Vatican City: In a heartfelt message delivered during an audience with members of the Order of Friars Minor Conventual and the Trinitarian Order, Pope Leo XIV called upon religious communities to remain steadfast in supporting those who suffer for their faith. Addressing participants of the two Orders’ General Chapters, the Holy Father stressed the ongoing need for spiritual and pastoral presence in regions where religious freedom is denied.
"Never forget the persecuted, and never grow weary in offering them comfort," the Pope urged, praising the two Orders for their courageous ministry in parts of the world marked by violence and oppression. He acknowledged their outreach in regions such as the Arabian Peninsula, the Middle East, Africa, and the Indian subcontinent, where religious persecution often claims innocent lives and tests the endurance of the faithful.
Reflecting on their foundational charisms, Pope Leo drew inspiration from a symbolic image: a fresco in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, depicting Pope Innocent III receiving St. Francis of Assisi and St. John of Matha. The image, he said, represents the perfect harmony between spiritual surrender and disciplined discernment. While St. Francis is shown humbly offering the Gospel as his only guide, St. John of Matha presents the written Rule a sign of collaboration with the Church in shaping religious life.
“These are not opposing paths,” the Pope explained, “but complementary lights that continue to guide the Church’s recognition and support of diverse charisms.” He praised both Orders for their unwavering dedication to Gospel values and encouraged them to continue fostering unity between their missions and the teachings of the Magisterium.
Pope Leo commended the Conventual Franciscans for being, in his words, “living reminders of the primacy of praise in the Christian life.” He also acknowledged the anniversary of their renewed presence in the Far East, encouraging them to keep their service rooted in humility and driven by Christ not by self-interest. “It is not our ambition that must lead us, but the call of Christ,” he said. “His Spirit must be our compass, guiding us to shape tomorrow with the love we live today.”
Turning to the Trinitarians, the Pope highlighted their special mission of consoling those denied the right to live their faith. He cited Saint Paul’s words “Persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed” as a profound theme for their Chapter and a reminder of God’s sustaining grace. “Your dedication to the suffering members of the Church,” the Pope said, “is a vocation inspired by God and a calling to be liberators for His people.”
In closing, Pope Leo prayed that both communities would remain attentive to the signs of the times, the cries of the persecuted, and the voice of God speaking through brothers, communities, and the Church. Before bestowing his Apostolic Blessing, he recalled the words of Saint Francis’ “Praises of God”, urging the friars to let their lives echo the holiness, greatness, and power of God in every mission they undertake.
Through this address, Pope Leo XIV once again reaffirmed the Church’s deep concern for religious freedom, the persecuted faithful, and the vital role of religious communities in carrying Christ’s light into the darkest corners of the world.