Pope Leo XIV remembered a Lebanese priest who died while aiding his wounded parishioners and reflected on the Church’s mission to be a place of unity and hope during his weekly General Audience in St. Peter’s Square on March 11.
The Holy Father paid tribute to Father Pierre El Raii, a Maronite priest who died after being wounded during an Israeli bombing in southern Lebanon. According to EWTN News, the priest was killed on March 9 after rushing to help a parishioner injured in an earlier attack.
Speaking at the conclusion of the audience, the pope expressed solidarity with those suffering amid the ongoing violence in the region.
“I am close to all the Lebanese people at this time of grave trial,” Pope Leo said.
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The pontiff reflected on the meaning of the priest’s name while honoring his sacrifice. “In Arabic, ‘El Raii’ means ‘the shepherd,’” the pope said. “Father Pierre was a true shepherd who always remained close to his people, with the love and sacrifice of Jesus the Good Shepherd.”
According to EWTN News, the priest immediately responded when he learned members of his parish had been wounded by a bombing. Pope Leo praised this act of courage and pastoral care, saying the priest “rushed to help them without hesitation.”
The pope prayed that the priest’s sacrifice would bear spiritual fruit for the region, adding, “May the Lord grant that his blood shed be a seed of peace for beloved Lebanon.”
Pope Leo also asked the faithful to pray for peace throughout the Middle East, particularly remembering civilians caught in the conflict.
“May our prayer be a comfort to those who suffer and a seed of hope for the future,” he said, while mentioning the many victims of violence in Iran and across the region.
Earlier in his catechesis, the Holy Father continued his reflections on the Second Vatican Council’s Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen Gentium, focusing on the identity of the Church as the “people of God.”
The pope emphasized that the Church must never become closed in on itself but must remain open to all.
“The Church can never turn inwards on herself,” he said, explaining that it must be “open to everyone and … for everyone.”
Addressing thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo stressed that the unity of the Church does not come from shared nationality, language, or culture but from faith in Christ.
“The Church is one but includes everyone,” he said.
Drawing on the teachings of the council and the insights of theologian Cardinal Henri de Lubac, the pope explained that the Church is meant to embrace the diversity of humanity while transforming it through the Gospel.
Quoting de Lubac, Pope Leo described the Church as “the unique Ark of Salvation” that must “welcome all human diversity into its vast nave.”
Because of this, the Church becomes a visible sign of God’s plan for unity among all peoples. The pope noted that within the Church, “women and men of different nationalities, languages, and cultures live together in faith.”
He said this reality stands as a powerful witness in a world often marked by division and conflict.
“The Church is a great sign of hope — especially in our times, traversed by so many conflicts and wars,” he said.
The pope also reflected on how the history of Israel prepared the way for the new covenant established in Christ. According to the teachings of Lumen Gentium, these earlier events were “a preparation and a figure” for the covenant that would be fulfilled through Jesus.
Pope Leo explained that Christ gathers the new people of God by giving His Body and Blood and uniting believers through faith and the life of the Spirit.
“In giving his body and his blood, [Christ] unites this people in himself and in a definitive way,” the pope said.
This new community, the Church, is not bound by ethnicity or culture but by a shared faith in Christ. It is made up of people from every nation who are united by their adherence to Him and by living according to the life of the Risen Lord.
The Holy Father concluded by reminding Christians that their greatest dignity is not found in positions or titles but in belonging to Christ.
“Above any task or function, what really matters in the Church is to be grafted onto Christ,” he said.
For this reason, he added, the true law governing life within the Church is love — the love revealed by Christ and lived among believers as brothers and sisters.
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