This morning, in the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father Leo XIV received in audience the members of the “Federación Marsodeto” from Toledo, Spain.

The following is the address delivered by the Pope to those present during the meeting:

Address of the Holy Father

In the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Peace be with you.

Good morning and welcome to you all.

Your Excellency,

distinguished authorities,

dear brothers and sisters,

It is a great joy to welcome you this morning, during your pilgrimage to the See of Peter, to give thanks to God for the fruitful forty-five years of your institution. I join in this special celebration and ask the Lord to continue blessing the work you carry out.

An arduous task, undoubtedly; one involving a great deal of unseen work that nobody notices and that only God can reward, and in which it is deeply rewarding to recognize, in the face of every person, Jesus Christ Himself. Through your work, you are in a unique position to bear witness to what we hear in the Gospel: ‘Truly I tell you, whenever you did this for one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you did it for me’ (Mt 25:40). Being able to recognize, in the lives of the weakest and most vulnerable, the gaze of Christ that challenges us, is something that helps us grow as a human and Christian society.

There are many values that characterize the way you approach the reality of people with intellectual disabilities and cerebral palsy: solidarity, the defence of human dignity and full inclusion. For all these reasons, you have also succeeded in garnering the support of a large number of institutional representatives, who are here with you today, thus bearing witness to their commitment to your work and to the common good.

Looking back, we give thanks to God for the inspiration of Don Marcelino Casas Puente who, more than four decades ago, set in motion what then seemed like a dream and which we now see as a reality: that no family with a member with an intellectual disability should be left without support.

Today, this Federation can feel proud of reaching so many people, making a reality what I had the opportunity to recall during my recent visit to Spain: “the love of Christ impels us toward our brothers and sisters (cf. 2 Cor 5:14), and the charity and concern with which we respond to its promptings are the proof of our faith” (Visit to the staff and service users of the ‘CEDIA 24 horas’ social project, 6 June 2026).

Dear brothers and sisters, I commend you to the maternal protection of the Blessed Virgin Mary, that she may accompany you constantly in your mission. May she encourage you in your moments of greatest difficulty and help you to keep your eyes focused on the Lord at all times, so that your Federation may continue to be a true model for the Church and society.

God bless you.

Thank you very much.

Let us now pray together, as the Lord taught us:

[Our Father…]

[Blessing]