Vatican City: Addressing several congregations of religious sisters gathered at the Vatican for their General Chapters and Jubilee celebrations, Pope Leo XIV offered a heartfelt invitation: to reflect deeply and honestly on their personal relationship with God, asking, “Is God truly my everything?”
Speaking to members of the Daughters of Divine Charity, Sisters of the Order of Saint Basil the Great, Augustinian Sisters of Amparo, and the Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Hearts, the Pope centered his reflection on the primacy of God in religious life. He quoted St. Augustine, who once said: “God is everything, your everything. If you are hungry, God is your bread; if you are thirsty, God is your water; if you are in darkness, God is your unfailing light; if you are naked, God is your eternal garment.”
Reflecting on these words, Pope Leo urged the sisters to ask themselves: To what extent are these truths reflected in my life? Does the Lord truly satisfy my thirst for meaning, love, and light?
The Pope emphasized that a deep rootedness in Christ is the foundation that enabled the saints and countless religious before them to achieve extraordinary feats of faith, despite their own human weaknesses. Their trust in Christ empowered them to plant seeds of holiness and service that have continued to flourish across the world and through the ages.
Pope Leo acknowledged the significance of the sisters' presence in Rome, whether as part of their General Chapters or Jubilee pilgrimages, noting that all had come to the tomb of St. Peter to renew their love for Christ and their commitment to the Church. He praised their fidelity and the living legacy of their founders, who were often inspired by giants of Christian spirituality like St. Augustine, St. Basil, and St. Francis of Assisi.
These great saints, the Pope said, gave life to religious communities that continue to shine in their care for the marginalized including the poor, orphans, migrants, the elderly, and the sick and in other works of charity that flow from the Gospel.
Highlighting the critical moment many of their congregations now face, Pope Leo reminded the sisters that they are entrusted with important decisions choices that will shape not only the future of their communities, but also influence the wider Church.
He urged them to stay anchored in the wisdom of the Gospel, guided by the Holy Spirit, and remain attentive to the “signs of the times,” discerning new ways to offer themselves in service of God and neighbor.
Concluding his address, the Pope invoked the words of St. Paul to the Ephesians, praying that “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith,” and that they may be “rooted and grounded in love… to know the breadth and length and height and depth of Christ’s love, and be filled with the fullness of God.”
Before offering his Apostolic Blessing, Pope Leo XIV expressed deep gratitude for the sisters’ tireless dedication and fidelity to their vocations. He entrusted their missions to the care of the Blessed Virgin Mary, praying that she continue to accompany and guide them in their paths of love and service.