fact that every person is created in God's image and loved by Him, adding that "The human person is at the centre of the Church's action."
While recognising the importance of material assistance, the Pope reiterated that people experiencing poverty and marginalisation also need spiritual accompaniment.
"They need not only material aid and moral support but also God, His friendship, His blessing, His Word, His Sacraments and a path of growth and maturation in faith."
Before spending time greeting and thanking those who had lined up to meet him, Pope Leo encouraged the charitable workers to continue their mission alongside their pastors. He urged them to be "credible witnesses of Christian hope" and, through their service, to reveal the justice and peace of God's Kingdom.
Courtesy: Vatican News
© 2026 CATHOLIC CONNECT POWERED BY ATCONLINE LLP
