Pope Leo explains what is a true Marian spirituality

“Marian spirituality, which nourishes our faith, has Jesus as its center”, Pope Leo XIV reminded the faithful during the Mass for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality on Sunday morning in the Vatican. https://youtu.be/fWXGpgi_9pg Pope at Marian Jubilee Mass: May Mary lead us to her Son Jesus - Vatican News Pope at Marian Jubilee Mass: May Mary lead us to her Son Jesus During the Mass for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, Pope Leo XIV urges faithful to see in the Blessed Mother a beautiful example of how to turn to and follow her Son, Jesus Christ. By Deborah Castellano Lubov "Marian spirituality, which nourishes our faith, has Jesus as its center," Pope Leo XIV reminded the faithful during the Mass for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality on Sunday morning in the Vatican. In his homily, the Holy Father reflected on this spirituality, observing, "It is like Sunday, which opens each new week in the radiance of his Resurrection from the dead. “Remember Jesus Christ”: this alone matters; this is what distinguishes human spiritualities from the way of God. The Pope explained that Marian devotion serves the Gospel and helps the faithful live it more fully. “Marian spirituality is at the service of the Gospel: it reveals its simplicity,” he said. Marian spirituality “Our affection for Mary of Nazareth leads us to join her in becoming disciples of Jesus,” he added. “It teaches us to return to him and to meditate and ponder the events of our lives in which the Risen One still comes to us and calls us.” He said this spirituality draws the faithful into God’s saving work. “Marian spirituality immerses us in the history upon which heaven opened,” the Pope said. “It helps us," he continued, "to see the proud being scattered in their conceit, the mighty being cast down from their thrones and the rich being sent away empty-handed. It impels us, to fill the hungry with good things, to lift up the lowly, to remember God’s mercy and to trust in the power of His arm.” Mary’s Magnificat Reflecting on Mary’s acceptance of God’s will, Pope Leo said that her “yes” was not a one-time act but a daily commitment. “Jesus invites us to be part of his Kingdom, just as he asked Mary for her ‘yes,’ which, once given, was renewed every day,” he said. The Pope reflected on the Gospel account of the ten lepers, nine of whom did not return to give thanks after being healed. “The lepers in the Gospel who do not return to give thanks remind us that God’s grace can touch us and find no response,” he said. “It can heal us, yet we can still fail to accept it. Let us take care therefore not to go up to the temple in such a way that does not lead us to follow Jesus.” A caveat Pope Leo also warned against religious practices that isolate believers from their neighbours. “Some forms of worship do not foster communion with others and can numb our hearts,” he said. “In these cases, we fail to encounter the people God has placed in our lives. We fail to contribute, as Mary did, to changing the world, and to share in the joy of the Magnificat.” He added, “Let us take care to avoid any exploitation of the faith that could lead to labelling those who are different — often the poor — as enemies, ‘lepers’ to be avoided and rejected.” Following Christ with Mary The Pope said that Mary’s journey always leads closer to Jesus and to those in need. “Mary’s path follows that of Jesus, which leads us to encounter every human being, especially the poor, the wounded and sinners,” he said. Example of love and tenderness He added that true Marian spirituality reveals God’s tenderness in the life of the Church. “Authentic Marian spirituality brings God’s tenderness, his way of ‘being a mother,’ to light in the Church,” the Pope said. Quoting Evangelii Gaudium, he continued, “Whenever we look to Mary, we come to believe once again in the revolutionary nature of love and tenderness.” “In her," he said, "we see that humility and tenderness are not virtues of the weak but of the strong who need not treat others poorly in order to feel important themselves." ….

