Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV on Friday received members of three distinct religious congregations at the Vatican, offering heartfelt reflections on how their unique charisms and apostolic work contribute to the spiritual beauty and vitality of the Church.
Representatives from the Society of African Missions (SMA), the Third Order Regular of St. Francis (TOR), and the Congregation of the Servants of the Paraclete gathered with the Pope in an audience marked by prayer, encouragement, and deep gratitude for their service.
In his address, the Holy Father emphasized that each order—though rooted in different historical contexts—has emerged as a living response to the diverse spiritual and pastoral needs of the Church, the Mystical Body of Christ. “Your distinct charisms,” he said, “weave together the Church’s broader mission of contemplation, conversion, healing, and outreach.”
Turning first to the Third Order Regular of St. Francis, currently holding their 113th General Chapter, Pope Leo urged the friars to ground their reflections on community life, formation, and vocations in their penitential Franciscan heritage. Citing St. Francis of Assisi, the Pope reminded them that only through ongoing personal conversion can they become vessels for Christ’s peace and truth: “It is only on the path of transformation that you will offer your brothers and sisters the fragrance of the Gospel.”
Next, addressing the Society of African Missions, founded by Bishop Melchior de Marion Brésillac in 1856, Pope Leo praised the congregation’s enduring fidelity to its missionary roots. Despite external hardships and internal trials, he noted, the SMA has continued to flourish. “Adversity has been your teacher,” he said, “driving you to cross new frontiers of evangelization in Africa and beyond. Remain courageous in embracing the paradox of the Cross—true freedom is found in surrendering to Christ.”
The Pope then turned his attention to the Servants of the Paraclete, whose ministry since 1947 has focused on providing compassionate care and renewal for priests and religious brothers facing personal struggles. Pope Leo described their apostolate as one of “quiet, faithful healing”—an intricate balance of spiritual and professional care. He acknowledged their work as a powerful witness to the fact that those called to heal must also recognize their own fragility.
Quoting St. Augustine, the Pope likened human weakness to a ship in danger of sinking due to hidden cracks. “To remain afloat, we must empty ourselves of pride and carry the light burden of forgiveness,” he said. “You, dear Servants of the Paraclete, offer a lifeline of mercy to those adrift in inner storms.”
Concluding his address, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the unifying message of the gathering: the Church’s beauty is revealed not in uniformity, but in the harmonious diversity of its charisms. “In your paths of penance, in your missions of proclamation, and in your ministries of restoration,” he said, “we see the Church’s luminous face—radiant in her compassion, resolute in her witness, and ever renewed in her call to holiness.”