Newsroom, June 9, 2025, Gaudium Press – This morning, the Holy Father himself acted as a pilgrim in commemoration of the Jubilee of the Holy See. He received the Jubilee Cross from the hands of a young volunteer and then proceeded to St. Peter’s Basilica, where he passed through the Holy Door.
The procession—accompanied by cardinals, bishops, priests, and lay faithful—preceded the Eucharistic celebration, during which the Pontiff delivered a homily on the Marian charism of the Church, coinciding with today’s liturgical memorial: Mary, Mother of the Church.
At the foot of the Cross, when John received Mary from Jesus as his mother, “through the mystery of the Cross, the maternity of Mary took an unimaginable leap” “The Mother of Jesus became the new Eve, the source of new and eternal life for every person who comes into the world, because her Son associated her with his redemptive death. The theme of fruitfulness is clearly present in this liturgy.”
Continuing, the Pope said: “The fruitfulness of the Church is the same fruitfulness as Mary’s; it is realized in the lives of her members to the extent that they relive, ‘in miniature,’ what the Mother lived… All the fruitfulness of the Church and of the Holy See depends on the Cross of Christ. Otherwise, it is only appearance, if not worse.”
He quoted theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar:
“If the Church is the tree that grew from the tiny mustard seed of the Cross, this tree is destined to produce mustard seeds in turn, and therefore fruits that repeat the shape of the Cross, because it is precisely to the Cross that they owe their existence.”
He noted that in the Collect prayer the Church asks that it “may exult in the holiness of her children,” and stressed that “the fruitfulness of Mary and of the Church are inextricably linked to their holiness, which is their conformity to Christ.”
Regarding the Holy See, he affirmed: “The Holy See is holy as the Church is holy, in her original core, in the very fabric of her being. The Apostolic See thus preserves the holiness of its roots while being preserved by them.”
“But,” he emphasized, “it is no less true that it also lives in the holiness of each of its members. Therefore, the best way to serve the Holy See is to strive for holiness, each according to his or her particular state of life and the work entrusted to him or her.”
He gave practical examples: a priest carrying a heavy burden through ministry yet performing his duties “with love and faith” contributes to the Church’s fruitfulness. Similarly, a parent caring for a troubled child or sick family member remains fruitful through dedicated work.
Turning to the Upper Room at Pentecost, he noted that Mary’s motherhood is “archetypal” and “remains relevant in every time and place,” rooted in the Paschal Mystery. “In the Upper Room… Mary is at the service of the nascent community: she is the living memory of Jesus… the center of attention that harmonizes differences and ensures the unity of the disciples’ prayer.”
He stressed Peter’s relationship with Mary: “But he himself, in truth, is the first to be supported by Mary in his ministry. In the same way, Mother Church supports the ministry of Peter’s successors with the Marian charism. The Holy See experiences… the coexistence of the two poles; the Marian and the Petrine.”
Finally, he urged faithful to open themselves to God’s Word as a guiding light, praying:
“Grant, O Father, that your Church, sustained by the love of Christ, may be ever more fruitful in the Spirit, exult in the holiness of her children, and draw to her embrace all the whole human family.”
Compiled by Gustavo Kralj
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