October 11-12th Jubilee of Marian Spiritualities

“Disarm your hands and, even more importantly, your hearts. As I have said before, peace is unarmed and disarming,” he said. “It is not deterrence, but fraternity; it is not an ultimatum, but dialogue”, he continued. “Peace will not come as the result of victories over the enemy, but as the fruit of sowing justice and courageous forgiveness”. Pope Leo XIV Thousands of pilgrims join Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square to pray the rosary for peace Tens of thousands of people joined Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday to pray for peace in the world. Before the statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which was brought to Rome from Portugal for the Oct. 11–12 Jubilee of Marian Spiritualities, the pope entrusted believers to the Mother of God to guide the Church in its “pilgrimage of hope.” By Kristina Millare Kristina Millare is a freelance journalist with a professional communications background in the humanitarian aid and development sector, news journalism, entertainment marketing, politics and government, business and entrepreneurship. Vatican City, Oct 11, 2025 / 15:00 pm …. During the special prayer vigil, which included a contemplative recitation of the rosary and time for Eucharistic adoration, the Holy Father delivered a short address and encouraged those present to ask the Mother of God for the gift of a “listening heart.” “Our hope is guided by the gentle and persistent light of Mary’s words as recounted in the Gospel,” the pope said. “Her last words at the wedding feast in Cana [‘Do whatever he tells you’] are particularly precious,” he said. “These words, which almost seem to be a testament, must be treasured by her children, as any mother’s testament would be.” Sharing reflections on the life of Christ, which are included in the rosary prayer, Leo said peace in the world is not achieved through “power and money” but through prayer, listening, and living the Gospel message. “Disarm your hands and, even more importantly, your hearts. As I have said before, peace is unarmed and disarming,” he said. “It is not deterrence, but fraternity; it is not an ultimatum, but dialogue,” he continued. “Peace will not come as the result of victories over the enemy, but as the fruit of sowing justice and courageous forgiveness.” Addressing the “powerful of the world,” the pope said it is necessary to “lay down your sword” and have the “courage to disarm” to achieve peace. “At the same time, it is an invitation to each one of us to recognize that no idea, faith or policy justifies killing,” he added. Encouraging those who desire peace and the end of conflict and violence, the Holy Father said “take courage” and “never give up.” “Blessed are you: God gives joy to those who spread love in the world and to those who choose to make peace with their enemies rather than defeat them,” he said. “Peace is a journey, and God walks with you,” he continued. “The Lord creates and spreads peace through his friends who are at peace in their hearts, and they in turn become peacemakers and instruments of his peace.” Towards the end of the prayer vigil, the Holy Father turned to Mary, the “Queen of Peace” to whom the Church can turn in time of need. “Teach us to live and bear witness to Christian love, by welcoming everyone as brothers and sisters; to renounce the darkness of selfishness in order to follow Christ, the true light of humanity,” he said. “Virgin of peace, Gate of Sure Hope, accept the prayers of your children!” he prayed.

Living ‘in a bubble of luxury’ – Pope Leo on economic justice

“Pope Francis made those points from the very start of his pontificate in 2013, saying he wanted a “church that is poor and for the poor”.” From Vatican, Pope Leo attacks wealthy elite who ‘live in bubble of luxury’ Story by Nicole Winfield Pope Leo XIV has delivered a stark condemnation of the wealthy elite, accusing them of living in a "bubble of comfort and luxury" while the poor suffer on the margins. His first teaching document, released Thursday, confirms his perfect alignment with predecessor Pope Francis on social and economic injustice. “When the church kneels beside a leper, a malnourished child or an anonymous dying person, she fulfills her deepest vocation: to love the Lord where he is most disfigured,” Leo writes. Citing Francis, a critique of the wealthy Pope Leo cites Pope Francis frequently, including in some of the Argentine pope’s most-quoted talking points about the global “economy that kills” and criticism of trickle down economics. Pope Francis made those points from the very start of his pontificate in 2013, saying he wanted a “church that is poor and for the poor.” “God has a special place in his heart for those who are discriminated against and oppressed, and he asks us, his church, to make a decisive and radical choice in favour of the weakest,” Pope Leo writes. Echoing Pope Francis, Pope Leo rails against the “illusion of happiness” derived from accumulating wealth. “Thus, in a world where the poor are increasingly numerous, we paradoxically see the growth of a wealthy elite, living in a bubble of comfort and luxury, almost in another world compared to ordinary people.” Pope Francis’ frequent criticism of capitalism angered many conservative and wealthy Catholics, especially in the United States, who accused the Argentine Jesuit of being a Marxist. In a recent interview, Pope Leo said such misdirected criticism cannot be levelled against him. “The fact that I am American means, among other things, people can’t say, like they did about Pope Francis, ‘he doesn’t understand the United States, he just doesn’t see what’s going on,’” Pope Leo told Crux, a Catholic site. As a result, Pope Leo’s embrace of Francis’ teaching on poverty and the church’s obligation to care for the weakest is a significant reaffirmation, especially in Pope Leo’s first teaching document. …. As a young priest, the former Robert Prevost left the comforts of home to work as a missionary in Peru as a member of the Augustinian religious order, one of the other ancient mendicant orders that considers community, the sharing of communal property and service to others as central tenets of its spirituality. “The fact that some dismiss or ridicule charitable works, as if they were an obsession on the part of a few and not the burning heart of the church’s mission, convinces me of the need to go back and reread the Gospel, lest we risk replacing it with the wisdom of this world,” Pope Leo writes. A reference to Liberation Theology Pope Leo’s emphasis on the church’s age-old “preferential option for the poor,” is unusual given the Vatican’s troubled history in dealing with liberation theology, the Latin American-inspired Catholic theology that had the “preferential option for the poor” as its mantra. The Vatican under St. John Paul II spent much effort battling liberation theology and disciplining some of its most famous defenders, arguing that they had misinterpreted Jesus’ preference for the poor as a Marxist call for armed rebellion. Pope Leo, in contrast, doubled down on the concept, citing several of the Latin American church’s fundamental documents on the issue. He praised as an inspiration St. Oscar Romero, the Salvadoran archbishop who was killed in 1980 by right-wing death squads opposed to his preaching against the repression of the poor by the army. Pope Leo’s text minimised the dispute over liberation theology by saying the Vatican’s 1984 crackdown on its promoters was “not initially well received by everyone.” ___

