Pope Leo XIV brought a message of hope, compassion, and Christian charity to one of Barcelona’s most vulnerable communities this week, meeting with families, migrants, volunteers, and those experiencing poverty before celebrating Mass at the city’s famous Sagrada Familia Basilica.
According to EWTN News, the Holy Father visited St. Augustine Church in Barcelona’s Raval district, a neighborhood where many residents are immigrants and where ministries serving the poor provide food, clothing, and assistance to those in need. The parish works closely with the Missionaries of Charity and the Mano Amiga Foundation in caring for struggling families and the homeless.
During the visit, Pope Leo met 6-year-old Renzo, whose family fled poverty in Peru and settled in Spain seeking a better life. The young boy posed a profound question that touched on one of humanity’s oldest struggles.
“Why do bad things happen to some people? And not to others? Whose fault is it? Why are there so many people living on the street? No one sees them; no one helps them,” Renzo asked, according to EWTN News.
Before responding, the child also asked whether the Pope had wanted to become pope when he was younger. Drawing laughter from those gathered, Pope Leo replied, “I didn’t want to be pope, neither as a young man nor as an old man.”
Yet the pontiff added a reminder about God’s call: “when the Lord calls, one must say yes.”
Addressing Renzo’s more difficult question about suffering, Pope Leo acknowledged that easy answers do not exist.
“It is not easy to find the answer, Renzo, to your question about why bad things happen to some people while others are spared,” the Pope said, according to EWTN News.
The Holy Father pointed instead to the life, death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ as the Christian response to suffering and evil.
“God’s word tells us that Our Lord ‘went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil,’ and yet we know he was crucified,” Pope Leo said. “But the story did not end there, for he rose again on the third day, conquering both evil and death.”
According to EWTN News, the Pope emphasized that Christ’s victory over death reminds believers that suffering does not have the final word.
“Through the life of Jesus Christ, God shows us that, even amid suffering, he never abandons any of his children, for he has prepared eternal joy for us — a place where there will be no more sorrow or pain,” Pope Leo said. “Let us have confidence; Jesus is with us, helping and accompanying us, and giving us the strength to navigate the difficult moments we may encounter in life.”
The visit also included a diocesan gathering with Catholic organizations engaged in charitable outreach throughout the city. There, the Pope praised local communities for their commitment to serving those on the margins of society.
According to EWTN News, he encouraged every Christian community to respond to the needs of the poor and vulnerable with “discretion, sensitivity, and perseverance,” helping to relieve suffering and address poverty wherever possible.
The Holy Father reminded those present that Christians are called to make God’s love visible in the world through concrete acts of charity and mercy.
Pope Leo also reflected on the importance of forgiveness, clarifying that forgiveness does not excuse wrongdoing or ignore injustice.
“Forgiving does not mean saying that what was wrong was actually right, nor does it mean letting someone continue to cause harm,” he explained, according to EWTN News. “It does not mean forcing oneself to forget, as if nothing had happened.”
Instead, he said, forgiveness means refusing to allow hatred to take root in the human heart.
“Jesus asks us to forgive because it is the only way to experience God’s peace and heal spiritual wounds,” the Pope said.
The Holy Father additionally expressed concern about the growing isolation experienced by many elderly people, warning against a society that abandons its seniors.
“Let us not allow loneliness and abandonment to become the norm in the lives of older adults. That is a very sad thing,” he said, according to EWTN News.
The visit concluded on a lighter note when Renzo asked the Pope whether he liked soccer. Pope Leo revealed that while many know of his love for tennis, he also enjoyed playing soccer when he was younger and closely followed local teams while living in Peru.
“A little sport is good for everyone,” the Pope said.
Throughout the encounter, Pope Leo’s message remained clear: Christ does not remove every trial from human life, but He walks beside His people through suffering, offering hope, healing, and the promise of eternal joy.
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