This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Francis received in audience a group of volunteers and homeless people from Vienna.

The following is the greeting addressed by the Pope to those present during the meeting:

Greeting of the Holy Father

Guten Morgen!
Thank you for coming. You usually meet in the archbishop’s residence in Vienna – please convey my greetings to Cardinal Schönborn – today I am glad to welcome you here.

You come from very diverse countries, you belong to different religious denominations, and each one of you has had their own life experiences, sometimes with grave hardships. But one thing unites us all: we are brothers and sisters, we are children of one Father. This unites us all. And I am very happy that this reality is made tangible in your community when you help each other and, in your meetings, share what each person has to offer. Indeed, it is not true that some give and others only receive: we are all givers and receivers – all of us – we need each other, and we are called to enrich each other. And let us remember that this does not happen only through material gifts, but also through “a smile, a small gesture of friendship, a kind look, a ready ear, a good deed” (Spes non confundit, Bull of Indiction of the Jubilee 2025, 18).

So, at that moment, let us do what the Lord told us to do: namely, to love each other as He has loved us. Let us thank God for the gift of His love, which comes to us also through the good people around us. The Lord loves us beyond any limit and difficulty. Each one of us is unique in His eyes, and He never forgets us. Let us always try, as brothers and sisters, to make our life a gift for others. Our life a gift for others.

Thank you again for this meeting, and for everything that you do together. I pray for you, I bless you.

And now, let us all pray together, in silence, a minute.

Gott segne uns alle [God bless us all].