Our Lady of Fatima and Pope Leo XIV

“The Rosary for Peace will be held during the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, which takes place on October 11-12. That day also marks the 63rd anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, which Pope St John XXIII opened on October 11, 1962. The original image of Our Lady of Fatima will be in St Peter's Square for the Rosary prayer and the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality”. Pope Leo urges Catholics to pray daily Rosary for Peace in October • Sep 24th, 2025 ________________________________________ …. Source: Vatican Media Pope Leo XIV invited Catholics around the world to pray the Rosary every day during October, for peace in war-torn lands. He made the announcement during the Wednesday General Audience. He said the faithful in Rome will gather in St Peter's Square on October, 11, 2025 at 6pm. "I invite everyone, each day of the coming month, to pray the Rosary for peace-personally, in the family, and in community," he said. The Pope also invited Vatican employees to pray the Rosary daily in St Peter's Basilica at 7pm throughout October. He invited Christians to share with others "the love of Jesus that illumines and lifts up humanity." The Rosary for Peace will be held during the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, which takes place on October 11-12. That day also marks the 63rd anniversary of the opening of the Second Vatican Council, which Pope St John XXIII opened on October 11, 1962. The original image of Our Lady of Fatima will be in St Peter's Square for the Rosary prayer and the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality. Statue of Our Lady of Fatima travels to meet Pope Leo XIV The schedule for the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality, which will take place in Rome on 11 and 12 October, has been announced. The statue of Our Lady of Fatima, which is venerated in the Chapel of the Apparitions, will be present. Pope Francis expressed his desire to have the statue of Our Lady of Fatima present at the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality in Rome on 11 and 12 October, and this was reaffirmed by Pope Leo XIV. The sculpture venerated in the Chapel of the Apparitions will leave Cova da Iria on 10 October in order to be present at the schedule now announced by the Dicastery for Evangelization. There will be two occasions when Pope Leo XIV will be with the statue of the Virgin Mary: on Saturday, 11 October, at 6 p.m., at the prayer vigil in St. Peter’s Square, and at the Mass he will preside over on Sunday, 12 October, at 10:30 a.m., also in St. Peter’s Square. Throughout the 11th, the faithful will have the opportunity to venerate and be close to the Statue of Our Lady in the Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina. On that day, the schedule includes Mass at 9:00 a.m., presided over by the rector of the Shrine of Fatima, Father Carlos Cabecinhas; at 12:00 p.m., the Rosary presided over by Father Giuseppe Midili; and at 5:00 p.m., a procession from the Church of Santa Maria in Traspontina to St. Peter's Square. In a statement issued in February confirming the arrival of the statue of Our Lady in Rome, the Dicastery for Evangelization said that the presence of the image of the Virgin Mary at the Jubilee of Marian Spirituality will “further enrich this moment of prayer and reflection”. Quoted in the statement, Archbishop Rino Fisichella, the pro-prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization, described the image as “one of the most significant Marian icons for Christians worldwide” and stressed that “the presence of the beloved original statue of Our Lady of Fatima will allow everyone to experience the closeness of the Virgin Mary”. This will be the fourth time that the sculpture has left Cova da Iria to go to Rome. For the rector of the Shrine of Fatima, Father Carlos Cabecinhas, it is a cause for great joy: “in this jubilee time, the Virgin of Fatima is thus the woman of Easter joy, even during the painful times the world is going through.” “Once again, the ‘Lady dressed in white’ will become a pilgrim of hope and, in Rome, she will be with the “bishop dressed in white’, as the little shepherds of Fatima affectionately called the Holy Father,” he said. Fatima and Pope Leo XIV – The iPadre Catholic Podcast Fatima and Pope Leo XIV Posted on May 13, 2025 by Fr. Jay Finelli Today is the 108th Anniversary of the First Apparition of Our Lady of Fatima. Let us examine the Prophetic Link Between Fatima, Pope