To the brothers and sisters of the pilgrim Church in Chimbote,
and to all those who join in this act of thanksgiving

On the tenth anniversary of the beatification of the martyrs of Chimbote — Blessed Michal Tomaszek, Zbigniew Strzalkowski and Alessandro Dordi — I wish to join in the gratitude of the Church in Peru, Poland, Italy and many other places where their memory remains an encouragement to fidelity.

These three missionary priests shared the life of their communities, celebrating the Eucharist and administering the Sacraments, organizing catechesis and supporting charity in contexts of poverty and violence. In 1991, after deciding to stay where they were carrying out their ministry in the midst of their flock, as genuine pastors, they were murdered out of hatred of the faith.

In reality, even before their deaths, the missionary life of each of them gave a glimpse of the essential message of Christianity. They were three clearly different priests: two young Polish Franciscan friars and an Italian diocesan priest. They brought with them different languages, cultures, formations, charisms, spiritualities and ways of proceeding. Each had a unique way of approaching people and living out his ministry. But in Peru, this diversity did not create distance; on the contrary, it became a contribution. In Pariacoto and in the region of Santa, they shared the same zeal, the same dedication and the same love for the people - especially the most needy - carrying in their hearts, with pastoral affection, the concerns and sufferings of the inhabitants of those lands.

Having also served in that beloved country, I find in them something deeply familiar to those who have lived the mission and, at the same time, essential for the whole Church: the communion that arises when such different stories are brought together by Christ and in Christ, so that what each person is and contributes – without ceasing to be themselves – ends up converging in a single witness to the Gospel for the good and the edification of the people of God.

I therefore firmly believe that their lives, as well as their martyrdom, can be an invitation today to unity and mission for the universal Church. In a time marked by different sensibilities, in which it is easy to succumb to dichotomies or sterile dialectics, the Blesseds of Chimbote remind us that the Lord is capable of joining what our human logic tends to separate. It is not the full coincidence of opinions that unites us, but rather the decision to conform our opinion to that of Christ (cf. Lumen gentium, no.13).

The blood of the martyrs was not shed to serve personal plans or ideas, but as a unique offering of love to the Lord and to his people. Their martyrdom shows us – with the authority of life given – what true communion is: so many origins, many styles, many contexts, many gifts… but “one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all” (Eph 4:5-6).

Today, as we face the pastoral and cultural challenges confronting the Church, their memory asks us to take a decisive step: to return to Jesus Christ as the measure of our choices, our words and our priorities. To return to him with that steadfastness of heart that does not retreat, even when fidelity to the Gospel demands the gift of one's life. Only when he is the point of reference does the mission regain its proper form and the Church remember why it exists: “She exists in order to evangelize, that is to say, in order to preach and teach, to be the channel of the gift of grace, to reconcile sinners with God, and to perpetuate Christ's sacrifice in the Mass, which is the memorial of His death and glorious resurrection.” (Saint Paul VI, Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii nuntiandi, no. 14).

May this anniversary be for the Church in Chimbote an opportunity to renew our readiness to the apostolate. I urge the communities who welcomed these martyrs to continue today the mission for which they gave their lives, that of proclaiming Jesus with words and deeds, preserving the faith amid difficulties, serving the most vulnerable with humility, and keeping hope alive even when reality becomes difficult. And when their spirits falter in the face of danger, may they remember that history is not closed, nor is it alien to grace (cf. Rom 8:28); where there are faithful witnesses — like these priests and so many others — the future opens up, because it is Christ himself who continues to act in his Church and to lead history towards the fullness of his Kingdom. And before Him, even death does not have the last word (cf. Rev 1:18).

I would like to conclude by addressing a word to the young people of Peru, Poland, Italy and the entire world. The witness of the martyrs of Chimbote shows that life bears fruit to the extent to which one is open to God’s call. Michal was only thirty years old, and Zbigniew thirty-three; they had been exercising their ministry for just a few years, and yet in that youth, sometimes considered inexperienced or fragile, God once again reminded his Church that the fruitfulness of the mission does not depend on the length of the journey, but on the fidelity with which it is travelled.

My invitation also stems from this certainty. Young people, do not be afraid of the Lord's call! Whether to the priesthood, to the consecrated life, or even to the mission ad gentes, to go where Christ is not yet known. I also invite the clergy — especially young priests — to generously consider the possibility of offering themselves as fidei donum, following the example of Blessed Alessandro; and I encourage bishops to support the zeal of young priests and to assist the Churches most in need by fraternally sending ministers to extend Christ's pastoral charity where it is most needed.

May the memory of these witnesses enlighten the path of the pilgrim Church in Chimbote and of those who, all over the world, wish to follow and imitate our Saviour with a generous heart. With these wishes, entrusting you to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of martyrs, I impart to you my heartfelt Blessing.

Vatican, 26 November 2025

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Daily Bulletin of the Holy See Press Office, 6 December 2025