Catania: Pope Leo XIV has called on the Catholic Church to place the liturgy more firmly at the heart of Christian formation, saying that worship should not simply be seen as a religious obligation but as a source of faith, communion and peace.
Pope made the appeal in a message to participants of the 76th National Liturgical Week in Catania, Italy. The event is being held from August 24 to 27 under the theme, “A Church that generates: Liturgy and Christian Initiation.”
In his message, Pope Leo said the theme is especially important for the Church at a time when many communities are seeking new ways to help people understand and live their faith. He stressed that Christian initiation should not be reduced to preparation for receiving the Sacraments.
Instead, he described it as a process through which a Christian community helps people develop a living relationship with Christ and become part of the life of the Church.
Pope pointed to the experience of the first Christians, who brought together teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread and prayer. For him, this close relationship between learning the faith and celebrating it remains important for the Church today.
Pope Leo said the liturgy has the power to transform people because it brings them into contact with the mystery of Christ. Through worship, he explained, believers are called to become renewed people and to grow together as one community.
He also highlighted the importance of helping Catholics understand the meaning of liturgical gestures, symbols and prayers. Active participation, he said, should not simply mean being physically present during Mass. It should involve an interior openness to God and a genuine understanding of what is being celebrated.
This is particularly important for people who are beginning their journey of faith. Pope Leo encouraged pastors and catechists to introduce them to celebrations that can help them recognise God's presence and respond to it with faith.
Pope also stressed that the liturgy is a communal act. It brings Christians together as members of one body and teaches them the value of unity, respect and fidelity to the Church's rites.
He encouraged those responsible for pastoral work to help people appreciate the dignity and meaning of liturgical gestures rather than treating them as empty customs. Understanding the purpose behind these actions, he said, can help believers participate more deeply in worship.
Another important part of Pope's message was the place of Scripture. He described the liturgy as a special place for listening to the Word of God through the proclamation of the Bible. The Word, combined with prayer and sacramental celebration, can help Christians understand their faith and put it into practice.
Pope Leo also called for greater attention to welcome, mystagogy and Christian witness. Mystagogy refers to helping believers understand more deeply the mysteries they celebrate, especially after receiving the Sacraments.
For Pope, the effects of Christian worship should not end when people leave the church. Faith must become visible in everyday life through kindness, reconciliation, service and concern for others.
His message ultimately presents the liturgy as a starting point for Christian life rather than an activity separated from it. What believers receive at the altar should influence how they treat their families, neighbours and wider communities.
Pope Leo said that faith born from the altar should reach the streets of humanity and produce goodness, reconciliation and peace.
The message comes as Catholic communities continue to reflect on how to pass the faith to new generations. By bringing catechesis and liturgical celebration closer together, Pope is encouraging the Church to help people not only learn about Christianity but experience it as a living relationship with Christ and with one another.
For Pope Leo, a strong liturgical life can therefore become a foundation for stronger Christian communities and a more peaceful society.