Leo XIII, and Pope Leo XIV. On May 13, 1917, in a remote field in Cova da Iria, three shepherd children were visited by a radiant Lady from Heaven—Our Lady of the Rosary. That encounter would mark the beginning of one of the most important series of Marian apparitions in the history of the Church, culminating in the Miracle of the Sun on October 13, 1917. Today, we commemorate the 108th anniversary of that first apparition. But Fatima’s message did not come in isolation. In fact, I believe there is a divine thread that ties it together with another event—one that took place exactly 33 years earlier, on October 13, 1884. On that day, Pope Leo XIII, after finishing Mass in the Vatican, fell into a trance-like state. Witnesses reported that he stood frozen at the foot of the altar for about ten minutes. When he recovered, he was visibly shaken. He later recounted that he had been granted a terrifying vision: he had seen Satan asking God for permission to destroy the Church. The Lord allowed him a certain amount of time and power—after which, Our Lady would intervene. In response to this, Pope Leo XIII composed the Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel and ordered it to be said after every Low Mass throughout the world. The connection between these two events—Leo XIII’s vision and the apparitions of Fatima—is striking. One could say that they mark the beginning and end of a prophetic warning: a century-long battle between Heaven and hell, with the fate of countless souls hanging in the balance. A Time of Crisis… and a Time of Hope Since those two monumental events, we have seen the rapid advance of secularism, wars, moral collapse, and a tragic division within the Church. The cultural revolution of the 20th century, the loss of belief in the Real Presence, the spread of doctrinal confusion, and the weakening of religious vocations have left deep scars. Evil has grown bolder, and many of the faithful have grown weary. And yet, just when it seemed that darkness was gaining the upper hand, a new light has begun to shine—Pope Leo XIV. The Rise of Pope Leo XIV His rise to the papacy has been nothing short of extraordinary: • Ordained a priest in 1982 • Consecrated a bishop in 2014 • Created a cardinal in 2023 • Elected Pope on May 7, 2025 …. From an unknown diocesan bishop to the Supreme Pontiff in barely a decade—a pace and path rarely seen in Church history. …. It is as if Heaven is once again sending a signal: the battle continues, but God is not abandoning His Church. A Marian Pope for Marian Times Pope Leo XIV has demonstrated from the outset a deep and unwavering devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary. In his writings, his homilies, and his public acts of piety, he consistently turns to her as both Mother and Queen, Intercessor and Warrior. It is not hard to imagine that Our Lady of Fatima herself has had a hand in his election. Perhaps she has chosen this Pope—this son devoted to her—to be the one who will usher in her promised Triumph, as foretold to the children of Fatima. Certainly, the signs of the times are converging. We may be closer now than ever before to that long-awaited moment when, in the words of Our Lady: “In the end, my Immaculate Heart will triumph. The Holy Father will consecrate Russia to me, and she will be converted, and a period of peace will be granted to the world.” A Call to Prayer and Fidelity If Pope Leo XIV has indeed been raised up for such a time as this, he will need our prayers more than ever. The weight of Peter’s keys is immense, and the forces aligned against him are powerful and relentless. Years ago, I was told something sobering by Cardinal Mario Luigi Ciappi, a dear family friend and the personal theologian to five popes. He once confided to me: “The Pope is surrounded by enemies.” Let that sink in. The Vicar of Christ walks daily through the fire of spiritual warfare. And yet, as we know, the gates of hell shall not prevail. Still, the Church depends on the fidelity and prayers of her children. Let us then storm Heaven with our supplications: • For the protection of our Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV • For the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary • For the renewal and purification of the Church • For the conversion of sinners and the peace of the world May our Heavenly Father hasten the Triumph of the Immaculate Heart of Mary, may St. Michael defend Pope Leo XIV in the day of battle, and Our Lady of Fatima safely guide and guard our new Holy Father in these trying times. God love you!