This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience the members of the Papal Foundation, to whom he delivered the following address:

Address of the Holy Father

Your Eminences, Your Excellencies,

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning to everyone!

I am pleased to greet all of you, the Members, Trustees, and Stewards of The Papal Foundation on the occasion of your annual pilgrimage to Rome. During this Easter season, we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection and his triumph over sin and death. Indeed, the stone in front of the tomb has been rolled back, and we are invited to look up at Jesus and welcome him into our lives, and once again say “yes” to him (cf. Homily for the Easter Vigil, 30 March 2024). In this way, the abiding presence of the Risen Christ will always be a source of joy that no one can take from us (cf. Jn 16:22).

Since its inception, the Foundation has been a vessel of this Easter joy by bringing the closeness, compassion and tender love of Jesus to countless brothers and sisters throughout the world. Your support of various educational, charitable, and apostolic projects enhances the integral development of so many, including the poor, refugees, migrants, and nowadays the increasingly large numbers of those affected by war and violence. At the same time, the scholarships provided to laity, consecrated religious, seminarians and priests from developing nations enable them to pursue studies at Pontifical universities in Rome, at the heart of the Church, and equip their recipients to bear witness to the Gospel more effectively both in their home countries and beyond.

Through these various worthy initiatives, you continue to help the Successors of Peter to build up many local churches and care for large numbers of the less fortunate, thus fulfilling the mandates entrusted to the Apostle by our Lord (cf. Lk 22:32, Jn21:17). For all of your generosity, thank you very much.

As you well know, your work finds its ultimate source and inspiration in our Catholic faith, which must be continually nourished by participation in the life of the Church, the reception of the sacraments, and time spent quietly before the Lord in prayer and adoration. Let us not forget to adore the Lord. We have neglected this form of prayer and we need to take it up again: adoring the Lord in silence. In this regard, your visit occurs in the midst of the Year of Prayer as the Church is preparing to celebrate the Jubilee of 2025. Through our perseverance in prayer, we gradually become “a single ‘heart and soul’ (cf. Acts 4:32)” with both Jesus and others, “which then translates into solidarity and the sharing of our daily bread” (cf. Letter to Archbishop Rino Fisichella for the Jubilee 2025, 11 February 2022). This fruit of our spiritual lives is important for your noble efforts, for although you may never meet them personally, the programs of The Papal Foundation foster a spiritual and fraternal bond with people from many different cultures, languages, and regions who receive assistance. Your service is all the more necessary in our time, marked as it is by a growing culture of indifference and individualism.

I offer my cordial best wishes as you visit the See of Peter, and I ask you to please pray for me. In entrusting you and your families to the intercession of Mary, Mother of the Church, I impart my Blessing as a pledge of joy and strength in the Risen Lord. Thank you!