VATICAN CITY – On Friday, June 6, in the Consistory Hall, the Pope met with members of various associations of the faithful, church movements, and new communities. The Holy Father encouraged them to broaden spiritual communion within their communities and to maintain their missionary zeal.

Just before the jubilee of new movements, associations, and communities on June 7 and 8, the Sovereign Pontiff received moderators, international managers, and delegates of ecclesial associations recognized by the Holy See on Friday, June 6. These leaders had been participating in an annual meeting organized by the Dicaster for Laïcs, family and life.

«Supporting and encouraging your brothers and sisters in their Christian journey includes responsibilities,commitments,often also difficulties and misunderstandings,but it is an essential and precious task»,Started the sovereign pontiff,thanking these leaders of movements in the name of the entire Church.

“No one is Christian alone!”

The Pope addressed the church movements, highlighting an essential aspect of Christian life: “no one is a Christian alone».

«Christian life is not lived in isolation, as if it were an intellectual or sentimental adventure, confined to our mind and our heart. It is lived with others, in groups, in community, because the resurrected Christ is present among the disciples gathered in his name“Saeid the Holy Father.

These associations and movements aim toward the associated apostolate of the faithful,”strongly encouraged by Vatican Council II». Pope Léon XIV cited conciliar texts, noting that by forming and encouraging their members, these associations “order and guide their apostolic action, so that we can hope for much more abundant fruits than if individuals worked separately».

“Everything in the church is therefore understood in reference to grace.”

Charisms and the grace of God

The Pope then spoke to the new communities within the charismatic movement, calling it “An essential dimension in the Church». Referencing the letter Iuvenescit Ecclesia, published in 2016 by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith, he urged the representatives to consider charisms in relation to grace, as gifts from the Spirit.

The pope acknowledged the benefits of these charism-inspired communities: “So many people have come closer to Christ, have found hope in life, have discovered the maternity hospital of the Church and wish to be helped to grow in faith, in community life, in works of charity and to bring to others, by evangelization, the gift they received».